Developer Steven Troughton-Smith has found code inside the first beta version of iOS 8 that allows users to run two apps side-by-side on the same screen. AppleInsider first reported on the information.
Troughton-Smith detailed some of his findings on Twitter. In the iOS 8 SpringBoard, there is code to run two apps side-by-side:
So… just in case there was any doubt left… iOS 8’s SpringBoard has code to run two apps side-by-side. 1/4 size, 1/2 size, or 3/4 size
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) June 9, 2014
Also, he said that side-by-side apps appear as a single screen in the App Switcher.
Rumors of the split-screen multitasking capability first popped up in early May. But a few days before WWDC, news broke that the feature wasnt ready for prime time and is still a work in progress.
A number of iPad competitors, including the Microsoft Surface line and tablets from Samsung, allow multitasking.