Skip to main content

Multitask while binge-watching with Hulu’s new picture-in-picture feature for iOS 9

Hulu Plus iPad app screenshot
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Hulu is taking advantage of iOS 9’s new picture-in-picture functionality to let you watch TV shows while performing other tasks. The streamer is the first major video service to include the new feature, which is only available on the latest iPads, for its recent iOS 9 app update. For Hulu users with compatible iPads, the new feature will allow you to check email while catching up on Top Chef or The Mindy Project.

Watching movies in this mode is fairly straightforward, as iMore points out. Once a video begins, a picture-in-picture control will appear to the right of ‘settings’ on the pop-up menu bar. After tapping this control, the Hulu screen will be positioned at the top of the home screen. From there, a user can open another app to browse the Internet, check social networks, or even play a game while watching. Users can also resize and reposition the video screen.

This new feature comes days after Hulu launched its $12 per month “ad-free” subscription option. The streamer has also beefed up its content this year: in addition to reviving The Mindy Project, which began a new season this week, Hulu now has rights to Seinfeld’s entire catalog, original TV series like Difficult People, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 11/22/63, Casual, and The Way. The service, with 9 million users, still lags behind Netflix’s 57.4 million subscribers but it is becoming more competitive with the leading streaming video giant

The functionality is currently only available for users who have an iPad Air (or newer), or an iPad mini 2 (or newer). The iPad-only picture-in-picture feature also works in any video viewable within Safari or Apple’s native Videos app. No word yet on whether Netflix might offer a similar feature, but in the meantime, you can binge on Hulu and multitask to your heart’s content.

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Leo Palermino
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Leo Palermino is a music, tech, business, and culture journalist based between New York and Boston. He also contributes…
Have an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch? You need to update it right now
iPhone 14 Pro Max against a red background.

If you own an Apple product — be in the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or a Mac — you should update it immediately. Why? Apple has begun rolling out updates to all of its devices with fixes for a serious security vulnerability.

The security vulnerability is known as CVE-2023-32434, and it has to do with the kernel privileges of Apple devices. Per Apple's website, the vulnerability allows third-party apps to "execute arbitrary code." In other words, if a bad actor knows how to exploit this vulnerability, they could potentially gain access to your Apple device and wreck havoc.

Read more
The 6 biggest iOS 17 features that Apple stole from Android
iOS 17 logo on an iPhone, Android logo on an Android phone.

Apple made a big splash at WWDC 2023 this year, with the big headline announcement being the Vision Pro augmented reality headset. But we also got a glimpse of what’s to come with iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS 14 Sonoma.

Though iOS 17 appears to be more of a quiet release this year that focuses on refinement and quality-of-life improvements, I have mixed feelings overall. To be honest, I was a little underwhelmed with the iOS 17 announcement based on what was actually shown off on stage, but there are some very cool features that Apple didn’t make a big deal out of (when it should have).

Read more
11 features in iOS 17 that I can’t wait to use on my iPhone
ios 17 11 features i cant wait to use on my iphone mashup

Apple made a big splash at WWDC 2023 this year as it introduced the first major new product since the Apple Watch with the Vision Pro spatial computing headset. But of course, we also got software announcements for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS 14 Sonoma.

Though I feel that iOS 17 is an overall underwhelming update compared to the past few years with iOS 14 and iOS 16, there’s still a lot of interesting stuff coming. The developer beta is out now, and people have been diving into all that iOS 17 has to offer so far. And you know what? There’s plenty to talk about — including a few things Apple didn't even mention during the keynote.

Read more