Drag-and-drop for iPhone enabled by tweaks in Apple's iOS 11 beta code
Though the upcoming technology is reserved for iPads, drag-and-drop can be enabled for the iPhone by making a few adjustments to the iOS 11 developer beta, according to a series of tweets.
The feature is gated only by an “/AppleInternal” folder, and settings in a preferences PLIST file within UIKit, developer Steve Troughton-Smith said on Twitter. Several simulator videos show it working as expected, though the single-window view on iPhones means users may have to tap buttons with their other hand to reach locations they want to paste to.
Troughton-Smith speculated that Apple might be reserving iPhone support for this fall’s “iPhone 8,” which should have a virtual home button instead of a physical one. A virtual button might be “springloaded” for drag-and-drop, the developer said.
iPad support appears to be a major focus of iOS 11, given not just drag-and-drop but additions including a Mac-like dock, a Files app, and easier multitasking. By combining picture-in-picture, Split View, and Slide Over all at once, users can even have four apps onscreen simultaneously.
The “iPhone 8” is rumored to have a 5.8-inch OLED screen though, which along with a virtual home button may make it more conducive to features like drag-and drop. It should be announced at a September press event, even if it might ship later in the year.