iPadOS

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Finally, an Open Source Font App for iPhone and iPad

Andrew Orr ·

One feature of iOS and iPadOS 13 was built-in support for fonts (Settings > General > Fonts). But as Michael Potuck notes, I’ve seen very few font apps in the App Store. But now there’s a new one called Fontcase, and it’s open source, too.

Installing custom fonts is super easy with Fontcase, once you have what you want in iCloud Drive or Dropbox, you just import the fonts in Fontcase, download and install a configuration profile, and they’ll be available across iOS/iPadOS.

Cool Stuff Found

‘iPad Main Menu’ Concept Reimagines App Settings

Andrew Orr ·

Alexander Käßner uploaded a concept video called iPad Main Menu. On Reddit he says it’s the result of a bachelor thesis. It introduces app menus that are accessible with an always-present icon on the dock, and/or a three-finger tap. It’s similar to the right-click menu we see on macOS. I love it because it gives you quick access to all app settings, which end up in different locations depending on the whim of the developer (hamburger menus notwithstanding). Main Menu is consistent.

The main menu is split into two columns. We find the most common actions on the left, such as cut/copy/paste, and app-specific features are on the right. Main Menu also works with a keyboard, so you “never lift a finger again.”

Update: Mr. Käßner also has a website for the concept here.

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A Solution to Improve iPad Multitasking

Andrew Orr ·

Complaints about iPad multitasking have been making the rounds lately, and I largely agree with them. It’s not obvious how to put two apps into Split View mode for example. When I got my iPad Pro I had to look up how to do it. Ryan Christoffel of MacStories came up with a solution, reminiscent of macOS Catalina. As in, long press an app icon and see a menu with options for “Pair Left of App”, “Pair Right of App” etc. I have to say, I do hate this feature in Catalina, where you click on a Safari full screen button to drag it into Split View, but now there’s this same menu. It adds an unnecessary wait to a feature that was previously instant. However, I think it makes sense on the iPad because a long press already required a wait.

With a long-press on any app icon, on both iPhone and iPad, a context menu appears. This same gesture works whether the app icon is in your dock, on your Home screen, or in Search. Context menus currently display options like Edit Home Screen, Show All Windows, and any app-specific quick actions. Let’s add a couple new options that relate to multitasking.

Hurry, Pixelmator Photo on iPadOS is Free Right Now
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Hurry, Pixelmator Photo on iPadOS is Free Right Now

Andrew Orr ·

Normally US$4.99, Pixelmator Photo is free right now. It’s a photo editor that promises a full collection of nondestructive color adjustments, full support for RAW images, and machine learning that can improve your photos like a pro photographer. It’s an exclusive app for iPadOS. Here are some of the other features: Batch edit photos using the entire collection of editing tools available in the app; Enhance automatically takes care of all the subtle improvements that go into every great shot — white balance, exposure, shadow, and highlight detail — so you can focus on adding your own creative finishing touches; Presets for film emulation, vintage looks, and more.

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How to Prepare Your iPad and Update to iPadOS

Andrew Orr ·

A bit ahead of schedule, Apple is releasing iOS 13.1 and iPadOS today. I wrote an update guide for iOS 13 and I’ll share that as a linked teaser, because the steps are identical for iPadOS. Just make sure that your iPad is properly backed up to iCloud or iTunes.

Once your iPhone is backed up, you’re ready to install iOS 13. You can either do so via iTunes, or right on your device. Go to Settings > General > Software Update. After a second or two, iOS 13 will appear and you can tap the install button. You can also enable the option for automatic backups. Like iCloud Backup, your iPhone will update automatically.