WebKit update hints at major iPadOS 16 multitasking mode

Source: Adam Oram / iMore

A new iPadOS upgrade previously rumored as an upgrade may have just been spotted in Apple’s WebKit code.

as noted by Developer Steve Troughton-Smith,

I know better than to be excited about improvements to the iPad, because we’ve been burned so many times…

But WebKit has added infrastructure for ‘multitasking mode’ on iOS which certainly looks like it’s a system toggle that enables independently resizable windows https://t.co/NBNGhHiaxB

Also read: iPadOS 16 concept envisions new multitasking capabilities, popover apps, studio mode, and more

— steve troughton-smith (@stroughtonsmith) 26 May 2022

Troughton-Smith Note:

I know better than to be excited about improvements to the iPad because we’ve been burned so many times… but WebKit just added the infrastructure for ‘multitasking mode’ on iOS that certainly looks like it’s a There is a system toggle that enables freely resizable windows

Code-wise, multitasking mode can be changed at runtime, allowing apps to transition in and out of it, Troughton-Smith likens it to Windows 10’s tablet mode.

While Troughton-Smith is right to be cautious about major iPadOS upgrades (they’re rare), a similar system internally dubbed “Apple Mixer” leaked online earlier this year. This feature will automatically shrink windows when a keyboard and mouse are connected, and have fully resizable windows:

Apple is developing a smart system for iPadOS. Apps will continue to open full screen but automatically shrink when the keyboard and trackpad are connected. Internally it is called Apple Mixer. We don’t know if it will be included in iPadOS 16 should this M1 be an iPad exclusive. pic.twitter.com/1WfMj5TGue

— Majin Boo (@MajinBuOfficial) 15 March 2022

The leak comes from a less reliable source than traditional inside Apple information, but seems to be in line with the latest WebKit discovery.

Users are crying out for more advances in iPadOS, now that the hardware of devices like the M1 iPad Pro (2021) and even the iPad Air eclipse the capabilities of the software they run thanks to Apple Silicon.

As Troughton-Smith notes, this upgrade could pave the way for a “new direction” for the iPad with all-new form factors, larger iPads, iPadOS laptops, desktops and even external monitors in the future. are also included. In the meantime, it could mean a more intuitive multitasking experience, at least on the iPad and a chance to tap into the currently untapped power of the iPad.

Apple will unveil iPadOS 16 on June 6 at its WWDC 2022 keynote. Given this update’s closeness with WWDC, it looks like the feature (whatever it turns out to be) could be unveiled at the conference in June and showcased in iOS 16. There is also the possibility that this is a feature that is announced but not included in early releases such as Universal Controls.

We may earn commission for purchases made using our links. learn more.

Source