iOS is closing the gap on Android. Google absolutely needs to...

[WuBoy]

introduce true multi-window to Android. It needs to happen anyway, but I think it's the one thing that will keep Android heads and shoulders above iOS assuming of course iOS 8 doesn't introduce it first.

 

[John Bean]

Personally I think windows on a phone is a terrible idea, so it would be a disincentive from my point of view if Android went that way.

"One man's meat is another man's poison" just shows how hard it is to balance the requirements of any customer base. You can't assume something you believe is essential will appear the same to others; quite the reverse can happen.

 

[chanchan05]

Yup. Multi-window on a phablet or a tablet is one thing, but a smaller phone with a 4-4.5in screen? Nope. Even on my Note 2's 5.5 inch screen it really isn't much use.

For those whose phones don't have it, it seems cool and awesome, but in practice I don't really use it.

 

[mikedt]

I think Apple would need to do a larger iPhone first before they start windowing. Besides the current phablet type devices, the iPhone 5/C/S is positively dinky. iPads, plenty of room for windowing on them though.

I can see a possible use for multi-windows on a tablet though. Keep an IM window open, e.g. WeChat, while doing some productivity or watching a movie or something in another window. I was setting up a 10inch iPad for a colleague yesterday, put WeChat on it, but there's no specific iPad version of the app, so the iPhone version completely filled the screen and looked absolutely huge and toy like. That would have been nice to have it windowed I think.

 

[nickdalzell]

i still see Apple dying without Jobs at the helm. whatever Mr. Ivy has done to the OS is a very hilarious joke. i hope he runs the company into the ground with his unicorn pinkie pie brony love.

The only thing i wish i could see would be Jobs' reaction to iOS 7. too bad he died shortly before it got out. it would have made his reaction to Microsoft Windows 1.0 nothing in comparison.

I do agree though with the OP Multi-Window is real multitasking and is a very useful feature at least in my case. not just with the Note 3 but the first S3 i had. the Note 3's Pen Window only makes it better.

 

[mikedt]

i still see Apple dying without Jobs at the helm. whatever Mr. Ivy has done to the OS is a very hilarious joke. i hope he runs the company into the ground with his unicorn pinkie pie brony love.

I think Dr. Dre should be leading Apple now.

 

[lunatic59]

I think Dr. Seuss should be leading Apple now.

ftfy.


I think we've passed the point where any single feature or feature set can make or break a platform. Let iOS try it first and see if it flies. I know I've got split windows on my Galaxy Note 10.1, but I've not used it, nor seen the need yet.

 

[nickdalzell]

i find Pen Window more useful than multi-window. but that only works on Notes. i just love how i can keep my browser open with all those tabs i'm reading and pull up my music player, then minimize it, toss it aside and continue reading. before i had to open the recent apps, hit the music app, which would leave the browser and pull up music (and that is SOOO 2007!) but when i would go back to the browser all my tabs would reload and i'd lose the place on the website i was reading. every freaking time!

Doing it one-app at a time, swapping between them via recent apps is too Apple-y to me.

 

[WuBoy]

ftfy.


I think we've passed the point where any single feature or feature set can make or break a platform. Let iOS try it first and see if it flies. I know I've got split windows on my Galaxy Note 10.1, but I've not used it, nor seen the need yet.

To each his own. The sole reason I got a Surface Pro as opposed to an Android tablet was multi-window. I agree it wouldn't fly on a small phone, but's not like you'd have to use it just because it's there.

 

[DragonSlayer95]

Back when multi window was first introduced to the galaxy s3 and note 2, it was pretty cool to try out, but it's just a feature now that I don't really care for.

For me, it's easier to go from one app to another instead of hassling opening up both in multi window and trying to use one then the other on just half the screen.

 

[lunatic59]

That's my take on it too, but as the OP says, to each his (or her) own. While i may never use it, it's nice to know I can if i wanted to.

 

[nickdalzell]

might be easier but i hated how my browser would always reload the tabs i had open and i'd lose my place in the site i was reading every single time. in the end it's the same limited multi-tasking iOS has had for ages. i would expect better from Android than doing it the Apple way. but seeing the direction Google is going now, i hold little hope anymore for them. they are becoming too Apple-like for me. i tend to cut ties with Google apps and Google entirely on any version of Android these days and use Amazon instead.

 

[dan330]

reading my notes... there is are phone numbers I must call.
but still need the document open.. to review while talking to the client.

so it is nice able to open a window to the dialer...

 

[John Bean]

So you tap the number (which opens a dialler), set it off dialling before bringin up the "recents" list to go back to the document. Two taps - and far easier (and quicker) to do than to write down

PS: I rarely use windows even in Windows; I tend to maximise the windows and switch between them rather than wasting screen real estate on window decorations and bare desktop so it's perfectly natural - and better in some ways - on an Android device. The only time I use windows on Windows is when I'm doing a lot of cut and paste (or drag/drop) operations.

