Craig Federighi Explains Why True Multitasking Took So Long to Reach the iPad

In a post-keynote interview this week, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi sat down with Ars Technica to discuss the new windowing system in iPadOS 26. The feature was introduced at this week's Worldwide Developers Conference with a touch of self-aware humor, acknowledging the long-standing requests from pro users to make the iPad more like a Mac.Federighi explained that the hardware capabilities of early iPads were a major limiting factor. He told Ars that those devices "didn't have the capacity to run an unlimited number of windowed apps with perfect responsiveness." He emphasized the importance of the iPad's "direct manipulation touch-first" interface, noting that any lag would create a "psychic break" for the user. Early iPads were essentially just iPhone internals connected to larger screens, which necessitated the simpler, full-screen app interface of iOS.Continue ReadingSpotlight Deal:AirPods Pro 2 On Sale for $169 — Save $80! [Deal]Share Article:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, EmailFollow iClarified:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Newsletter, App Store, YouTube

Jun 12, 2025 - 21:00

Craig Federighi Explains Why True Multitasking Took So Long to Reach the iPad

In a post-keynote interview this week, Apple's Senior Vice President of Software Engineering Craig Federighi sat down with Ars Technica to discuss the new windowing system in iPadOS 26. The feature was introduced at this week's Worldwide Developers Conference with a touch of self-aware humor, acknowledging the long-standing requests from pro users to make the iPad more like a Mac.

Federighi explained that the hardware capabilities of early iPads were a major limiting factor. He told Ars that those devices "didn't have the capacity to run an unlimited number of windowed apps with perfect responsiveness." He emphasized the importance of the iPad's "direct manipulation touch-first" interface, noting that any lag would create a "psychic break" for the user. Early iPads were essentially just iPhone internals connected to larger screens, which necessitated the simpler, full-screen app interface of iOS.

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Spotlight Deal:
AirPods Pro 2 On Sale for $169 — Save $80! [Deal]

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