Next Week, Apple will hold its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where it traditionally releases details about the next version of its software products, particularly the Operating Systems like MacOS and iOS. It is one of my favorite events, as I can see what’s coming soon that I can take advantage of, even with current or older equipment.
I love the iPad! It has so much capability, but sometimes comes up just a bit short, so that any new capabilities could be game-changing. We all know what the iPhone is and where it fits in our use cases; the same is true for the Mac. But the iPad is always on the edge of being the perfect device.
This article is about what I would like to see in the next version of iPadOS. But first, we need to clarify what the version is called. Apple has always used version numbers, like iOS version 1, 2, 3, etc. The Mac is a little different, but close enough that we know which version of macOS we are referencing. But this year, the rumor mill is swirling with reports that all of Apple’s operating systems will be referenced by the year they are in production, and this year will be called “iPadOS 26”, and other systems similarly named. Regardless, this is what I want to see, in version 19 or 26 (and this year, please)!
Window / App / File Management
The flexible usability of the iPad lags behind that of the Mac, despite both running on the same chip, the Apple M4. But Apple has long hampered the iPad by limiting the ability of its OS to do the things we expect computers to do, and this is a shame. This is most evident in the way we interact with multiple applications and windows. Apple introduced Split View in 2015 with iPadOS 11. This allows two apps to be displayed side by side on the screen. This works well but is not the same as a true windowed OS on a computer, which has been around since the mid-1980s, and allows application windows to be sized, resized, and dragged around the screen in a way that the user can use them in the manner they prefer.
Apple has introduced Stage Manager, a more flexible windowing option that allows for four “stages,” each of which can include up to four applications. It even snaps windows in a way that is helpful, but not completely flexible. I prefer the OS to snap windows to specific spaces, such as full screen, half screen, and quarter screen. I usually use half screen left and right, but more flexibility is always nice. Stage Manager is available on both iPadOS and macOS, but I am not aware of anyone who uses it on MacOS. It helps quite a bit when the iPad is connected to an external display, but it does not match MacOS for flexible window placement.
I am hopeful that Apple will provide more flexible options in Stage Manager or introduce an alternative that more closely mimics the Mac’s window positioning. Ideally:
- Have the snap window functionality – I do not need granular window positioning, just the ability to quickly get it here in this size.
- Get rid of Stages – these somewhat mimic Apple’s Spaces functions in MacOS, but are not as flexible or easy to use. Just give us spaces on iPadOS.
- Do persist window placement so I can quickly return to a view I’ve set up.
Multitasking
The following function I would like to see is true multitasking. Many people confuse multitasking and windowing, which we just covered. The human brain does not multitask, but it can switch tasks quickly. For example, in a Split View, we could have a YouTube video on one side and a note-taking app on the other. But we find ourselves pausing the YouTube video so we can take a note. Our minds can’t watch and write at the same time. Two windows are convenient, but iPadOS, unlike macOS, does not perform well when processing two things simultaneously. Let me provide an example: I use a Bible Application called Olive Tree, which offers many resources, including Bible versions, maps, dictionaries, and more. If I add a new resource and start the download and then change to a different window so the Bible app is now hidden, the download will pause until I reopen the window. The original appeal of a multitasking OS was “I can print in the background.” While iPadOS can do that, it is very inconvenient to have to keep a window on the screen to finish a download.
A System Bar
There are rumors that iPadOS will introduce a system bar when connected to an external monitor, similar to the one found in MacOS (this is the top of the screen bar with menus and the ability to quickly access additional functionality, such as WiFi, battery settings, etc.).
I am not overly excited about this. I have been using touch and style interfaces since the year 2000, and a touch interface requires more space to select the desired option. This could be helpful for an external monitor, but I wouldn’t give up screen space on my 13” or 11” iPad Pro.