 

[Hadron]

There are alternatives to split screens for some apps/ROMs, e.g. Sony's "small apps" which can float above your current app. Those need ROM support though, so aren't generally available - I have them but rarely use them, though I do sometimes use Floating Boat or Link Bubble to follow links without leaving my current page/app, which are also floating windows.

 

[AnonGuy]

I think Apple would need to do a larger iPhone first before they start windowing. Besides the current phablet type devices, the iPhone 5/C/S is positively dinky. iPads, plenty of room for windowing on them though.

I can see a possible use for multi-windows on a tablet though. Keep an IM window open, e.g. WeChat, while doing some productivity or watching a movie or something in another window. I was setting up a 10inch iPad for a colleague yesterday, put WeChat on it, but there's no specific iPad version of the app, so the iPhone version completely filled the screen and looked absolutely huge and toy like. That would have been nice to have it windowed I think.

Apple has the iPad. It's a lot larger than an Android phone at 9.7" (7.9" for the Mini) and if someone buys an iPad the incentive to buy an Android phone given the iOS Continuity and Handoff improvements is pretty low at this point.

 

[Crashdamage]

My son-in-law won an iPad in a contest. He's really been disappointed with it, both hardware and especially software. He says iCloud is particularly weak and that while iOS 8 adds some good iCloud stuff, it still won't get it to where Android, using either Google Drive or Dropbox, has already been for quite a while.

iOS/Apple still has a lotta work to do to catch up with Android/Google. OK, except for audio creation/editing stuff.

 

[Stuntman]

Back when multi window was first introduced to the galaxy s3 and note 2, it was pretty cool to try out, but it's just a feature now that I don't really care for.

For me, it's easier to go from one app to another instead of hassling opening up both in multi window and trying to use one then the other on just half the screen.

I tried the multi-window on the GS3 as well. I also found it to be not useful to me at all. There isn't enough screen real estate to make it useful for me.

iOS 8 adds a number of features that Android users have enjoyed for a while. Now that I am using some iOS devices now, I look forward to them.

 

[AnonGuy]

My son-in-law won an iPad in a contest. He's really been disappointed with it, both hardware and especially software. He says iCloud is particularly weak and that while iOS 8 adds some good iCloud stuff, it still won't get it to where Android, using either Google Drive or Dropbox, has already been for quite a while.

iOS/Apple still has a lotta work to do to catch up with Android/Google. OK, except for audio creation/editing stuff.

iCloud isn't going to be weak when iOS 8 launches.
I'm broke from being new sports equipment, but I may just find a way to get the new iPhone if the screen is bigger.

Note that iCloud will be a full DropBox/Drive replacement come iOS 8, with a more consistent camera, better photo software (no social encumbrance), and better productivity software. It's getting a complete revamp.

I tried the multi-window on the GS3 as well. I also found it to be not useful to me at all. There isn't enough screen real estate to make it useful for me.

iOS 8 adds a number of features that Android users have enjoyed for a while. Now that I am using some iOS devices now, I look forward to them.

The S3 Multi window isn't that useful. Back then a lot of apps didn't support it and it doesn't have the drag and drop features the newer phones have, which really add a new dimension of usefulness to that feature. Even then, I don't feel it's a huge seller on a device without an s pen personally.

 

[mikedt]

iCloud isn't going to be weak when iOS 8 launches.
I'm broke from being new sports equipment, but I may just find a way to get the new iPhone if the screen is bigger.

Note that iCloud will be a full DropBox/Drive replacement come iOS 8, with a more consistent camera, better photo software (no social encumbrance), and better productivity software. It's getting a complete revamp.

iCloud will no longer be limited to OS X Mavericks and iOS 7+ only?

 

[Digital Controller]

Honestly I think Android is doing fine with the direction that it's going in.

Android L was very nice and all the features seemed very good and streamlined.

Just let Google keep doing what it's doing with Android, I am certain we will see good things

 

[Crashdamage]

With Android L, Google didn't just widen the gap, they put iOS and Apple a lap down.

 

[bjacks12]

iCloud will no longer be limited to OS X Mavericks and iOS 7+ only?

Don't be silly, that won't change because only the peasantry uses anything older than those OS'es. Why would Apple bother?


Google may not have been the greatest with updates, but at least most of their services are available all the way back to Froyo.

 

[mikedt]

Don't be silly, that won't change because only the peasantry uses anything older than those OS'es. Why would Apple bother?


Google may not have been the greatest with updates, but at least most of their services are available all the way back to Froyo.

Well I ain't spending $2000 on a new Macbook just so I can use iCloud instead of Google Drive or Dropbox.

 

[bjacks12]

Well I ain't spending $2000 on a new Macbook just so I can use iCloud instead of Google Drive or Dropbox.

Then Tim Cook and his plaid-wearing cult don't care about us