Apple announces split-screen multitasking for iOS, makes Samsung proud

It seems 2015 will be the year when everyone acknowledges that the split-screen multitasking feature made popular on mobile devices by Samsung is a great idea. Android M has been found to be hiding code for a multi window feature, and Apple has announced that it will be bringing Multi Window-like multitasking functionality to iOS 9, which will debut on iDevices later this year.

Split-screen multitasking isn’t a feature exclusive to Samsung devices – Microsoft’s Surface tablets also have similar functionality, but Samsung has always been a step ahead of others. Its Galaxy tablets now support multitasking with up to four apps on the screen at a given time, and many of its phones support Multi Window, with the Galaxy Note II having introduced it back in 2012. For iOS users, the multitasking feature isn’t coming to any device but the iPad Air 2, meaning they will have to upgrade to said tablet or future iterations to be able to enjoy the benefits.

Apple has never shied away from taking elements from the competition and incorporating them into its mobile operating system (iOS 9 will also bring a feature that allows users to open apps in a pop-up window, similar to Samsung’s software.) It will no doubt try to tell people that its newest not-so-new feature will work better than anything that has been offered by the competition, but the company will not be able to hide one thing for much longer – here in 2015 and beyond, Apple needs to be inspired by others as much as others have been inspired by it, and that it is no longer the leader it has always portrayed itself to be.

We should point out that none of us here at SamMobile think this is a bad idea – useful and intuitive software features need to be present on every mobile platform, and it doesn’t matter who does it first or who copies from whom. As long as these hardware and software companies can keep in mind that the solution isn’t to go to court to stop the other in its tracks; rather, their end goal should be to offer a better experience to the end-user, even if getting there means ripping off on a lot of ideas from the competition.

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AT&T announces the Galaxy S6 Active

We knew that this device was coming and that it would be an AT&T exclusive and now that has been formally confirmed by America’s second largest mobile carrier. AT&T today announced the Galaxy S6 Active, interestingly the announcement didn’t come through a press release instead the company uploaded a video on its official YouTube page to let us all know that the Galaxy S6 Active has arrived.

As expected, the Galaxy S6 Active has a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display and the 64-bit Exynos 7420 octa-core processor underneath. There’s 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, 16-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front camera as well as a 3500mAh battery. It includes a quick launch action button on its side which can be used to bring up the compass, flashlight or other features from the device’s Activity Zone. The Galaxy S6 Active is IP68 certified which makes it water and dust resistant, it features protective casing which safeguards the device against drops. Contrary to popular belief the handset does not appear to have a removable battery or a microSD card slot. Wireless charging is present though.

Customers can purchase the Galaxy S6 Active from AT&T from June 12 online or through the carrier’s stores across the United States. It will be available in Camo Blue, Camo White and Gray for $199 with a two year service contract. Customers can also go with the AT&T Next plan where they will have to pay $23.17 per month for 30 instalments, $29.96 per month for 24 instalments and $34.75 for 20 instalments on AT&T Next 24, Next 18 and Next 12 respectively.

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Live pictures of the Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 leak, tablet visits the FCC

We exclusively reported that the Galaxy Tab S2, the second generation of Samsung’s stunning Super AMOLED tablets, would be getting an official announcement in June, and it seems Samsung is prepping up to do the needful very soon. Chinese certification authority TENAA had given us our first live look at the Galaxy Tab S2 last week, and the 8-inch model has now appeared in more real-life pictures, in addition to being certified by the FCC

There’s nothing new to see in the latest pictures, though we once again get confirmation on the 4:3 aspect ratio of the display. The design looks somewhat unimpressive with the display off, but the Galaxy Tab S2 is very likely to impress users in actual usage thanks to the Super AMOLED display and its 5.4 mm thick build. In terms of specs, the Tab S2 will include 8.0 and 9.7-inch displays with 2048×1536 pixels resolution, an Exynos 5433 processor clocked at 1.9GHz, 3GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera, LTE connectivity, and Android 5.0 Lollipop with the latest iteration of Samsung’s TouchWiz UX on top.

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