iPad is 18 now, but it can't even do simultaneous audio playback and its window management still suck

[symphony]

I don't have the beta installed, but it wasn't presented at the keynote, so I'm gonna assume it's STILL not a feature. Why is playing multiple audio so disruptive?!

Can someone tell me if window management has improved? Can we move apps slightly off screen? Cuz I wanna get behind overlaying apps, but it won't let me move it away so that it's reachable.

 

[Ctrlos]

Why would you want to listen to multiple audio sources at once?! That would send me mad.

 

[symphony]

Why would you want to listen to multiple audio sources at once?! That would send me mad.

I've explained this every year at some point regarding this issue, I would listen to music and want to watch a tutorial video that may not require any listening, just observing. I wanna view my HomeKit videos without needing my YouTube video to pause just to *see* something. I still encounter bugs, such as reddit, where my music would just pause because a video would auto play. I also don't want my audio or video to stop just cause a pop up video started to overtake the screen in safari. If I wanted to glimpse at what someone sent me, I don't want to wait for my currently playing audio to fade in and out, especially when the video may not have any noteworthy audio to listen to. there is so many scenarios and reasons. it's about being less restrictive.

 

[macphoto861]

Why would you want to listen to multiple audio sources at once?! That would send me mad.

I'm right there with the OP... I don't want/need to listen to multiple simultaneous audio streams, but what I DO want is to be able read news on various websites without the Music app being paused because there's some media player element on the page that, even though it's not actually playing anything, takes over the audio system. This happens so often and is so annoying, I've given up on trying, and now just play music through my iPhone while reading on my iPad (which just feels silly to have to do).

Another use case... listening to music, and I want to check my Ring cameras, this stops music playback.

 

[Ctrlos]

This seems like a very niche usage case to knock Apple for not including. I’d like a control centre I can actually reach with one hand.

 

[0-0]

iPad not having simutaneous audio is why i could never switch from a mac to an ipad as my only device. Its a must have feature.

 

[symphony]

This seems like a very niche usage case to knock Apple for not including. I’d like a control centre I can actually reach with one hand.

You do realize we can both ask Apple for improvements and not have to fight over it as if they’re making either a priority. Also niche is an understatement, people do this all the time for podcasts, Picture in Picture like reactions, gaming, and commentary.

 

[chfilm]

This is not a niche use case. it starts with video editing. In the early stages of editing / selecting I very often just listen to music to get in a mood.

 

[SoYoung]

This seems like a very niche usage case to knock Apple for not including. I’d like a control centre I can actually reach with one hand.

This is basic computing stuff we have since windows 95. Android have this for a good 15 years as well. Still not having this in iPadOS 18 is a real shame and it’s a big reason I still prefer to use my Mac over my iPad.

 

[Ludatyk]

This is basic computing stuff we have since windows 95. Android have this for a good 15 years as well. Still not having this in iPadOS 18 is a real shame and it’s a big reason I still prefer to use my Mac over my iPad.

Android has had it for 15 years? That’s not true.

Google doesn’t have this feature on their Pixel devices, Samsung released the feature back in 2017 under Sound Assistant. And it’s not even on by default nor is it installed, Galaxy users have to go and download it.

 

[NEPOBABY]

Why would you want to listen to multiple audio sources at once?! That would send me mad.

Weird what people are posting today heh? It's almost like invasion of Brawndo drinkers.

 

[Ludatyk]

Weird what people are posting today heh? It's almost like invasion of Brawndo drinkers.

For some users this might seem like a strange feature request… I get it. But I think if you come from a Mac/Windows perspective, it wouldn’t appear like a foolish ask.

I personally use it on my Galaxy Fold… to watch sports (don’t care for the commentary) and listen to some music/podcast.

 

[SoYoung]

Android has had it for 15 years? That’s not true.

Google doesn’t have this feature on their Pixel devices, Samsung released the feature back in 2017 under Sound Assistant. And it’s not even on by default nor is it installed, Galaxy users have to go and download it.

I said that because when I had my nexus 7 tablet back in 2013 I clearly remember I could listened multiple audio source at once… or maybe my memory is messed up.

 

[SoYoung]

Weird what people are posting today heh? It's almost like invasion of Brawndo drinkers.

You clearly haven’t used a real computer that much in your life to say something like that. This is a very basic feature (its even not a feature but a must have)m’ many people use every single day. It’s one of the things you don’t make attention or know it’s there until you lose it when you switch to the mobile world.

 

[Ludatyk]

I said that because when I had my nexus 7 tablet back in 2013 I clearly remember I could listened multiple audio source at once… or maybe my memory is messed up.

I owned the Nexus 6P awhile back and some apps were able to take advantage of this, but it wasn’t as if it was universally backed into the OS.

 

[Ctrlos]

You clearly haven’t used a real computer that much in your life to say something like that. This is a very basic feature (its even not a feature but a must have)m’ many people use every single day. It’s one of the things you don’t make attention or know it’s there until you lose it when you switch to the mobile world.

I’ve been computing since the 1980’s and the only time I’ve ever thought that I needed the ability to listen to multiple audio streams at the same time was when I used to DJ back in college.

I’ve not really ever thought of myself as neurodiverse but I find listening to more than one thing at the same time cacophonous. If I’m trying to watch TV and I can hear a family member blaring something out of their phone at the same time it makes me incredibly stressed. I have to go to the cinema in the day to avoid all the noisy strangers.

I can tune out incidental music, eg when online gaming with friends with the voice chat on. But I could never have music on whilst trying to video edit for example. How would you concentrate?!

 

[NEPOBABY]

For some users this might seem like a strange feature request… I get it. But I think if you come from a Mac/Windows perspective, it wouldn’t appear like a foolish ask.

I personally use it on my Galaxy Fold… to watch sports (don’t care for the commentary) and listen to some music/podcast.

Almost every decision Apple makes for the iPhone and iPad is geared towards battery life because that's primarily what people ask for on a phone and tablet. Out of a thousand users probably 999 are asking for battery life and 1 is asking to play multiple media files at the same time. Music faces out during phone calls and video conferencing for the same reason.

If Android devices aren't optimizing like that it's not something they can boast about.

 

[Etienooo]

How can some people defend that?
So we should be able to multitask with our eyes but not with our ears?
Nobody ever watch a game while listening to something else?

 

[NEPOBABY]

How can some people defend that?
So we should be able to multitask with our eyes but not with our ears?
Nobody ever watch a game while listening to something else?

It's called optimizing battery for the majority of users. You can play music and game.

 

[Etienooo]

It's called optimizing battery for the majority of users. You can play music and game.

Then we should not allow split screen either for battery optimization.

 

[NEPOBABY]

Then we should not allow split screen either for battery optimization.

Duh. Be serious. That's not consuming any more resources if you know how SwiftUI works.

 

[bscheffel]

Has anyone downloaded and installed iPadOS 18 beta (or iOS 18) to confirm that you still can't watch a YouTube video muted while listening to music?

 

[Etienooo]

Has anyone downloaded and installed iPadOS 18 beta (or iOS 18) to confirm that you still can't watch a YouTube video muted while listening to music?

Just tested and it works, not sure if that’s new though?

 

[bscheffel]

Just tested and it works, not sure if that’s new though?

If you are watching the video in Safari browser that works in iPadOS 17 but using YouTube app let me know if it pauses music when you play Youtube video.

 

[AstonSmith]

Duh. Be serious. That's not consuming any more resources if you know how SwiftUI works.

Wait so how does mixing together the audio from two simultaneously running apps cost more battery than two simultaneously running apps within split screen?