You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

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

"iOS 5 includes a few new moves and shortcuts to help you get around even quicker on your iPad: Using four or five fingers, swipe up to reveal the multitasking bar, pinch to return to the Home screen, and swipe left or right to switch between apps."


How do I enable these gestures? I have upgraded to iOS 5 on my iPad 1 and do not see this setting in the general tab of settings.

iPad

Posted on Oct 12, 2011 9:47 AM

Reply
221 replies

Nov 2, 2011 5:23 PM in response to AllyGill

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

Nov 2, 2011 11:26 PM in response to lkrupp

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?

Nov 3, 2011 7:00 AM in response to lkrupp

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.

Nov 3, 2011 2:45 PM in response to HuskieN

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.

Nov 6, 2011 10:26 AM in response to Canny

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.

Nov 7, 2011 6:43 AM in response to phoomp

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.

Nov 10, 2011 2:56 PM in response to asifm42

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 .

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

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.