Chrome for iOS adds iOS 9’s Split View multitasking

Good news, iPad owners: Chrome just updated Chrome for iOS to take advantage of the latest features made possible in iOS 9. The biggest addition is Split View mode for iPad Air 2, mini 4, and the upcoming iPad Pro. The new feature allows you to view two apps at once. 

Split View is one of several new multitasking features Apple added to iOS 9. Others that Chrome can take advantage of include Slide Over, which brings a second app into view taking up one-third of the screen.

You can also use Picture-in-Picture, which lets you shrink down a video window to continue using other apps on your system. This is similar to what Google already does inside the YouTube app.

Further reading: 25 new iOS 9 features that are rocking our world

These new multitasking features will be welcomed by anyone running the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4, but will really shine on the larger screen of the iPad Pro. The 12.9-inch display on Apple’s soon to be released super iPad offers a more ideal space for viewing two apps at once compared to its smaller counterparts. The iPad Pro will be available for purchase in November. 

Google also added Autofill support to make it easier to fill in forms for credit card purchases and so on.

The impact on you at home: Anyone who depends on Chrome for their daily browsing habits on the iPad will now have a lot more functionality at their fingertips. With the iPad’s ever-increasing capabilities and its popularity as a laptop alternative for everyday tasks, multitasking features like these are sure to increase the usefulness of Apple’s tablets. Users of older iPads will be left out of the Split View feature, but Slide Over and Picture-in-Picture are available for at least limited amounts of multitasking.

The updated version of Chrome is available in the App Store.