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

[Ludatyk]

It made sense for the phone space which is sadly where the iPad branched from. I remember in my Windows CE days you could play multiple audio streams, but the OS was a lot more complex for a phone as it was on Windows Mobile. So I get why Apple and Android pulled it on a phone.

But it's limited on ChromeOS too and that's not considered a mobile platform.

The iPhone simplified the user workflow to center around a singular app. In that simplified mode you really don’t have a lot of need for background audio in theory. In practice, you have system wide background audio (for instance music) now. So the foreground app ruling everything leads to friction. As noted in this thread.

On the iPhone I feel this can be solved now with the Dynamic Island. But setting that aside, the iPad really doesn’t have the same problem in my view. There is sufficient screen real estate to offer some control for multiple audio streams. I am sure the iPad limitation is simply a left over of the iOS base for that reason.

I'm in agreement with you, but I don't think it's as cut and dry as you expect. As I stated, stock Android (Pixel Tablet) doesn't have it... and Samsung has provided the feature for their Galaxy devices. But it's not on by default (users have to go and install it). I'd wager that majority of Galaxy owners are not familiar that their device can do it.

Heck, I enjoy the feature so much... it's one of the reasons I don't care to go to any other phone.

If the iPad were released today for the first time. I am convinced Apple would have went with macOS as the base.

I disagree, given the release of the Vision Pro. I think Apple is perfectly content with the status quo... iPad is improving, but it's not at the pace as we would like.

 

[richpjr]

The simultaneous audio is near the top of my list for things I wish Apple would fix - extremely annoying to run into this over and over again.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Absolutely maddening if one wants to have some sports on (in PiP for instance) but be listening to Podcast audio instead

I'm shocked that Apple staff themselves haven't fixed this after surely running into this annoyance at some point

When I bump into this limitation (like website w/ random media somewhere that stops my Podcast) it's an instant reminder/nudge that "this isn't a real computer experience" (or at least not as full featured as it SHOULD be by now) -- at least to me.

 

[gusping]

I'm shocked that Apple staff themselves haven't fixed this after surely running into this annoyance at some point

Agreed. They must only use them for media consumption and pencil-related apps. Otherwise they would have fixed this if they really believed in the iPad. No doubt they just use their Macs instead.

 

[unobtainium]

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?!

It’s not really about wanting to pipe two equally loud audio streams into your ears at the same time... It’s about wanting the OS to allow you to simply play background music while surfing, working, whatever, without constant interruptions because there’s a random media element on a webpage or something. It’s beyond basic.

 

[richpjr]

It’s not really about wanting to pipe two equally loud audio streams into your ears at the same time... It’s about wanting the OS to allow you to simply play background music while surfing, working, whatever, without constant interruptions because there’s a random media element on a webpage or something. It’s beyond basic.

Yup. The desire for this basic use case is pretty simple.

 

[Ludatyk]

Here comes the pitchforks crowd coming for the iPad lol. As I stated, I do want this feature. But this idea that it's "basic" and "simple," which if that's the case... it would have been added day one. The iPad started as a "one app at a time" design. And I'd wager, most people use it this way... I believe this feature will be added eventually.

But I don't think Apple wants to disrupt those who value the "one app at a time" approach. And to be fair, I've never came across a random media element on a webpage and it completely interrupt the video (PiP) or music I had playing.

Media elements often autoplay on mute... to avoid stoppage.

 

[richpjr]

Here comes the pitchforks crowd coming for the iPad lol. As I stated, I do want this feature. But this idea that it's "basic" and "simple," which if that's the case... it would have been added day one. The iPad started as a "one app at a time" design. And I'd wager, most people use it this way... I believe this feature will be added eventually.

But I don't think Apple wants to disrupt those who value the "one app at a time" approach. And to be fair, I've never came across a random media element on a webpage and it completely interrupt the video (PiP) or music I had playing.

Media elements often autoplay on mute... to avoid stoppage.

A basic use case has nothing to do with how easy it is to implement. iPadOS branched from a phone OS not that long ago and the limitations of that continue to affect what can and can't be done. The core of iPadOS needs some serious rework for the iPad to really take advantage of the hardware.

 

[Ludatyk]

A basic use case has nothing to do with how easy it is to implement. iPadOS branched from a phone OS not that long ago and the limitations of that continue to affect what can and can't be done. The core of iPadOS needs some serious rework for the iPad to really take advantage of the hardware.

I don't believe the core iPadOS needs some serious rework, but I do agree there are limitation. But some solutions can be found on the App Store, whereas some Apple needs to address. But the knock against iPadOS is that it's not macOS, when it's been said multiple times... Apple is not trying to make the iPad into a Mac.

And they have introduced features to take advantage of the hardware, Final Cut Pro... Logic.. external display support and virtual memory swap. Yet, critics disregard all of that. But hey, let's just push the macOS onto an iPad narrative... that's much better.

