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Thanks to iPadOS 16, the iPad with the M1 processor has access to two different multitasking systems, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The comparison method is as follows.
Multitasking on the iPad has come a long way since the device was first introduced in 2010. Starting with a multitasking format other than switching full-screen apps, it has evolved into a device that can run eight active apps at the same time.
There are two types of multitasking available to iPad users starting with iPadOS 16: Stage Manager and Split View. However, users can only take advantage of the more advanced Stage Manager if they are using an iPad with an M1 processor.
This limitation excludes the majority of current iPad users and requires an upgrade to take advantage of this feature. However, Stage Manager is not suitable for everyone and is not used by default.
iPadOS multitasking status
When split views and slideovers were first introduced in 2015, it was a new way to manage multitasking on the iPad. There are only two size options for split views, and you can place two apps side by side.
Split view hasn’t changed much since its debut in 2015
Slideover allows you to view a single app as a small floating window above the interface. While the slideover was active, I was able to work with the following app elements, but it wasn’t ideal.
This form of multitasking mimics the space features of macOS, creating a full-screen app that you can swipe with gestures. Apple has tweaked the features, but even today it hasn’t changed its behavior at a basic level.
Many users wanted a more robust multitasking system and even a reproduction of macOS windows. Apple provided something in between called Stage Manager.
Apple first introduced this feature during the presentation of macOS Ventura at WWDC. This is a system for managing windows using a stack of app windows in a small carousel-like view.
Adding an external monitor will increase the number of windows available
This feature was also introduced on the iPad OS, but with some limitations. The apps can’t be placed freely, the windows have a predefined size, and you can only run four apps on your iPad at a time. You can run four additional apps, but only if an external display is connected.
Stage Manager is not the de facto multitasking system on the iPad OS and is not enabled by default on the M1 iPad. Instead, it’s another mode that users can enable at any time through the Control Center.
Split views are suitable for focused tasks
When Apple first announced Split View, it was proud of the fact that a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with two full-screen apps side by side would display the 9.7-inch full version. Stage Manager allows you to view a single app in full screen, but adding an app shrinks the window and no longer occupies the same area as the split view.
Slideover provides a separate set of multitasking windows that you can pull in at any time
Slide Over also provides a unique and useful multitasking tool that isn’t available on Stage Manager on macOS. Slideover acts as a secondary multitasking system with its own set of apps, allowing users to call it while using other apps or split views.
If you need more than one app at a time, you’ll start seeing Split View limits. Of course, apps can be pulled in from Slide Over, but at that level it’s not truly multitasking.
Stage Manager enables more complex workflows
Increasing the number of apps on your screen from 3 to 4 isn’t impressive, but Stage Manager is much better than apps running in the foreground. On the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, you can see the four app stacks and the main active app. It can display up to 16 apps on the iPad alone.
When connected to a 27-inch Studio Display, you can run eight active apps on your iPad, four on each display. However, the app stack available on the side will be 4 to 9. This means that up to 44 apps will be displayed and accessible at any time.
Stage Manager can contain up to 4 apps in a set, while split views can contain 2 apps.
That number is loud from the three apps displayed in Split View, or the 18 possible apps available in the app switcher without scrolling. Most users struggle to create 11 different app stacks that work in a convenient way, but the fact that it’s possible is still great for iPad users.
Having different app stacks for work, entertainment, social chat, editing, smart homes, etc. will make your work a little smoother. This is true multitasking with no clutter in 20 open overlapping windows that obscure your desktop.
When you enable Stage Manager, Slide Over disappears and the app stack is recreated from memory. If you’re using Stage Manager, it doesn’t seem like you can call a quick note without an Apple Pencil, but other multitasking features work like picture-in-picture or quick notes.
Add PiP videos and quick notes for more multitasking windows
The external display can run Stage Manager while the iPad is running the full screen app or split view. However, the monitor will always run StageManager unless the user switches to mirrored mode, which shifts to a 4: 3 aspect ratio.
Toggling in the Control Center activates Stage Manager, and long-pressing the icon allows the user to automatically hide the dock or app stack. If you make the app window large enough, the app stack and dock will also be hidden.
Choose the best one
Even as the iPad continues to evolve into a more powerful productivity platform, Apple has retained one core belief. The iPad should be able to act as a simple tablet device and scale up based on user needs.
Stage Manager requires less space to use two apps side by side than Split View.
This means that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro can be connected to an external monitor to run eight apps at once, but one app can take over the entire display. This also translates to multitasking, as Stage Manager may not fit all use cases.
For example, Stage Manager works even if the user doesn’t have a mouse or keyboard connected, but it’s not that easy to manage. Also, because the app occupies less space, apps such as drawing apps have less space to operate than full-screen mode or split view.
Users need to determine the best multitasking system for each workflow. Most people choose one system and continue to use it, but the ability to switch between them brings even more versatility to the iPad and its form factors.