¶ Daylight Saving Time Is A Menace to Society

If you live in the US, you — if you got the memo — rolled your non-smart clocks back an hour before you went to bed. You did this in honor of Daylight Saving Time ending. Welcome back to Standard Time.

Returning to Standard Time has one benefit — an extra hour of sleep. Except that you likely squandered it by staying up later than usual last night, or you still woke up when your biological clock said it was time (because you biological clock did not get the memo).

Also, it got dark really early tonight. Sunset was officially at 5:21 PM here in Lincoln, Nebraska. By 6:00 PM it felt like 9:00 PM. It’s…not great.

I think we can all agree that in the 21st century Daylight Saving Time is a menace to society when it comes knocking twice per year. You lose an hour of sleep in the spring, but it’s daylight longer into the evening. You gain an hour in the fall (if you don’t squander it) but it’s pretty much dark all the time you’re not at work.

Personally, I’m all for bumping an hour ahead next spring and then staying on that track. I’d rather have more daylight in the evening. At the very least, let’s just pick one and stick with it. Humans weren’t meant for time travel. And we all know children and pets don’t get it right away.

What do you think? Should we continue this madness of traveling an hour through time twice per year, or should we choose one and call it good?

Okay, Let’s Get Sick a Little

I’ve had a rough day. I almost didn’t blog a little today. That’s because I’ve been up since 4:30 AM winning an Olympic Gold Medal in Hurling. TMI? Probably.

Needless to say, I’m keeping this short. I got knocked down hard, but I found a way to get back up and put a couple words down.

Don’t forget to turn your clocks back tonight.

¶ Okay, Let’s Blog a Little

Despite my ambitions, I am a very inconsistent blogger. While I write something nearly every day in my journal, I have fallen out of the habit of publishing my writing for the world to see. Even my posting on social media has tapered off — well, original posts, anyway. I’m pretty heavy on the reply or comment buttons.

I can’t put a finger on exactly why my zeal for publishing has waned, but the fact that it has really bums me out. And that’s why I am taking a page off of one of my favorite writer’s blog. Shawn Blanc posted this today:

Here in the United States, November is known for three things:

1. Thanksgiving
2. Not shaving
3. Writing a novel

Starting today — Friday, November 1 — I’ll be writing and publishing something every day for the whole month of November.

Though, instead of writing a novel in a month, I will be simply be focused on publishing something — anything — every single day. From photos, links to interesting things, articles, reviews, etc.

And apparently this is a thing.

And Shawn’s post reminded me of a post Daniel Jalkut wrote all the way back in May, titled “Blog a Little”. And that provided a little bit of clarity on the old publishing slump here at Full City Press.

I think people neglect to write blog posts because the feedback loop is not as tangible as the onslaught of (sometimes mechanical) likes or faves that you can receive on a social network. With blogging, you need a little faith that you will gain an audience. And on the open web, you never know who might come along and expand your audience.

I can say with 100% certainty that looking at Squarespace’s analytics is one of the things that can dishearten me the fastest when it comes to publishing on the web. My head tells me I shouldn’t care about the numbers, but it’s hard not to. My head also tells me the only way to possibly change that is to show up more often, even though it’s often hard.

So, in the spirit of changing that, I’m going to blog a little. So days may just be something pretty random, other days I may drop a bunch of words. And in the spirit of Shawn’s effort, I’m going to try to show up every day this month. I even set a recurring task in Things.

See you tomorrow.

¶ When You Should Upgrade to iOS 13 [UPDATED]

iOS 13 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, September 19th. But you should wait until September 30th 24th to update your iOS devices to iOS 13, if possible.

Why? Because Apple’s development cycle of iOS 13 has been, well, all over the map this summer. The betas over the summer have been particularly shaky, and it sounds like the public release of iOS 13.0 will have some hiccups in it. From John Gruber’s iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro review, regarding iOS 13:

I ran into a handful of bugs over the last week. One time Messages completely froze, and the phone started getting very warm. Force quitting Messages didn’t help — I had to power-cycle the phone to get Messages working again. Several times the keyboard in Messages went entirely white. I could actually still type, but I couldn’t see the keys I was pressing. With iOS 13.1 coming just 10 days after iPhone 11 units get into customer hands, I don’t see the point in belaboring this, but 13.1 needs to be a lot more stable than 13.0. 13.0 feels like a late stage beta.

