The iPad's Odd New Feature

Stage Manager in iPadOS 16 is fascinating to me. I have a theory...

Intro Track: Speak EZ by Matt Large

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[dibujemaestro]

Files update is more important than stage manager, I think. You can look at four apps, but you can’t work in all four at the same time…files management is the hidden gem of the update and nobody speaks about it

[adg_tube]

I have the big iPad Pro that I use primarily as pencil/paper replacement for notes, homework assignments, etc... I think its a great device for this. One nagging gripe I have about the OS though, is that there still isn't the ability to have the screen split horizontally into top and bottom while in portrait orientation. When school was mostly remote, it would have been sooo nice to have Zoom or whatever video streaming app in the upper half with notetaking app in the bottom half while the device is in portrait so you basically have 2 stacked landscape screens. It seems like a no-brainer to me!

[Grendel]

I think they should try making a really useful graphing calculator type of calculator app for the iPad. Thinking back to my high school days, that would've been insanely useful. Wouldn't need a TI-83 or whatever, and they could make it several times simpler and more intuitive. I had to graph equations all the time, and the extra space on an iPad would be perfect for graphing.

[jc]

iPad, it is an amazing piece of hardware held hostage by the operating system. We are at a point that an IPad or an IPhone could be transformed into a low performance MAC, but profits will forever prevent any of these from materializing.

Fun fact, in the early days of the IPad, Apple commissioned a few machine shops to create a frame for an IPad/MAC device but it seems the idea was not implemented.

[Locuts]

This is Apple desperately trying to keep the iPad a “tablet” and keep it in that market segment so it doesn’t consume their laptop division… which honestly I don’t think it would but I can understand their worry. Attempts by companies to reinforce these walls between divisions that they themselves have made kind of blurry have always upset consumers.

[chrisparsons]

Stage manager seemed weird when it was announced, and that doesn’t change with each video I see where someone demos/explains it. I’m a pretty hardcore iPad user—I use my 11” Pro everyday, for work and leisure, and am regularly using split screens + slide over windows—but I just don’t ‘get’ how Stage manager will improve my workflow as its presently designed.

[heller_nick]

Most of the apps I use on the iPad are in full screen mode. However sometimes, e.g. while doing some research, split view comes into play. What I found interesting is what Craig Federighi said in this year's John Gruber WWDC talk show: Apple wants the iPad to have a very focused and clean experience unlike the mac where you can have windows all over the place.

[SeMDesu]

Well, I personally use iPad as a media device, you know, youtube, tv shows and stuff. Sometimes I do paint in procreate, the other times (not that many), some multitasking.

One day I was on my vacation and needed to connect to my office PC and do some stuff, and I used an iPad, remotely connected, had some chats opened in the stage manager, went back and forth. I think it was an "ok" experience, not considering the "aim assist" of a mouse thingy.

[sandscribbler]

I appreciate the thoughtful way Marques presents technology on this channel. He isn't shy about addressing shortcomings (as he sees them) of a given device. But he does so in a way that is still respectful of the work that other intelligent human beings have put into the product.

[BoomTharis]

I have used both the 10” and 12.9” iPad and I felt the multitasking works much better on the bigger screen. With that said, I still use 95% of the app fullscreen.

The time when I do multi-app is when I need to take some notes/reminders while browsing the web or writing a message while watching YouTube - which I found to be quite a good feature when you know how to get the most out of it. But still, like you said, it’s not that intuitive for most users.

[BerndBadewanne]

I'm actually really happy with the current multitasking options. Having a lecture on one side and notes on the other and occasionally bring in the slide over calculator is a great workflow for studying. Only thing that always bothered me is how you can't have two apps vertically in portrait orientation. But stage manager looks too cluttered. Just give me a 4x4 grid i can resize and it would be perfect.

[oudo]

I use my iPad as my daily computer, and I think this update is a massive improvement for multitasking. I can have a PDF editor behind Safari so I can scribble easier. I can have translate behind my notes for quicker translations. I use my iPad for research (in physics and biology) as well as language learning, writing, and editing. I think it’s perfect for these needs, and really enjoyable to use. And again, not everyone requires coding or intensive programs for their daily work.

[TheGroovyGuitarDude]

I haven’t taken much time to learn Stage Manager yet, but it definitely seems more confusing than it needs to be

[mileswirht]

I use my iPad for resource management really, it’s excellent for viewing and editing on a basic level, but the second you try to do more either it takes an extra app, or odd work-around, if at all. But for note taking and project management it shines, it’s wonderful to use, and using it at school has been a joy.

[Sheddell]

I’m a med student and I use my iPad Pro 13” as my only device. Sat down at a computer the other day and was really lost trying to navigate through settings, files, etc… I agree there are a lot of things you can’t do on the iPad that lots of people use a laptop or computer for, but I don’t do those things, so I’m now completely immersed in this iPad way of things. It’s like you said, they’re creating an ‘iPad way’ of doing things, and it really is just different.

I use my iPad in almost every configurable way possible. I have the keyboard case when I’m browsing the internet/using websites. I take it off and take notes with the Apple Pencil in class. I always have a few different apps in the slide-over open. I use split screen when I’m working on something, but need to quickly reference my notes on the other half. I use lots of widgets, and lots of custom made shortcuts/automations. A lot of the shortcuts I made I assigned a keyboard short cut to so I can run a quick “drop down app” over the top of everything i have open. I agree the water is a little muddy with all the different ways to multitask, but once I integrate it into my routines I find ways to utilize each one for what i need. I’m all for the new update coming!

[umbertovimercati]

I completely agree with your point of view. I’m a college student and i use my iPad Air 4th gen for notes taking and watching YouTube. I’m a everyday user of the multitasking and personally i love it. When i saw the stage manager coming on the iPad I wasn’t really happy for to reasons: 1- my iPad doesn’t have the M1 chip. 2- it didn’t seem as easy and good to use as the multitasking. For these reasons I’m still happy to use the multitasking and stage Magee won’t convince me to change my iPad.

[kristyelizabethtaylorboom]

The split view use for drawing in procreate is incredible and it feels amazing to own this device, that’s of course until I want to work on a word document and 89 % of the features are not available for use on the iPad.

[IsoSnakeFarm]

As a software developer, I can't imagine someone giving our team this set of requirements for a project. The whole multitasking flow is so confusing. Almost every "distinctly iPad" feature makes me think "who is asking for this?"

[truecuckoo]

Hi. I’m using the iPad Pro for:
1. Sketching, design, handwriting recognition, web browsing, watching videos.
2. As a portable drawing tablet for the Mac using Sidecar.

I typically use full screen apps. But maybe 10-20% of the time I use split screen. And sometimes notes or Safari in a floating tall window.

I will probably never use Stage manager on the Mac. Looks incredibly space inefficient.
I will definitely try it out in the iPad. Although I don’t like the idea of not going full screen on the iPad.

[calicocritterscrafts]

Nursing student here: my iPad is indispensable. I’m having to get a new one (I’ve had my current one for at least 4 years so it’s gone a while) because I truly love it’s note-taking ability. Our profs use various things like PowerPoint, Teams, Zoom, Canvas, etc and having the ability to write all over a PowerPoint they’ve sent and then exchange notes between classmates for studying. I would guess at least 1/2 our cohort are using iPads with Apple Pencil for lectures and seminars.