The website Patently Apple has dug up a new… well… Apple patent concerning the iPad.
In the image above, it’s clear that Apple is looking at bringing its virtual desktop technology — dubbed “Spaces” in OS X — to its tablet.
Of course, currently, all iOS devices can show only one app at a time, unlike Honeycomb-powered Android tablets such as the Motorola Xoom, which take a far more desktop-based approach to window management.
Bringing Spaces to the iPad would make the tablet feel much more like a desktop, and could give the allusion of more powerful multi-tasking, even if Apple didn’t change how its system actually works.
Many people thought that the iPad would ship with widget support, but so far, that hasn’t happened. Perhaps Spaces on the iPad would allow for a Dashboard-like environment, too.