Better File Management
The file management app was introduced in iPadOS in 2017 and has been improved over time, but it still lacks certain features. File management on iPads and iPhones is limited compared to MacOS. Applications tend to be sandboxed, allowing them to access their files but not those of other applications. This is more secure but also limits flexibility. This is why we usually “share” using the share tool to send data from one app to the next, even though the data is on the same iPad. It creates a second version of the same file. I am generally OK with this, as I use Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint for file storage, and it is more secure for the average user. But I would like some enhancements:
- Better sorting – it is there, but a bit hidden.
- Better Search – currently the files app search function only looks at file names, not the content in the file, that would be very helpful.
Use in Desktop Mode
Clamshell Mode
This term may be new, but you have likely used this. When you hook up an external monitor to a laptop, the desktop appears on the external monitor and the laptop display. Then, when you close the laptop and enter “clamshell mode,” the desktop only uses the external monitor. But when you do that with an iPad? It shuts the power off to the device and stops everything. Ugh! Come on, Apple – let me use an external display and keep it all running!
Support everything the device does in desktop mode with an external monitor
I recently encountered an Issue on the Kinetic internet provider website for outages, where I was unable to navigate the map using a mouse and keyboard on an external monitor. None of the standard techniques worked, like the scroll wheel, click and pan, etc. I was dead in the water. Finally, I reached over to the iPad display and used my fingers to pan and zoom. This needs to be addressed.
A Better Cursor
Apple added a mouse or trackpad-driven cursor in iPadOS 13.4 in 2020. It was somewhat available before that with Accessibility settings, but was improved and promoted heavily at this point. The iPadOS cursor is a simple, small dot, unlike the arrow pointer we are used to in Windows and macOS. The cursor does a good job of “snapping” to an object near it, like a menu or command button, but could be more precise in an external monitor setup.
Improved External Monitor Support
The iPadOS supports only one external monitor, but the MacBook Air with the same chip supports two. Why can’t the iPad Pro do that?
And additionally, the maximum refresh rate (hertz) from the iPad is limited t o 60 Hz, but many excellent monitors now run at 120 or even 240. As I am working on this document on an iPad connected to a monitor that supports 120Hz, I can see the difference.
Applications
Pro Level Apps
The hardware is capable of so much, but due to limitations in the OS or Apple’s directives to developers, the capabilities of iPad apps compared to macOS are lacking. Apple has introduced several pro-level apps from the Mac to the iPad in the last couple of years, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Others have introduced incredibly capable tools, such as Affinity Photo, Procreate, and Ferrite recording studio. But what is holding back apps that are equal in capabilities between the platforms? More info available here.
Native Apps Improved
Native apps are those that Apple includes with the operating system, such as Mail, Calendar, and Notes. While these have been improved to match many third-party capabilities, even those that run on MacOS and Windows, they are still a bit behind. Some examples are:
- Linked notes in the Notes app are possible, but difficult to access for the average user. This powerful capability should be more accessible.
- The Mail app does not support snoozing an email, so it comes to the top later. I find this helpful in apps that support it.
- In the Messages app, allow me to delete ONE message from a person, not ALL messages.
Video Conferencing Apps Improved
There must be something in iPadOS that is preventing Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and others from achieving feature parity with their desktop versions. If you are just a participant, it will generally work fine, but if you are a host, one significant limitation is that you can only share the iPad’s screen, not an external monitor. That would be nice and continues the theme of using an iPad more like a Mac.
Additionally, you can only share the iPad Screen as a whole, not a specific app or window, so forget about doing something in the background.
Confession time: I often join and even run early morning meetings while still in bed on my iPad, and nobody has ever guessed that is what I was doing 😉.
Better Game Support
I am not a big gamer, especially on the iPad. I do play Call of Duty on the Xbox, but I would like some better games that work well on the iPad, primarily because it is such a great consumption device and should be tailored to good casual games. While I have tried several games from the App Store and Apple’s Games on the subscription, I have yet to find any intuitive, engaging games.
However, I don’t care much about this. 😊
Wrap-up
Apple will let us know what they can give us at the WWDC event next week – let’s see if Apple can make me smile!
Once announced, developers will typically have same-day access to the new OS in beta form, followed by a public beta release about two weeks later. The production for everybody usually happens in September.