iPad Mini 4 Likely to Support Split View Multitasking

Files within OS X El Capitan indicate the upcoming iPad mini 4 will support full Split View multitasking, suggesting its internal specs will be on par with the iPad Air 2. An OS X El Capitan resource file first located by developer Hamza Sood and 9to5Mac from the Safari 9 browser depicts an iPad mini with two apps side-by-side, which is how the Split View feature works.

ipad_mini_half
Responsive design mode, which gives developers a way to test different layouts in Safari 9, also allows developers to simulate a Split View layout on an iPad mini 3. The iPad mini 3 does not support Split View, offering further proof that the iPad mini 4 is likely to be the tablet that uses Split View multitasking.

ipad_mini_half_safari
iOS 9 introduces multitasking for the iPad, and while two of the features, Picture-in-Picture and Slide Over, are available on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3, the true Split View multitasking feature is only available on the iPad Air 2 because it has 2GB of RAM and a robust A8X processor.

To support Split View, the upcoming iPad mini 4 will need to have internal specs that match or exceed those of the iPad Air 2. It's likely the device will include Apple's A8X processor or the A9 processor that's being used in its 2015 iOS devices, with 2GB of RAM also being a strong possibility.

Multitasking on the iPad in iOS 9

Specs for the iPad mini 4 have not yet been confirmed, as rumors have focused primarily on the external design of the device. It's expected to look like a smaller version of the iPad Air 2, with a much slimmer 6.1mm body and iPad Air 2-style design features.

Related Roundup: iPad mini
Buyer's Guide: iPad Mini (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
iPhone Chips

Apple Clings to Samsung as RAM Prices Soar

Monday December 22, 2025 6:17 am PST by
Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on Samsung for iPhone memory as component prices surge, according to The Korea Economic Daily. Apple is said to be expanding the share of iPhone memory it sources from Samsung due to rapidly rising memory prices. The shift is expected to result in Samsung supplying roughly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...

Top Rated Comments

Mitsjke Avatar
135 months ago
1 GB RAM the last years was an absolute d*ck move. Apple knew long before iOS 9 that they would implent split view, but they decided to keep on to 1 GB RAM wasn't enough since iOS 7. It's like the bending iphones, they are not bending according to Apple, but they are going to make the iPhone 6S bend-proof... and like 8GB and 16GB phones already were too small since 2010. And the iPad Mini 3, asking a 100 bucks for Touch ID only.And even after this some sheeps are defending Apple's choices like it's a God. Apple isn't God. Apple isn't perfect. Yet, My next phone will be an iPhone.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FreakinEurekan Avatar
135 months ago
The iPad mini 3 does not support Split View, offering further proof that the iPad mini 4 is likely to be the tablet
You keep using that word - I do not think it means, what you think it means. The word you're looking for is evidence.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
skinned66 Avatar
135 months ago
I think making any new iPad that didn't support split view multitasking would be a huge mistake.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1458279 Avatar
135 months ago
Or maybe Apple has figured out a way to make Split View compatible with older hardware. I wouldn't rule out Split View on the iPad Mini 3 just yet.
As I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), the iPad Mini 3 is the same as the iPad Mini 2 (excluding touch ID)... Same processor, ram, etc...

The iPad Mini 2 just got axed by some retailers. I was considering buying one, but now because of this Split View, I might pass.

Apple does have a 'rich' history of killing the old products. Remember, it was proven that Siri would would on older devices, but Apple wouldn't allow it. iPT Gen4 was proven to be able to run Siri.

At this point, the truth is that the Mini (both 2 and 3) are old tech, the last mini 'upgrade' was the weakest EVER.

On the upside, I'm excited to see the Mini hasn't been dropped. It's a great size factor for business use and Split View could make it really awesome.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
135 months ago
I certainly never said that.
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you did. Many here said it was unnecessary when Samsung tablets got it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
135 months ago
I thought split screen needed 2GB RAM?
And I thought split screen multitasking was unnecessary, or at least it was until Apple decided to use it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)