Make way, iPad; there’s a new multitasking king on the market

My daily workflow revolves around browser-based services, and a long-lasting tablet like the iPad is the perfect on-the-go device for me. I’ve chronicled my adventures with the iPad as my primary computer a few times in the past, but as a compulsive multitasker, I keep coming back to my desktop. I swear by my 43-inch TV-as-monitor multitasking setup, so you can see why a tablet just wouldn’t cut it for an entire workday. OnePlus, however, has a solution that has changed my mind.

I’ve been reviewing the brand new OnePlus Pad 2, and I believe the company’s Open Canvas system is the biggest leap forward for tablet multitasking yet. And yes, it’s better than Apple’s Stage Manager. But more on that later. First, let’s take a quick look at how Open Canvas multitasking works on the OnePlus Pad 2.

Eagle-eyed readers will recall that Open Canvas isn’t exactly new. It debuted at OnePlus Open, and my colleague Ryan called it the best approach to multitasking on a foldable in his review . What works on a foldable excels on a tablet.

I’ve been using the OnePlus Open as my primary phone since its launch last year, and Open Canvas is one of my favorite features. However, I rarely use more than two apps at a time due to the limitations of the screen size. Size isn’t everything, but 7.8 inches isn’t big enough to display three apps at once. The OnePlus Pad 2, with its massive 12-inch display, makes it a breeze to have three usable apps on screen at any given time. Here’s how it works.

Once you’ve launched your primary app, you can either use the standard Android method of going to the multitasking menu and tapping the split screen option, or use a gesture shortcut. As long as the tablet is in landscape mode, you can swipe down from the middle with two fingers to split the app and launch another.

For your next app, simply swipe in from the top-right corner to reveal the OnePlus Smart Sidebar. This floating toolbox gives you access to every app on your phone. Hold the icon and drag it across the screen; it’ll open a third split on the OnePlus Pad 2’s large 12-inch display.

By default, the three-way split highlights two apps and lets the third app run across the screen. A quick four-finger pinch, however, reveals all apps at once. At the OnePlus Open, this three-app layout was simply too small to be legible. On the other hand, the OnePlus Pad 2’s ample real estate makes it a very workable solution.

As a bedroom guitarist, I use my tablet to constantly pull up tabs. However, I find it annoying to have to switch between the metronome app and Spotify or YouTube for backing tracks. With Open Canvas, it’s possible to have all three open at once. Me? I like having the tabs and metronome on screen and being able to launch Spotify with a single tap. You can even lock specific app combos to easily switch back to them. Brilliant!

While Open Canvas itself is locked to a maximum of three apps, it has another trick up its sleeve. You can load a fourth app as a floating window. It’s not as useful as full-fledged multitasking, but it’s handy when you need it. For me, that means loading up a YouTube tutorial of a skilled guitarist showing you how to master a complicated lick. But the possibilities are endless.

That said, I’m hoping OnePlus opens up the Canvas multitasking system to more than three apps – the OnePlus Pad 2’s 12-inch display is large enough to easily show four apps. Maybe even more if they’re displayed in a smartphone-esque vertical window. I actually wouldn’t mind an infinite app canvas either, even if it meant I’d be limited to three apps visible at once. But I digress.

OnePlus Pad 2 vs iPad Air: Who’s Better at Multitasking?

Since my primary tablet is the iPad Air, I have a lot of experience multitasking in that ecosystem, so it made sense to pit the OnePlus Pad 2 against my iPad Air. The iPad’s multitasking is pretty basic by default, offering little more than a variety of two-way splits, with a third app hidden on the side. However, there’s also Stage Manager — Apple’s attempt at cramming desktop-class multitasking into a tablet — to consider.

When I wrote about Stage Manager two years ago, I called it a solid start with lots to learn. Sadly, Stage Manager hasn’t changed an inch since then. I’m running the latest iPadOS 18 beta and haven’t noticed any improvements. It’s still a two-way splitter, with the added benefit of slightly looser restrictions on how you split the windows. Apple’s focus on animations and theatrical effects means there’s a lot of screen real estate to be had, and a quick trial and error took me back to the regular interface. It’s a tricky feature to get to grips with, and would explain why Apple hasn’t mentioned it once in its WWDC sessions since then.

In contrast, OnePlus’ multitasking experience is much more functional and fluid, making optimal use of every inch of the screen.

I could end this story by saying that OnePlus has built the best multitasking system on a tablet. And it has. But the limitations must also be mentioned. Firstly, limiting it to three apps seems like an arbitrary restriction that has no place on a high-end tablet. More flexible window sizing would also be a great addition. The most glaring problem, however, is the lack of education on how to activate the feature. If I hadn’t already used it on my OnePlus Open, I simply wouldn’t have discovered it. I’m sure the feature will unfortunately remain largely undiscovered by the majority of OnePlus Pad 2 users.

That said, it’s clear that OnePlus has the right ideas when it comes to truly maximizing productivity on a foldable or tablet. I hope this feature is adopted liberally across the Android (and Apple) ecosystems. It’s too good not to be. Well done, OnePlus!