The most notable sign that something was amiss for the initial launch of iOS 13 was right after iOS 13 beta 8, when Apple released iOS 13.1 beta 1. I noticed many of my developer friends scratching their heads over that one. Also, a number of features that had been pulled in the later iOS 13 betas had returned for the first beta of iOS 13.1.

On top of all that, when Apple announced iOS 13 would be available on September 19th, they simultaneously announced that iOS 13.1 and iPadOS would be available just 11 5 days later on September 30th 24th. iPadOS will never see a public release of 13.0, instead it will pass Go and collect a higher version number with 13.1.

Apple was put between a rock and a hard place. New iPhone hardware means that the new version of iOS needs to ship in tandem. And the full feature set of iOS 13 was running behind schedule. So they made a call — and I believe it is the correct call — to strip out the extremely buggy features, get 13.0 usable enough for the iPhone launch, and follow it up with a 13.1 release just over under a week later. I maybe would have held off on releasing 13.0 to existing devices and just have shipped it on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, but I imagine watchOS 6 being tied to the iOS 13 made that unavoidable. People with existing iPhones will still buy new Apple Watches on launch day.

My Advice

I think the only reason you should endeavor to run iOS 13.0 is if you buy one of the new iPhones 11/11 Pro, or a new Apple Watch Series 5. For the former, iOS 13 will come pre-installed, and for the latter, it will have watchOS 6 and probably needs iOS 13 on the iPhone it will be paired to.

For everyone else with existing iPhones, just wait for iOS 13.1 on September 30th 24th. It is likely to be far less buggy, and will have more of the features initially promised for iOS 13. Finally, no matter when you upgrade your device, make sure you have a backup.

[UPDATE]: Apple has moved up the release date of iOS 13.1 and iPad OS from September 30th to September 24th. This article has been updated to reflect that.

¶ Last Week’s iPhone and Watch Event

Apple held their annual iPhone — and now Apple Watch — event last week on September 10. This is easily Apple’s biggest event of the year where they roll out the latest and greatest iPhones and other hardware, just in time for people to begin thinking about the Christmas shopping season.

Apple has posted the full event on YouTube, along with a humorous 2 minute summary that is worth watching. I have some quick thoughts on everything that was announced, so let’s get started.

Apple Arcade

On September 19th Apple Arcade will ship within iOS 13. Apple has worked with a lot of game developers to launch 100+ new games exclusive to Apple platforms this fall. And these aren’t just for iPhones and iPads. They’ll be available on Mac and Apple TV, too. And this year’s new operating systems support pairing Playstation and Xbox One controllers, which is great news for gaming.

While gaming on iOS is popular, it’s rife with sleazy grifts of in-app purchases and sketchy ads that are probably harvesting all sorts of data. Apple Arcade solves this with high-quality games without ads or in-app purchases. And the price is extremely compelling: $4.99 per month, and it covers up to six people with Family Sharing.

I don’t play many games on iOS (even less on Apple TV and none on Mac). My son, however, loves gaming on his iPad mini. I’m often reluctant to install new games on his iPad because they are often, for lack of better words, crappy. While my family may not hop on Apple Arcade right away, I can see it being a peace of mind alternative to all these games with questionable motives.

Apple TV+

As if anyone needs yet another TV subscription, Apple is coming out with their own. The big difference between Apple TV+ and contenders like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ is Apple does not have a vast content back catalog to lean on. All they have is all-new original content. But that content looks good. And the price is pretty great, too. $4.99 per month for the whole family. And, starting now, if you buy an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac, a whole year of Apple TV+ is included. Boom.

iPad

The iPad lineup has settled into having something for everyone. The iPad as the entry level, the iPad mini for folks who like petite tablets, the iPad Air for people wanting a bit more productivity, and the iPad Pro for those looking to use an iPad as a laptop replacement.

One of the lines got a little more blurred with last week’s update to the entry-level iPad. Going from a 9.7-inch screen to a 10.2-inch screen and gaining a Smart Connector for use with the Smart Keyboard Cover makes the iPad a close contender with the 10.5-inch iPad Air. And the iPad maintained its $329 starting price. That’s pretty fantastic.

It’s definitely a no-brainer for someone’s first iPad.

Apple Watch Series 5

The Apple Watch remains one of my favorite devices. Like the rest of the internet, I was struggling to think of what exactly could be improved on from last year’s Series 4. I had settled on the idea of improved power management to enable sleep tracking. I wasn’t wrong on improved power management, but I was dead wrong on what it would be used for.

