Four tips on how to get the most from your Apple iPad Pro

When the iPad Pro was first introduced as a larger-than-life laptop-sized 12.9 inch tablet, Apple claimed that the iPad Pro could best most laptop PCs on their turf, by providing the type of portability and flexibility that many entry level laptops can’t match.

Later number have corroborated that theory, as the 12.9 inch iPad Pro, and its latest 9.7 inch version, have become increasingly popular among business customers, as well as regular consumers. The addition of the Apple Pencil, as unexpected as it has been for many years, it’s been welcome by consumers with an artistic inclination.

Very soon, Apple will release iOS 10 to the public, promising new features and performance gains across all Apple devices, including the iPad Pro, but the current version of iOS already offers some amazing features that help users stay productive.

Safari split screen

The implementation of split screen was long rumored before it was introduced in 2015 as one of the key components of the iPad Pro experience. On a 12.9 inch tablet like the iPad Pro, split screen allows for true multitasking, and it’s a breeze to use. With that said, Split screen in iOS is not just about running separate apps side-by-side. It’s also about running multiple instances of the same application, which is something that Apple Safari for iOS handles really well.

While this feature won’t work in portrait mode, Safari supports split view in landscape mode, by being able to display two tabs, side-by-side. Activating split view on Safari is as easy as using a long press tap on the tabs button, on the top right of Safari’s interface, which looks like two squares on top of each other. A menu will pop up allowing the user to select Open Split View.

Tip #1:

If a keyboard is connected to the iPad Pro, the shortcut key CMD+N is also available.

Tip: #2:

You can open a link directly into a new split view tab by long-pressing the link and selecting “Open in Split View”.

Picture-In-Picture

Developers have started rolling out PiP support on several video apps for iOS, as it allows to keep a video playing on one split view window, while using another app simultaneously on the other half of the screen. To enter PiP mode, simply open the video app of your choice, such as FaceTime for example, and tap on the PiP button (a large hollow rectangle overlaid by a small black one).

Tip #3:

Leaving a video app running while a video is playing will launch PiP automatically.

Gesture navigation

Getting around iOS 9 on the iPad Pro is easy, as it supports gestures that allow for a multitude of actions, like switching from one app to another. This can be accomplished by swiping four fingers across the screen, either left to right or vice-versa, to switch from the current app to the next, or previous.

For those who like to keep multiple apps open at the same time, it may be cumbersome to switch from one app to the next one-by-one, which is why Apple has implemented a fast app switcher, which can be accessed with a four-finger swipe upwards. This will bring up an eavy view of all active apps as a carousel.

Tip #4:

You can return to the home page without having to use the home button at all. Just place four fingers on the screen and pinch towards the center.

Tip #5:

For those who like to play games that involve a lot of random swiping, and rather not risking to accidentally trigger a system gesture, gesture navigation can be disabled by going to Settings > General > Multitasking > Gestures Off.

Slide Over

Those who like to be able to briefly access an app without taking up the whole screen, such as when taking notes, will appreciate the ability to set up “slide over” apps. This can be achieved by sliding a finger over the very edge on the right side of the screen, which will pull the Slide Over tabs into view.

Tip #6:

Slide Over works only with a limited set of apps, which can be selected by bringing Slide Over into view, and tap-dragging the gripper icon on the very top of the Slide Over sidebar. The app switcher will appear and allow you to select all available apps. Simply tap on the app, or apps, you want to use, and it will be available next time you need it.

Do all of the above tips work on my current iPad?

Certain features are only capable on certain iPad models, due to specific hardware resource requirements. If you own an iPad 2, for example, gesture navigation is as good as it gets. If you own an iPad Air or an iPad Mini 2, Slide over is available. Owners of the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4 can also use split view on their devices. Finally, iPad Air and iPad Mini 2 (and later models) support Picture-in-Picture mode.

Ready to shop?

If you are looking for the perfect productivity tablet, PortableOne has you covered with the full Apple iPad line-up, including the latest, powerful iPad Pro, in both 12.9 inch and 9.7 inch sizes.