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This story is part of WWDC 2022, CNET’s complete coverage from and about Apple’s annual developers conference.
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iOS 9 brings real multitasking to the iPad
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The details are in on Apple’s next version of its iOS mobile operating. Apple unveiled iOS 9 at its Worldwide Developer Conference in San Francisco on Monday. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that appears to be true for Apple’s so-called “new features,” many of which have been available on Android for years.
Reminders
Siri will become smarter with the release of iOS 9. Invitations from emails will automatically be added to your iPhone or iPad’s calendar. Apple’s voice assistant will then be able to remind users when to leave for upcoming events, even taking traffic into consideration. Sound familiar? That’s essentially what Google Now does on Android and even iOS.
Transit directions
Apple Maps will soon be able to give directions for trains and buses. Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, noted that Apple Maps will be able to provide step-by-step directions for all of the different transit lines, and will even take in consideration for the amount of time it would take to walk to the train.
Google Maps includes the same features on both Android, iOS and the Web. In fact, Google announced transit direction in Google Maps for Android way back in 2011.
Split-screen multitasking
The iPad will finally support the use of two apps at one time. Split-screen multitasking has been one of the most requested features since the iPad debuted back in 2010. Apple again is late to the party with this one.
While split-screen multitasking isn’t available natively on stock Android, many of the smartphones and tablets offered by Samsung and LG have included the feature for the past few years. Let’s not forget that this kind of multitasking is also available on the Microsoft Surface tablet.
Low-power mode
Battery life continues to be a major problem in today’s gadgets. Apple is hoping to address the issue in iOS 9 with a low-power mode. When enabled, Apple claims that battery life will be extended by up to 3 hours.
Battery saving features are nothing new for Android users. Almost all recent Android devices from HTC, Samsung, Motorola, LG and others include some sort of battery saving features. Samsung’s device even include an ultra power-saving mode that can extend a device for up to 12 days. It wasn’t until the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop , though, that Google included a native battery saver in stock Android.
Didn’t catch Apple’s conference? We’ve distilled the two-hour keynote into five top moments, from iOS 9 updates to Apple Music. You can also check out our complete coverage here.
Apple WWDC 2015 keynote (photos)
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