The Apple Watch Series 5 has an always-on display, which is a really nice touch. Anyone who has ever worn an Apple Watch knows that it needs a certain amount of tilt and motion to figure out you want to see the display and light it up. There’s no way to really sneak a casual peek at the time. Now that won’t be a problem.

Apple also added a built-in compass and the cellular communications work better in more places, but other than that there isn’t much new on the technology side.

On the materials side the lineup expands from aluminum and stainless steel to include titanium and the return of ceramic. Titanium and ceramic bear the Edition name, which translates to a giant sack of money for a watch. While I will never own an Edition model, I must admit I yearn for that white ceramic case. I’ll satiate that desire by trying one on at the Apple Store for a few moments.

I’ll be sticking with my Series 4. It does its job amazingly well and will be even better with watchOS 6. But if you have a Series 2 or older, definitely consider the Series 5. Apple is keeping the Series 3 around at $199, which I imagine made some Fitbit execs lose sleep.

iPhone 11

I love my iPhone XS and it was the right choice for me, but it certainly is not the right choice for most people. For the past year the iPhone for most people has been the iPhone XR, but Apple’s initial marketing seemed to position it as the lesser sibling of the XS. And that seemed to stick among people I know. They felt the iPhone XS was the good phone, and the XR was an also-ran, even though I greatly encouraged folks to check out the XR.

Apple’s marketing is on point this year with the iPhone 11, which is the spiritual successor to the iPhone XR, but positioned as the standard iPhone. Naming matters. And it’s truly a great phone with a great camera, a second ultra-wide camera, and a Night Mode that, combined, I think will be very popular. And it has an extra hour of battery life compared to the already impressive XR.

I’ve already heard from friends and family that they think it’s time for them to upgrade and they have their eyes on the colorful lineup of the iPhone 11. Especially since the price is $50 less than the iPhone XR’s previous price point.

iPhone 11 Pro

Whereas the iPhone 11 is a great phone and camera for everyone, naturally there are some people who want a little more. iPhone 11 Pro is for these people. The wide camera lens is joined by not only the new ultra-wide lens from the iPhone 11, but also a telephoto lens á la the iPhone XS. And like the iPhone XS it has an OLED display. It has better water resistance than the 11. For most other specs, though, it has the same guts as the iPhone 11.

It does not, however, have the rainbow of colors of its sibling. The iPhone 11 Pro sticks with the very “pro” colors of silver (white), space grey, and gold — along with a new midnight green. The best description of the new color I’ve seen comes from John Gruber: “Boba Fett-y”.

One spec that is remarkably impressive is battery life. The iPhone 11 Pro boasts 4 more hours than the iPhone XS, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max 5 more hours than the iPhone XS Max. That’s insane for a year-over-year jump.

Now, let’s talk about the naming here. iPhone 11 Pro is the perfect modifier for the luxury model of iPhone this year. The name positions itself as a step up from the iPhone for most everyone, rather than last year’s naming positioning the more affordable option as a step down. There’s a difference.

But iPhone 11 Pro Max? That’s a mouthful. I get that Apple wants to differentiate the smaller and larger screens of iPhone 11 Pro, but do they need to? I would have rather seen both be named simply iPhone 11 Pro, and then talk about the different screen sizes separately, as they do with iMacs, iPad Pros, and MacBook Pros.

The naming of the iPhone 11 Pro Max aside, I think the 2019 lineup of iPhones is stellar. I know a lot of iPhone 7 owners that have held on to them, skipping the iPhone 8/X, and XR/XS. Now in their third year of ownership, they are noticing the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, and considering upgrading.

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While I am keen toward the iPhone 11 Pro, I’ll be recommending the iPhone 11 to most people. It has an impressive feature set, a variety of colors, and a more affordable price that is in line with the iPhone 7 of a few years ago. iPhone 11 is the default iPhone, and it deserves to be.

¶ Making a Compelling Apple TV Update

I love my Apple TV HD. It is effectively the core interface for my TV, since I don’t use any of the “smart TV” features. In fact, I rarely use the TV’s own remote. When I pick up the Apple TV remote and press a button, the TV turns on. When I put the Apple TV to sleep, the TV turns off. And I have the Apple TV remote’s volume switch tied to my soundbar. It’s really fantastic, and I’ve gotten a lot of value from my Apple TV over the years.