 

[LogicalApex]

I don't believe the core iPadOS needs some serious rework, but I do agree there are limitation. But some solutions can be found on the App Store, whereas some Apple needs to address. But the knock against iPadOS is that it's not macOS, when it's been said multiple times... Apple is not trying to make the iPad into a Mac.

And they have introduced features to take advantage of the hardware, Final Cut Pro... Logic.. external display support and virtual memory swap. Yet, critics disregard all of that. But hey, let's just push the macOS onto an iPad narrative... that's much better.

The core issue is Apple has failed to really deliver on the iPad as a fully flushed idea. So people use their current frame of reference when proposing new solutions.

The iPad feels a lot like a Prius Prime in sport trim. No matter how sporty Toyota makes the appearance it isn’t a fast or sporty car.

I still think Apples lack of vision is the problem for the iPad. But that’s a problem they have in many areas. Lots of SKUs, but a real struggle to deliver long term vision for them.

iPadOS can be very good without being macOS if Apple brought real functionality to the platform.

It is sad that we’re celebrating Apple adding the ability to format USB drives to iPadOS later this year. For a device Apple markets as productive enough to replace a laptop. You still can’t even do something as basic as connect to a printer unless it supports AirPrint like an iPhone.

As a consumption device though. The iPad has value.

 

[Ludatyk]

The core issue is Apple has failed to really deliver on the iPad as a fully flushed idea. So people use their current frame of reference when proposing new solutions.

News flash... the iPad is still improving. We have folks out here celebrating macOS with window tiling, something 3rd party devs been doing for years. And Microsoft have had it baked into Windows for years as well.

I still think Apples lack of vision is the problem for the iPad. But that’s a problem they have in many areas. Lots of SKUs, but a real struggle to deliver long term vision for them.

Long term vision? Let's step take a step back... from the 1st generation iPad to the now released M4 iPad Pro and all the improvements that came with iPadOS thus far. It started from a position that sits between a phone and traditional laptop (both been a well-established category).

They have managed to take that position and evolve the iPad to a versatile computing device. We can attach a keyboard to it (with mouse support), we can plug it into a monitor (no pillarbox bars) ... it's much lighter, more powerful. And you don't think that there was no long-term vision behind that.

iPadOS can be very good without being macOS if Apple brought real functionality to the platform.

It is sad that we’re celebrating Apple adding the ability to format USB drives to iPadOS later this year. For a device Apple markets as productive enough to replace a laptop. You still can’t even do something as basic as connect to a printer unless it supports AirPrint like an iPhone.

So, you state Apple bringing real functionality to the platform... but then dismiss the ability to format USB drives. I'm confused.

 

[SoYoung]

For those claiming this feature is useless, we should then removing picture in picture feature then. Why would you like to still watching videos while doing something else? I mean, there's absolutely no reasons to be against this one. It's basic from the basics and if you never come across an issue with audio stopping because a web page start a random media, or you just want to start a video without sound but listening music in the background, sorry but you didn't really use your device much. This is the main reason why both my iPad and iPhone would never replace my desktop computer as long as they'll have this issue I'll never consider those to be my primary device.

 

[Slartibart]

Just to confirm, I can watch a youtube video and play Apple Music at the same time, as long as I have the sound muted on the youtube video. As soon as I unmute the sound on the video, the music of Apple Music stops playing.

This works in iPadOS >=17.5.x. The annoying things is when playing e.g. a video in PiP and you visit e.g. ArsTechnica and open any article - due to how they include the top image - the PiP-video will simply stop. Every time. 🧐

 

[eelpout]

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

that's easy.

a background noise app (like White Noise or myNoise) for tinnitus sufferers and then a podcast or radio app on top of that.

 

[0-0]

iOS 18 now allows for audio when recording.. one step at a time.

Now we need iOS 18 to allow for multiple audio playback!

 

[richpjr]

that's easy.

a background noise app (like White Noise or myNoise) for tinnitus sufferers and then a podcast or radio app on top of that.

Playing a musical instrument virtually in an app running on the iPad while playing a backing track in a different app.

 

[User #07242024]

This app is outdated but might somehwat help. Infinity Player

 

[CaTOAGU]

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.

Yeah I get this. If I'm watching YouTube and scrolling Twitter (X, whatever), if I come across a video, YouTube will stop playing. It's extremely annoying.

 

[AlexJaye]

Write suggestions to Apple, every chance you can remember to. Let them know how frustrating this is on an ongoing basis.

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We would love to hear your comments about any of our hardware and software products. Send us your thoughts.

www.apple.com

 

[djlythium]

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.

My God, the fact that we still have to deal with that nonsense is ridiculous.

APPLE: CHANGE THIS! 😡

Do we need to start a petition or something?!