How will the iPad handle files?

cmungallcmungall
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
With the prominence of iWork at the iPad unveiling today, the question arises: How will the iPad (or iPhone OS) handle document storage and manipulation? Where will new documents that are created on the iPad be saved? Will individual documents appear as icons on the homepage next to app icons (a la bookmarks)?



I'm hoping Apple has a plan in the works to develop folders for the OS that can store files. This would allow for easier handling of PDF files and such as well.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    firefly7475firefly7475 Posts: 1,502member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cmungall View Post


    With the prominence of iWork at the iPad unveiling today, the question arises: How will the iPad (or iPhone OS) handle document storage and manipulation? Where will new documents that are created on the iPad be saved? Will individual documents appear as icons on the homepage next to app icons (a la bookmarks)?



    I'm hoping Apple has a plan in the works to develop folders for the OS that can store files. This would allow for easier handling of PDF files and such as well.



    In a word... badly.



    A cross-application file store that can be sync'd iMac sync'd would be great. It works with photos so I can't see why they couldn't extend it to other documents.



    I doubt it will happen though. The iPad is a big phone, not a small notebook. That and Apple want to you be on MobileMe.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    stevegmustevegmu Posts: 539member
    The iPad doesn't run the same version of iPhone OS. It is running 3.2 not 3.1. Perhaps this version is iPad-specific, which accounts for file transference.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    That's a good question. I assume it will just assign them to the right application like it does with music files with a transfer option with in iTunes.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    There will be a sync option... Hopefully, it will automatically find iWork files on your computer and ask if you want them synced. Or they might add an option to allow syncing (completely auto would make a list several miles long for some folks).



    I think VooDoo Pad has this option to Sync built in, so it could be like that.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Just had a thought... the iPad and iWork for iPad are a mini Trojan horse into the Windozer market: PC users who grab the iPad and iWork and like both might look at a full Mac and iWork.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/27/...-multitasking/



    Appears there will be better file support that what iPhone OS currently supports.
  • Reply 7 of 7
    cmungallcmungall Posts: 7member
    Arstechnica also mentions a new feature of iPhone OS 3.2 that uses a shared folder that mounts on the OS X desktop when the iPad is plugged in. This will be where files (iWork, PDF, Office Docs, etc.) will be stored and accessed.
    Thankfully, Apple has addressed this in the iPad-only iPhone OS 3.2. The documentation for the SDK indicates that it uses a "shared folder" that any iPad application can read and write. This shared folder will also mount as a disk whenever an iPad is plugged in to a Mac or PC, allowing easy file transfer.



    This shared folder solves the problem of transferring files, and allowing one app to read data from other app's files. Nonetheless, Apple could take this capability and extend it further. Apple could leverage iDisk to keep this shared folder in sync between a Mac and an iPad over-the-air, instead of relying solely on a wired, USB connection.



    http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/20...pad-reax.ars/3
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