I love that my Apple TV has been going strong for years, and shows no sign of reaching obsolescence. Apple doesn’t release new models very often. The most recent advancement to the Apple TV hardware was the Apple TV 4K. I’m sure that’s great for today’s 4K screens. Aside from being able to display 4K video, the newer hardware also supports Dolby Atmos for sound. As an avid Apple TV user with a 1080p TV, there is nothing that compels me to move to the newer Apple TV 4K. And that’s fine. The lower priced (though still expensive at $149) HD version suits my needs perfectly.

But I have been thinking about what could be done to move the Apple TV hardware forward. The rumor mill paints a pretty lackluster picture of a chip update, presumably to drive gaming with the upcoming Apple Arcade service. That’s cool and all, but what could be done to make Apple TV…well, more worthy of its price tag?

Last night I was perusing The Verge, and I saw two closely related articles: First, the Roku Smart Soundbar which combines a 4K Roku set-top box with a nice looking soundbar, and; second, Anker is making an nearly identical product, but equipped with Amazon’s Fire TV.

This sounds like (pun not intended) exactly what Apple should do for a future Apple TV. Create a soundbar that looks stunning with a TV, taking what they have learned about sound from the HomePod, building in the Apple TV hardware and tvOS, and letting that deliver a rich on-screen and audio experience. Maybe it could pair with a HomePod or two to bring true surround sound.

An Apple TV soundbar would make a compelling device able to push Apple Music and the upcoming Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade services.

Hey, Apple – The Activity App Needs Rest Days Like Right Now→

My friend Gedeon Maheux wrote yesterday about how he would love for Apple’s Activity app to start offering rest days as part of its goal for helping users becoming more healthy over time.

Contrary to what the folks on Apple’s Activity team may tell you, this isn’t actually healthy. It’s important to give your body (and mind) a break to recover and rebuild every now and then. Which is why iOS desperately needs to build in the concept of rest days into its Activity app.

Let’s just set aside the fact that the Activity app doesn’t even allow you to keep your streaks alive if you become sick or injured. That’s bad enough. But not to be able to give myself a much-needed break after many months of filling my rings is a poor decision on Apple’s part. I had really hoped iOS 13 would introduce Rest Days or Rain Checks or something that would allow us to take a day or two off a month and keep streaks alive, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The concept is simple – For every perfect month of activity award I complete, give me one rest day that I can use at any time to take an activity break and recuperate. Over time they would accrue like vacation days and I could even apply them for actual vacations so I don’t have to worry about filling my rings when I’m laying on the beach or waiting in line at Disney World.

I couldn’t agree more. One of the Activity awards I am most proud of achieving is my Longest Move Streak, which I let lapse at 1,000 consecutive days on December 31, 2018. I ended it for several reasons, and one of the biggest ones was ending the streak on my terms, and not losing it due to a sick day. You’ll enjoy the irony here: on January 2nd, 2019, I got the flu and was so weak I barely moved, aside from the frequent trips to the restroom to throw up.

So yeah, if I hadn’t ended my streak on my terms, just two days later I would have had it ended anyway.

A system for rest days would have saved my bacon if I had continued my streak. In fact, another streak I have maintained was saved by the app’s inclusion of rest days. I currently have 1,397 day streak going in Pedometer++. The system “Underscore” David Smith created for Pedometer++ (and Activity++) for rest days is well-balanced, and useful. From the settings screen of Pedometer++:

When enabled, activity streaks will not be broken by a single day missed after six consecutive days of reaching your goal.

I like this system. You have to earn the rest day, but it isn’t an arduous amount to earn it. You could conceivably take one day off each week and maintain a streak. It’s really similar to the idea of a Sabbath — a day of rest. And, of course, you don’t have to use it. But it doesn’t carry over and stack up, as Ged wants for vacations.

Either way, rest days are important for everyone, and sorely needed in Apple’s approach to healthy living in the Activity app. While I still try to complete my Move ring every day, I don’t sweat it if I just need a rest from it now that I’ve sealed away my Longest Move Streak at 1,000 days. For those still striving to keep that streak going, I hope Apple gives them a break with rest days in a future update.

Apple Launches Independent Repair Provider Program→

If you live near an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider — such as every Best Buy in the US — you can typically get an Apple device repaired by trained technicians with genuine parts that won’t void your warranty.

