As I’ve heard people talk about how the iPad is going to change the face of computing as we know it, while in the same breath argue that multitasking isn’t really needed.

They’re wrong. At least about the multitasking. Why? Because that’s not how we use computers.

Here’s how I’m thinking Apple could fix the problem, short of actually enabling multitasking.

Apple could fake it.

Bear with me on this.

Most of the apps I use (Facebook, SMS, Evernote, Safari, Mail, etc.) launch very quickly on my 3GS and based on everything I hear the iPad is even snappier. So what if Apple enabled a three finger downward swipe which would pull up a dock of your four (or in the case of the iPad, six) most recently used apps. Those apps aren’t open – they’re just the ones you used most recently (or the most frequently used apps, or you could choose which ones show up).

Clicking on any of apps in the dock automatically launches it, quitting the app you’re currently in – in one push of a button. Being that apps launch so fast, the effect is that you’re switching between apps rather than quitting one and launching another. This definitely beats hitting the home button, scrolling to find the app you want and then clicking it.

And Apple’s happy because there’s still only one app open at a time.

Sure, some apps take longer to load than others. But even as a navigational idea, I think this beats the current way people get around on the phone. It’s the iPad/iPhone version of Alt+Tabbing.

Of course, there are signs of “true” multitasking in the new SDK. But I still think it’s interesting to think about how Apple could have done things better.

What are your thoughts?