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marcusalwayswins

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 23, 2021
440
83
People keep saying it is great to have stage manager on iPad OS but have you guys thought how tiny and clumsy the app windows is and how difficult it is to resize it. What is the Point then ?
 
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Zest28

macrumors 68030
Jul 11, 2022
2,581
3,934
People keep saying it is great to have stage manager on iPad OS but have you guys thought how tiny and clumsy the app windows is and how difficult it is to resize it. What is the Point then ?

You can disable Stage Manager if you can’t use it and see no improvement at to what we had before.

There are many things that can be done better as it is Apple their 1st attempt and it will get better in the future. But I’m using it already.
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
20,392
23,893
Singapore
My theory right now is that stage manager is what the UI for a future pair of AR glasses will look like in the future. Maybe there are some legitimate multitasking benefits to be had from said feature, but the real purpose is to get us used to it, while also soliciting feedback to refine the UI some more before rolling it out to wearables subsequently.
 
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Slartibart

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2020
3,144
2,819
Well, one thing stage manager permits on iPadOS is playing video in a much larger window (vs. PiP) including subtitles. I watch a lot of videos in a variety of languages and often subtitles are not displayed when played as PiP. So there is that. 🤓
Another observation: it uses quite a lot of memory. On a 2020 11” iPP playing a video in VLC and having this thread open in Safari leaves ~43 Mb (🫣) free RAM. You can easily run more programs, but then e.g. Safari starts reloading tabs.
When I just quit stage manager while the mentioned apps/web page/video open/plays, the system reports 568 Mb free. Maybe a hint why no external monitor support in stage manager on the A-series iPads?
 
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outlawarth

macrumors 6502a
Mar 20, 2011
555
774
Well, one thing stage manager permits on iPadOS is playing video in a much larger window including subtitles. I watch a lot of videos in a variety of languages and often subtitles are not displayed when played as PiP. So there is that. 🤓
Another observation: it uses quite a lot of memory. On a 2020 11” iPP playing a video in VLC and having this thread open in Safari leaves ~43 Mb (🫣) free RAM. You can easily run more programs, but then e.g. Safari starts reloading tabs.
When I just quit stage manager while the mentioned apps/web page/video open/plays, the system reports 568 Mb free. Maybe a hint why no external monitor support in stage manager on the A-series iPads?
Just curious what do you use to monitor RAM on your iPad?
 

BigBag

macrumors member
Apr 13, 2012
48
109
Yes but what you are saying is, the several APP window which you have running on screen can only be stretched to a pre-decided certain ratio and limit. Do you still like it ?
So you’d rather have no ability to multitask with multiple windows over an imperfect but very functional first stab at it? I’m happy to see Apple thinking outside that box for the first time in a long time with an OS feature, and though imperfect, this has made my iPad Pro way malleable for both work and play. To each his own, though.
 
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Digitalguy

macrumors 601
Apr 15, 2019
4,643
4,469
Usage - I run a widget as an approximation 🤓
These apps don't have accurate info about RAM. I have tried many of them and they all give very different results. There is no reliable way to know how much "free" RAM there is, especially as free RAM does not work like on Mac and the difference between wired, active, inactive and free seems to be interpreted differently by each app....
 

jcshas

macrumors 65816
Oct 8, 2003
1,053
1,339
I’ve been using Stage Manager on occasion on my 12.9 iPad Pro. It’s not a perfect solution by any means but it does work well for certain scenarios when I’m working across multiple windows. Hoping it will get better over time as Apple continues to improve the multi task interface of iPad OS.
 

achappy

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2017
270
312
I love SM and actually got an M1 iPad to use it (I had a 2018 12.9 IPP). I don't care about external monitor support. For how I use the iPad it works great and it seems like people are only quickly using it, not learning how it works and complaining. Could it be better? Of course, but I think it's a great direction and more options than just Split screen/Slide Over. A simple use for me is having Safari, a PiP window and messages in one stage. I have mail, calendar and reminders in another. I switch between them with keyboard shortcuts or I just swipe to left to bring up recent apps.

I will say that to get the most out of it you have to turn off the recent apps and dock option to get use of the full screen. You can easily access them by swiping/mouse to the left/bottom of the screen. I also think the 12.9" and More space are minimum for use solely on the iPad. Anything else and I can see why it's less used.
 
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akash.nu

macrumors G4
May 26, 2016
10,870
16,998
External display support is the main thing for this feature which the iPad users have been complaining about since years now. I am very glad it happened. Finally I think I can just take my iPad to work and be done with.
 

jonnyb098

macrumors 601
Nov 16, 2010
4,248
6,492
Michigan
I would have thought that the majority of iPP buyers isn’t the »average« user…
Even pro users are having a hell of a time figuring it out ….I’m one of them and there are plenty in recent months who have said the same. Stage manager doesn’t know what it wants to be and therefore is pretty much nothing
 

jonnyb098

macrumors 601
Nov 16, 2010
4,248
6,492
Michigan
I love SM and actually got an M1 iPad to use it (I had a 2018 12.9 IPP). I don't care about external monitor support. For how I use the iPad it works great and it seems like people are only quickly using it, not learning how it works and complaining. Could it be better? Of course, but I think it's a great direction and more options than just Split screen/Slide Over. A simple use for me is having Safari, a PiP window and messages in one stage. I have mail, calendar and reminders in another. I switch between them with keyboard shortcuts or I just swipe to left to bring up recent apps.

