How do I enable multitasking gestures in iOS 5.0 on iPad 1?

Looks like Apple have recognised the issue and fixed it in 5.01 which has gone out in beta today!

That will be great for those with the iPad 1 if the iOS 5.1 update includes the gestures.

AllyGill wrote:

Looks like Apple have recognised the issue and fixed it in 5.01 which has gone out in beta today!

I don't think they recognized any such thing. I think they planned to add the features in an update. At some point a product has to be locked down and shipped/released. Known bugs and missing features will be dealt with in future updates and iPad 1 multitasking gestures were one of those missing features/bugs to be added later. That's how software development works and has always worked. Occam's Razor applies here. The simplest explanation tends to be the correct one. A few noisy users on a discussion board didn't cause this. It was coming all along.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20129325-248/apple-gives-developers-ios-5.0.1- to-test-battery-fix/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

I used the non-jailbreak method of enabling gestures on my iPad 1 and have seen no indication of any problems.

Surely the simplest explanation would be that it was a mistake or an error in judgement?

Your proposition would suggest that Apple deliberately withheld a feature that they had (perhaps unintentionally) advertised as being available for all iPads. Why? I for one have been using multi-tasking gestures on my iPad 1 with iOS 5 for some time now without any problems. All it took was a couple of lines in a .plist file.

You are also forgetting prior evidence of a reversal of policy in iOS as a result of user pressure: the case of the disappearing then reappearing "rotation lock" switch. We know for certain that that wasn't planned all along and such evidence must surely be worthy of inclusion in your "simplest explanation" deliberations.

On the balance of the evidence "it was coming all along" would not appear to be the simplest explanation. If anything it would be even more maddening that Apple had remained silent on the issue if that were the correct explanation.

Why would it bother you if it had been a "few noisy users" that had effected the change anyway?

Details about the 5.0.1 beta:

You don't seem to know the facts behind this. The iPad 1 had the multitasking gesture until the very last GM build of iOS 5. Someone at Apple spent time disabling the support for the GM, rather than not spending time not enabling them, as you suggested. 5.0.1 just removes whatever was implemented that disabled the feature for the model.

Just drop it - they're adding it in 5.0.1 and you should be happy they are.

HuskieN wrote:

Just drop it - they're adding it in 5.0.1 and you should be happy they are.

I agree, HuskieN. I was probably as upset as anyone about multi gestures not working on my original iPad, but this isn't a vendetta for me. I just wanted them back. If 5.0.1 gets them back, then that's the end of the subject as far as I'm concerned. I don't care about the history or machinations, just the results.

HuskieN wrote:

Just drop it - they're adding it in 5.0.1 and you should be happy they are.

Indeed. They probably wouldn't have "added" it (after they removed it) if it weren't for 14 page threads complaining about it missing.

Canny wrote:

Surely the simplest explanation would be that it was a mistake or an error in judgement?

Your proposition would suggest that Apple deliberately withheld a feature that they had (perhaps unintentionally) advertised as being available for all iPads.

I'd be inclined to agree that multi-tasking gestures missing on the iPad1 was a bug, if it wasn't for the fact that Apple started going back through it's websites to re-label Multi-Tasking Gestures as an iPad2-only feature.

phoomp wrote:

HuskieN wrote:

Just drop it - they're adding it in 5.0.1 and you should be happy they are.

Indeed. They probably wouldn't have "added" it (after they removed it) if it weren't for 14 page threads complaining about it missing.

Fourteen pages of comments by a few outraged users posting three or four times a day just to keep the thred alive. Take a hard look at those "14 pages" and count the unique responses minus the replies by idiots like me who attempt to argue against the conpsiracy theories conjured up in this thread.

Perhaps if you learned to spell "thread" correctly we wouldn't think you're an idiot :)

Hi Guys,

iOS 5.0.1 brings MultiTouch for iPad1!

Official Note from Apple.

thanks, Jo

Patience is a virtue. Just finished installing the full release of 5.0.1 and there are the multi touch gestures on iPad 1 for all to play with. The wireless update feature is fantastic compared to the old days as well. Enjoy!

Wonder what conspiracy theory will crop up next...and wonder how many folk in this thread who threatened to bin their iPads for alternatives actually did. Not many I'd guess. Biting off nose to spite face isn't really such a good idea .