iOS 9 is nearly here!

With iOS 9 due to launch next month, the Gourmet Pixel team are really looking forward to getting to grips with some of the great new features. Here are 3 that caught our eye:

True Multitasking

“Multitasking” on iOS to date is simply the ability to jump between apps with a few taps and swipes, not true multitasking like on a desktop. This has led the iPad to become more of a content consuming device rather than the content creation device Apple wants it to be - especially for the enterprise market it is targeting so heavily.

There are 3 new views within the new “Multitasking” feature. The first is slide over, where users can easily slide out a second app like notes from the side of the screen - tap in or add some content, then slide back out.
Picture in picture allows you to view videos or FaceTime calls in a small window overlaid on your current app.

Finally there is Split View, where you can have two apps open at the same time. This feature sadly is only available on the latest iPad Air 2..

New Back button!

With the all improved multi-tasking of iOS9 comes a handy little, and not much advertised feature. 
Basically, until now if you tapped on a map within the Calendar app you would be sent out to the Maps app. To return to your original app is a case of double tapping the home button, swiping and tapping on the previous app.
Now with iOS 9, Apple replace the signal bars on the status bar so you can simply tap the back button to return to your original app - simple.
Also something that with the hardware back button Android has been able to do for a long time...

Revamped Keyboard

Another great improvement that we think will help the iPad gain ground with Enterprise and people wishing to actually create content is the new cursor control feature.
Users simply place two fingers on the keyboard to turn it into a virtual trackpad, allowing them to select and highlight text in a much easier way and much closer to how you would using a laptop.

In practice this isn’t so easy at first, the trick is to use two fingers to move the cursor to your desired point, then let go, then use two fingers again but hold for a second until the select bar appears and then you can drag to select. A bit fiddly, but perhaps one of those things that might become second nature with practice.

That combined with the new shortcuts bar will make the iPad a much more inviting device for creating content on.

There are plenty more great features and there will be too many reviews to read online soon. In all, we think this is a great update and hope to be rolling out iOS9 apps for our clients very soon.