Apple is bringing support for displaying more than one app at a time to iPad users starting with iOS 9. But the only existing device that fully supports the feature is the iPad Air 2, because no other iPad has a fast enough processor to handle split-screen apps.
That could change soon. According to 9to5Mac, there’s evidence that split-screen support could be available in the next iPad mini.
That evidence comes courtesy of a few resource files form pre-release builds of OS X El Capitan, showing an iPad mini running the Safari web browser in split-screen mode, which means users would be able to see two different browser tabs in side-by-side windows on an Apple tablet with a 7.9 inch screen.
There’s also a developer tool that lets web designers see how their sites would look in various web browsers… including an iPad mini with split-screen views.
It’s unlikely that this feature will work on existing iPad mini hardware, but Apple is holding an event on September 9th, where the company is expected to introduce new iPhone models. Maybe we’ll see a new iPad mini 2 at the same time? Or maybe not… but whenever the next iPad mini does arrive, it seems like a safe bet that it’ll have an Apple A8 or faster processor.
There are Samsung tablets with low-end specs that can handle multi-window just fine. This is just Apple leaving users behind as per usual.
How so? Apple users are typically very happy with their iPads just as they are. There isn’t much of evidence to suggest that split screen apps are needed, or even wanted by lots of customers on tablet-sized devices.
That’s not the point. Wouldn’t it be best to get as much content and features to as many people as you can? I don’t think older devices should be supported forever, but Apple doesn’t even support devices that aren’t even that old. They could at least put older device support in our hands. But hey, that’s what Android’s for. What you give in perfect optimization and unity, you gain in development, legacy support, and freedom.
That sounded somewhat “fanboy-ish”. Just know that that was not my inention.
Besides the faster processor, the Ipad Air 2 has 2GB of RAM. All other Ipads currently sold have only 1GB of RAM. I’m guessing the new mini will have 2GB of RAM to better support multitasking like the Air 2.