The Multitasking model for iPad in iOS 13 is confused and confusing. This is how I would fix it. ———————
Problems with the current multitasking model:
- Dragging icons from the dock to both launch apps and remove them from the dock is a confusing metaphor
- Not discoverable
- Activating the dock is fiddly
- Activating the dragging of apps from the dock is fiddly (hold too short or too long and it fails)
- Basically, using the dock and app icons to control multitasking sucks
- The “magic” of full screen apps feels lost when in split view
- Unclear which app has focus (which adds confusion when using a keyboard)
This simpler concept resolves these problems by:
- Ditching the dock (outside of the home screen)
- Treating split view more like two separate iPads, home screens, home indicators, rounded corners and all
- Separating the launching of apps (app icons only) and the control of multitasking actions (home indicators only)
- Indicating focus with the home indicators
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Additional concept details not shown in the video:
- Control Center remains full screen
- Tapping an app that has multiple “windows” open in the background first shows App Expose so that the user can chose the one they want and/or close the others
- The left iPad status bar shows only the items normally on the left, and the right shows only the items normally on the right
- Background applications (audio, mapping etc) are indicated with color on both status bars but, as with notifications, open on the side which is tapped
- Each status bar has it’s own back button displayed when links or apps are opened from within another app
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