Predictable. Expected. And welcome. Microsoft created a few ripples in the tablet scene a couple of years back when it debuted its Surface line of devices with a number of exclusive features.
Exclusive, and innovative features.
Prime among them was the split-screen multitasking ability that allows the running of two or more applications at the same time. And Redmond have boasted about this feature on pretty much every occasion, going so far out to blast other competing devices for the lack of such abilities.
But according to this report, Microsoft might not have this advantage against the iPad, as Apple is planning a similar functionality for the next version of iOS for its tablet.
Apple, it is being said, will add this split-screen multitasking to iOS 8 for iPad, which will allow users to run and interact with two apps at the same time — very much similar to the Snap View in Windows 8 and Windows RT.
Additionally, this upcoming version of iOS will also allow split-screen apps to interact with each other much more easily, including the ability to easily drag content from one application to another.
What is not known at this time is whether this functionality will make its way the iPad Mini with its somewhat small 7.9-inch display. The regular 9.7-inch iPad, on the other hand, is a done deal, though.
It also begs the question what Tim Cook thinks of the Surface tablets now, after the Apple CEO famously quipped that Microsoft is trying to make a tablet that was essentially a PC.
Thoughts, people?