Cam published a post yesterday detailing iOS 5 on the iPhone. I’m going to build upon that, and show you some specific iPad features
iMessage
The Messages application has gone from being exclusively iPhone, to universal on all iOS devices. The iPad application is fairly decent and offers features which are standard across all devices.
There’s one issue with iMessage, though. You cannot text phone numbers. As you can see in the screen-shot below, the only thing that is different is that the app is double-paned, showing the chats to the left, and the message content to the right.
Split-Keyboard
A major feature that Apple didn’t really preview at WWDC was the split-screen iPad keyboard. This new keyboard offers users the ability to thumb-type on their iPad.
It is done by pressing the keyboard button (pictured in the first shot) and then clicking “Split.” It then looks like the second shot, which gives users the ability to type with their thumbs in portrait or landscape.
This new keyboard is a lot better for thumb-typers (like me) who are sick of typing with one finger on the portrait version of the iPad keyboard. It’s also easy to dock and merge it back to the bottom of the screen.
Notifications
Notifications are extremely similar to the ones on the iPhone, except for one major difference: there’s no weather or stock widgets in the Notification Center. I’m not really one for stocks, but the weather is an important part of anyone’s day, and it works flawlessly on the iPhone.
I don’t see why Apple chose to leave this feature off the iPad. Other new features include a different look on the lock-screen (with the same features like “slide to view”). One difference between notifications on iPad and iPhone is, because the iPad’s screen is so much bigger, the notifications center does not take up the entire screen like it does on the iPhone.
Safari
The biggest improvement in iOS 5 is tabs. This doesn’t need much explanation; so I’m going to keep it short: it’s fast, it’s simple, and it’s very easy to use.
Multitasking Gestures
Another great feature within the iOS 5 on iPad is the ability to use four and five finger gestures to multi-task. The basics are pretty simple, you take your fingers and you swipe any different way you want. It’s very difficult to do it with a screen shot, so I’m going use the image on Apple’s website:
Miscellaneous
Other excellent features include AirPlay mirroring, which lets you mirror what you see on iPad, on your big screen. Additionally, the iPod app has been split into two separate apps – one for music and one for videos (like on the iPod Touch). The music app has also undergone a little re-design (pictured below).
That’s about it for features other then those on the iPhone. Be sure to be on the look out for Jake Rosati’s video later demoing the features of the new operating system.
Be sure to leave a comment down below with other features that I didn’t list or what else you’d like to see before Apple released iOS 5.
