In addition to adding the new News app, iOS 9 beta 3 also made a much-needed enhancement to the folder functionality on the iPad. In prior versions of iOS, users were restricted to a 3×3 layout of apps on the iPad, meaning that there were 3 rows of 3 apps on the device, for a total of 9 apps per page. With iOS 9 beta 3, however, users can now have a 4×4 setup of apps in folders on the iPad.
That means there can be 16 apps per page, up from 9 in previous versions. Seeing that iOS supports 15 pages of apps within a folder, today’s change means that each folder can now house 240 apps. Previously, folders could only contain 135 apps each.
Still, though, it feels as if the space of the iPad could be better taken advantage of with a 5×5 setup of apps, but the new 4×4 interface is certainly welcome. Other changes included in iOS 9 beta 3 include the addition of Apple Music, Apple News, and several other minor interface tweaks. All of the changes can be found here. Apple today also released OS X 10.11 beta 3 and watchOS 2.0 beta 3.
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A welcome change. It may look a little cluttered and close together, but its superior to having multiple pages within folders.
The biggest clue yet for a larger iPad coming
the iPhone 6 Plus should have a 4×3 grid in folders, there’s a lot of wasted space
I’d like to see more apps on the main springboard screen for iPad users. I have more app icons on the screen on my tiny little iPhone 6 than I do on my iPad, which is illogical and frankly bizarre. Apple need to start treating the iPad more like a different device. It isn’t just a big iPod Touch anymore.
It makes no sense why the iPhone 6 and 6 plus have 6 rows of app on the springboard, but only 5 on the iPad.
I wish Apple would do an iPad specific iOS update once a year. I think more tweaks for the iPad would increase its sells. The screen increased screen real estate does not get used enough.
Makes sense. The more useless apps Apple forces into the OS which cannot be removed, the more easy they should make It. For us to dump them a folder, called ‘Useless’¡
hah
Seriously, who will get 1k of apps? On your 16GB iPad :) Cause that’s like 5 full folders… But still, that implicates the upcoming Pro pad. Wait and see…
Should the article title say page, not folder?
No. The article discusses more apps per folder. If each page is full of folders and, if each folder will be able to contain more apps, then there will also be many more apps per page.
4 x 4? Lame. The folder should just show as many icons as every other page on the spring board. As it stands the entire spring board concept is already extremely dated – hopefully Apple has something planned for IOS 10 that will finally move us beyond the current state, which is more like iOS 2.0
How about nested folders?
I never understood the square-grid restriction at all. When you tap on a folder it should open a panel that’s the full width of the screen, while darkening the area in the background. Which is basically what iTunes does when you click on an album in icon view. Being able to see as many apps as possible should be the highest priority, not some arbitrary design aesthetic.
One of the great values of this design is you can see all of the apps in your folder from a birds eye view without going into them, making it easier for some people. In iOS 6 and previous I don’t think that was the case.
This feels like a stopgap improvement in leu of an actual UI overhaul.
“Yeah, the screen is big enough, there’s no way that making the folders on the iPad 4×4 could backfire on us. It’ll give that subset of users something the chew on while we finish the new layout.”
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