9to5Mac writer: iPadOS 27 still needs a simple multitasking mode

According to Michael, the initial iPadOS 26 beta removed the simpler Split View and Slide Over modes. They later returned, but only through the new windowing system, so users who want the easier modes must also engage with the pro-oriented layers of complexity. He had hoped iPadOS 27 would improve the handling, he writes, but it did not.

The columnist says he does not entirely oppose the windowing system. On a 13-inch iPad Pro with the Magic Keyboard, he says, it works exceptionally well when moving between multiple apps. But he has mixed feelings on smaller iPads, and he complains that the only alternative is full-screen use of every app, leaving no in-between flexibility.

Bringing Split View and Slide Over back inside the windowing interface has also proven fiddly, Michael writes. Users must position windows precisely to snap into those modes, and a slightly wrong drag can accidentally trigger Split View. A long press on the traffic-light buttons offers more targeted controls, but that still feels out of place for simple iPad usage.

Michael proposes that Apple offer two sets of multitasking options: a "Classic" mode in which apps generally open full screen but still support Slide Over and Split View, and a "Pro" mode that offers the iPadOS 26 windowing, along with an option to enable or disable Stage Manager. He argues that Apple took the iPad too far in one direction for Magic Keyboard and laptop-replacement users, and that the multitasking experience is lacking for people who want their iPad to remain an iPad. Restoring an explicitly simple option would go a long way, he says.

A leading comment on the piece, from a reader identified as G A B E, says Slide Over has not truly returned and says he does not care for Stage Manager unless the iPad is connected to a Magic Keyboard or display. The commenter suggests it would be nice if the iPad switched to Stage Manager in those setups, and wonders how the iPhone foldable will handle multitasking. The piece invites readers to share their experiences with iPad multitasking since iPadOS 26.