But if you don’t live near either of those, you’ve had to rely on either mailing your device off to Apple or taking it to a local place that may or may not be using sketchy parts or practices.

Well, that all changes today with Apple’s launch of its new Independent Repair Provider Program. Apple Newsroom:

Apple will provide more independent repair businesses — large or small — with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs). The program is launching in the US with plans to expand to other countries.

This is great news. Now those cellphone repair outfits or local computer repair shops can have access to the same training, equipment, tools, guides, and more as Apple and its authorized providers use. This means that end users like you and me can have a little more trust if needing to have a device repaired.

Another great tidbit is the barrier to entry for independent providers is pretty low.

There is no cost to join Apple’s independent repair program. To qualify for the new program, businesses need to have an Apple-certified technician who can perform the repairs. The process for certification is simple and free of charge. To learn more and apply, visit support.apple.com/irp-program. Qualifying repair businesses will receive Apple-genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics at the same cost as AASPs.

Now, instead of advising friends and family to only seek repairs from a small list of places, I can check and see if a shop has this certification and access, and feel better about recommending them.

I’ve had friends take their device to independent shops and I have definitely seen some sketchy repairs — such as a Touch ID/Home button that doesn’t feel quite right, making me think it is a knock-off part. And since that is a part that is supposed to be part of the security of the device, it left me with a bad feeling.

I’m very glad Apple has launched this program, and I hope independent repair shops take it seriously and join the program.

¶ Twitterrific 6 for iOS Tailors Twitter Your Way

When my friends at The Iconfactory said that Twitterrific 5 on iOS was released 6 years ago and has had 86 free updates, I almost didn’t believe them. There’s simply no way Twitterrific 5 is 6 years old. Looking back at my own review confirmed its vintage.

Let’s put this in perspective. 6 years ago this site had a different name and domain, iOS 7’s new design language hadn't yet been revealed, and iPhones still had tiny screens.

Twitterrific has seen a lot of changes in that time. The design was completely overhauled for iOS 7 and tweaked frequently to stay fresh, features have ebbed and flowed as Twitter has given and taken away, and like a Phoenix from the ashes Twitterrific made its triumphant return to the Mac.

Today is the next perch in Ollie’s journey with the release of Twitterrific 6.0 for iOS. This new version of Twitterrific is CHOCK-full of experience enhancements that make Twitter usable and — dare I say — enjoyable.

Media Matters

A great deal of the improvements are related to media handling. Videos and GIFs now silently autoplay in the timeline and direct message threads. If they do contain sound, a speaker icon is shown so you aren’t surprised if you tap it. Also, autoplay can be disabled in the settings if you prefer that.

Image thumbnails now display at the photo’s native aspect ratio. If you like to add GIFs to your tweets, there is a new GIF button in the composer that integrates with GIPHY. I’m fond of the built-in filters for Reactions, Memes, and Swear Trek. Is that a buffet? Not for long.

Speaking of the composer, it’s media capabilities have been revamped. Now you can tap the thumbnail for attached media to see it larger and add accessibility descriptions — even to videos and GIFs. And you can swipe between multiple attachments to quickly add descriptions.

Twitterrific also embraces Twitter’s new ability to add media to tweets that contain quote tweets, as well as viewing said tweets properly.

Twitter Your Way

Twitterrific has always offered customizations to its experience, leaning heavily into one of its tag lines: Twitter your way. Version 6 continues that theme with three new home screen icon choices (Crow, Dove, and Neon — I have been loving Neon during the beta), five new themes (Dove, Akikiki, Puffin, Falcon, and Parakeet, twelve new “Olliemoji” iMessage stickers, a new font, and a few new display customizations.

Pricing

After 86 free updates over 6 years to Twitterrific 5, there are naturally some long overdue changes to the app’s pricing to continue its development — sort of.

No matter what, all features are available for free, but are subsidized with banner ads from The Iconfactory’s own ad network. Users at the free tier will also see reminders for the next level of supporting development — subscriptions.

A monthly or yearly subscription (99¢ and $9.99, respectively) will remove the banner ads and subscription reminders during the length of the subscription. There are some scenarios where recent purchasers of version 5 or users of its Tip Jar feature get a grace period. The Iconfactory has a support article outlining the scenarios.

