How To Enable Multitasking Gestures In The iPad 2

iOS 4.3 has the ability to do multitasking gestures. These 4 or 5 finger gestures allow you to exit an app, reveal the multitasking toolbar and move between apps. It’s a really cool feature that could eventually replace the iPad home button. However, when iOS 4.3 finally shipped, the gestures were removed.

My guess is Apple will introduce the multitasking gestures with the next update of iOS and use it to create another big wave of iPad sales. However, there is no need to wait. You can get multitasking gestures now if have a Mac and you’re willing to spend $4.99. Here are the steps.

  1. Purchase Xcode 4 from the Mac App Store. Be patient, the app is 3GB in size and will take a while to download. The program cost $4.99.
  2. Launch Xcode and connect your iPad 2 (or iPad 1) to your computer.
  3. Click the “Use for Development” button.
  4. Ignore the Xcode request for developer credentials and disregard the resulting error message.
  5. Once your iPad has been turned into a development iPad, multitasking gestures will be enabled. You can turn the feature on and off from within the iPad’s General Settings

Here’s a video of the multitasking gestures in action. Who ever wins the iPad that I’m giving away definitely needs to turn this feature on!