I will say that to get the most out of it you have to turn off the recent apps and dock option to get use of the full screen. You can easily access them by swiping/mouse to the left/bottom of the screen. I also think the 12.9" and More space are minimum for use solely on the iPad. Anything else and I can see why it's less used.
Rotate your iPad and get back to us on how much you love it …
 

MayaUser

macrumors 68040
Nov 22, 2021
3,178
7,200
as for now, i dont use and its kind of useless for macOS in professional work, also for ipad itself
but where it rise is using ipad with external display, it is lovely and very useful but Apple still needs to address some other things and dont let it go like they did with the touchbar that they didnt made absolutely nothing to it since the beginning
If apple indeed is thinking swapping the current 11" and 13" ipads pro with 14" and 16" then those displays are no longer a focus for potrait use but for landscape...so then you will see stage manager at its home, and also facetime on the side while keeping the apple pencil charging
 

outlawarth

macrumors 6502a
Mar 20, 2011
555
774
I love SM and actually got an M1 iPad to use it (I had a 2018 12.9 IPP). I don't care about external monitor support. For how I use the iPad it works great and it seems like people are only quickly using it, not learning how it works and complaining. Could it be better? Of course, but I think it's a great direction and more options than just Split screen/Slide Over. A simple use for me is having Safari, a PiP window and messages in one stage. I have mail, calendar and reminders in another. I switch between them with keyboard shortcuts or I just swipe to left to bring up recent apps.

I will say that to get the most out of it you have to turn off the recent apps and dock option to get use of the full screen. You can easily access them by swiping/mouse to the left/bottom of the screen. I also think the 12.9" and More space are minimum for use solely on the iPad. Anything else and I can see why it's less used.
Totally agree. I was very skeptical about it initially in the beta stages but now that I’ve spent some time using it on my 12.9 I love it and it suits my workflow well.
 

marcusalwayswins

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 23, 2021
440
83
I will say that to get the most out of it you have to turn off the recent apps and dock option to get use of the full screen. You can easily access them by swiping/mouse to the left/bottom of the screen. I also think the 12.9" and More space are minimum for use solely on the iPad. Anything else and I can see why it's less used.
I need to try this and find out if disabling recent app and dock option makes it more user friendly. But let's say if you wanna access the dock for some reason how do you do it ?
 

achappy

macrumors 6502
Oct 26, 2017
270
312
I need to try this and find out if disabling recent app and dock option makes it more user friendly. But let's say if you wanna access the dock for some reason how do you do it ?
if you have a keyboard move the cursor to bottom of the screen (dock pops up) or to the left (recent apps pops up). If no keyboard, just swipe.
 
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BigBag

macrumors member
Apr 13, 2012
48
109
I love SM and actually got an M1 iPad to use it (I had a 2018 12.9 IPP). I don't care about external monitor support. For how I use the iPad it works great and it seems like people are only quickly using it, not learning how it works and complaining. Could it be better? Of course, but I think it's a great direction and more options than just Split screen/Slide Over. A simple use for me is having Safari, a PiP window and messages in one stage. I have mail, calendar and reminders in another. I switch between them with keyboard shortcuts or I just swipe to left to bring up recent apps.

I will say that to get the most out of it you have to turn off the recent apps and dock option to get use of the full screen. You can easily access them by swiping/mouse to the left/bottom of the screen. I also think the 12.9" and More space are minimum for use solely on the iPad. Anything else and I can see why it's less used.
Totally agree. I’m using the different stages like I do different desktops on my Mac. And hiding the dock to open up real estate made a huge difference, and again, mirrors my behavior on my Mac. Haters gonna hate, but this is the most exciting thing to hit my iPad in ages.
 
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meDANOcine

macrumors regular
Sep 18, 2014
100
116
This video has some great examples of how SM could fit into a workflow.
Personally, I take my iPad to most meetings instead of my laptop. I turn on SM and load up the various apps I'll need (Teams, Outlook, GoodNotes) so I can quickly tap between them. I find SM jarring to use as a handheld tablet - I almost exclusively use it while attached to the keyboard stand.

 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,980
20,169
UK
just a better way to multitask. using forums/apps/twitter or say youtube by the side. I'm sure it's not for everybody but it is at least better option than just spilt screen multitasking.

stage manager is better for viewing say youtube or other content than using PIP
 
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marcusalwayswins

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 23, 2021
440
83
just a better way to multitask. using forums/apps/twitter or say youtube by the side. I'm sure it's not for everybody but it is at least better option than just spilt screen multitasking.

stage manager is better for viewing say youtube or other content than using PIP

I have read this atleast now 3 times or more here. People telling that They also like Stage Manager because you can Watch YouTube in PIP as in open YouTube app and have a video running and resize to a PIP APP window is that what you guys mean ?
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,980
20,169
UK
I have read this atleast now 3 times or more here. People telling that They also like Stage Manager because you can Watch YouTube in PIP as in open YouTube app and have a video running and resize to a PIP APP window is that what you guys mean ?
pretty much. sometimes in normal mode you have to move the PIP window around which can be annoying. it's why i used spilt screen alot. for this kind of usage i tend to just use stage manager now.
 
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