For those who are not fond of the current app trend of subscriptions there is, thankfully, a one-time “Forever” option priced at $29.99 USD. The quote marks around “Forever” are in the app’s official documentation, and I don’t think it means forever. I would assume it means the lifespan of version 6. Which, if that is the case, shouldn’t be a concern given the longevity of version 5.

Flying Into the Future

It's no secret to users of third-party Twitter clients that Twitter has been hostile to these apps over the past years. Yet a few bravely remain to make Twitter a more delightful place on the internet to connect at. The Iconfactory has poured a lot of love into Twitterrific for the past 10+ years, and it’s encouraging to see them continue to push the needle forward in the face of adversity.

I have no doubt that as long as Twitter continues to allow its existence, and it has a dedicated user base willing to put their money where their tweets are, Twitterrific will continue to soar for years to come. That may seem like a tall order, but the people at The Iconfactory have faced overwhelming odds in the past and persevered, and I know they can continue to do so — as long as we stand alongside them.

¶ Ulysses 16 Brings a Second Helping of Editor Goodness

Back in March my favorite writing app, Ulysses, launched Split View editing on Mac. The idea is simple: Have the ability to open two texts, what Ulysses calls files, side-by-side within the same view. Of course, while the idea sounds simple, the execution was not, even on Mac. From the Ulysses 15 announcement:

See, split view editing sounds simple enough: Just split the editor in half and load a second sheet, right? Well… let’s be 100% us and ask questions first.

And from there they asked approximately eleventy billion questions about how to implement it. And it shows, because they really sweat the details on it and pulled it off smoothly.

It didn’t take me long to ask the Ulysses team how soon that could come to the iPad version.

A few weeks ago I received an invite to the Ulysses 16 beta to test Editor Split View on the iPad. And today the feature is available for everyone with Ulysses 16. Unsurprisingly, they put the same level of thought and detail into the iPad version of Split View Editing.

A couple of weeks ago, we introduced the option to show a second editor to our Mac app, and now we’re following suit on iPad. As a matter of fact, “Second Editor” is a bit of an understatement here, since we actually open a fully-fledged second instance of Ulysses. Yes, we show the whole app twice.

“Woah”, you say, “wait, what?”, and we feel you, but here’s what it does. Per default, the second editor will always open in editor mode, so you can use a second sheet as reference or actually edit two sheets side-by-side. Since both views are “the full app”, you can then navigate the second view to your heart’s content — even display the (live) export preview.

With iPad they went far beyond the Split View idea and duplicated the entire app into the split view instance. This makes the Second Editor navigable. You can use one text as reference while working on another, or even have the same text open, and put it into Export mode, and watch your preview update live as you work on the main text.

Split view of Ulysses 16 on iPad, with a live preview of the active text.

Insert some banana emojis here, because this is bananas: 🍌🍌🍌

There are four different ways to open the Second Editor, covered in the gallery below.

Drag a sheet from the sheet list to either edge of the screen — this will trigger a nice animation and then open the dragged sheet next to the current view.

Activate “Second Editor” from the editor settings. This will open the current sheet next to the current view.

Tap and hold the Export button in the editor. A menu will pop up and offer “Export in Second Editor”.

With an external keyboard attached, you can either hit command-option-3 (⌘⌥3) to open the current sheet in editor mode, or hit command-option-6 (⌘⌥6), to open the export preview of the current sheet.

And finally, the split view instance is adjustable. It defaults to a 50/50 split, but can be adjusted to a 70/30 split. You can tap and hold the drag handle to bring up more options, including a sneaky way to swap the views around or to dismiss one side. You can also dismiss a view by just dragging the drag handle to the edge.

Tapping and holding on the grab handle brings up some neat options, such as a way to swap the editors.

I hope what Ulysses has made possible with their take on in-app split view is a foreshadowing of what Apple may someday do to enhance Split View. Safari has been able to open an pseudo-instance in Split View for a while now, but it cannot be resized or swapped. Ulysses has created a better, more powerful Split View within an app than Apple has done with Safari, and it is now the gold standard to reach for.

Safari’s rudimentary in-app Split View.

If you write regularly for any reason, I highly recommend Ulysses. It is worth every penny of its subscription that enables the Mac, iPhone, and iPad apps. They even offer a discount to students. If anything, check out the 14-day free trial.

I am overjoyed to have this feature on iPad. Even though I love my Mac, my iPad is where my writing juices really flow.