iOS 8 Code Points to Multiple Options for Split-Screen Multitasking
Apple's split-screen multitasking feature for iOS 8 did not make it into the company's Worldwide Developers Conference or the first release of iOS 8, but it is still in the works. As noted by developer Steven Troughton-Smith, iOS 8's internal SpringBoard includes code that allows apps to run side-by-side in multiple sizes: 1/4, 1/2, or 3/4. Apps that are running side-by-side are displayed as a single app in the App Switcher.
First hinted at in May, split-screen multitasking will allow two apps to be displayed on a single screen on the iPad Air, Apple's largest tablet. The feature, which reportedly only works in landscape mode, will allow iPad owners to use two apps simultaneously and it may also allow users to share information like links, images, and text between two apps.
Previous concept for split-screen multitasking (not based on specific rumors)
The iPad's inability to display two apps at once is a lack that Microsoft has used to
advertise its Surface tablet, which does have the ability to display multiple apps on the screen at one time.
It appears that split-screen multitasking may initially be limited to the iPad Air, with support for the iPhone and the Retina iPad mini possibly coming at a later date. Split-screen multitasking could also be slated for Apple's rumored 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" that may or may not be in development.
Ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference, Brian Chen of The New York Times confirmed that split-screen multitasking is still a work in progress. It may see a debut during one of the many updates Apple is likely to release as it refines iOS 8 ahead of a public release, or it may be a feature the company is saving for a later iOS 8.1 update.
Popular Stories
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps.
The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future.
To set up the...
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras
Under-screen Face ID
Front camera in...
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones.
iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features.
Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen
A new slider in the Lock...
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows.
One Thing (Free) -...
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026.
Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers.
The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far.
On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), ...
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the iPhone mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
