A lot went down at yesterday’s WWDC 2022 where Apple unveiled its next-gen iOS 16 and more software updates, a new Apple M2 chipset, and more. In addition, the tech giant has also introduced the new iPadOS 16 with new multitasking features, a dedicated Weather app, and more. So, let’s check out the details right now.
iPadOS 16: Features
Apple added quite a few significant features and changes to the iPadOS 16. Following previous rumors, Apple did add various new multi-tasking features to its tablet platform to make iPads more like laptops.
Apart from all the iOS 16 features, iPadOS 16 also comes with some iPad-specific features that make multi-tasking more seamless and fluid on iPads. Amongst others, the highlighting feature would be Stage Manager, which lets users stack opened windows on iPads on the left side of their home screen and bring the current window front and center. Users can also finally resize the app windows on iPads with iPadOS 16.
This feature is also available on the new macOS Ventura and makes multitasking easier than ever. And the addition of this feature to iPadOS 16 is surely a welcome change for pro users who like to use their iPads like full-fledged laptops. However, it is worth mentioning that the feature is limited to iPad models with Apple’s M1 chipset.
Some of the apps that are getting major changes in iPadOS 16 include Mail and Safari. For starters, Mail can now schedule emails, let users undo a sending email, and notify users if they forget to add an attachment or recipient to their emails. Safari, on the other hand, gained a new shared tab groups feature that lets multiple users collaborate on a set of tabs in Safari in real-time. It also gained support for passkeys which are locally-stored digital keys created by the system to prevent cyber attacks.
With iPadOS 16, Apple also brought the Weather app to iPads with an immersive view and in-depth information. Furthermore, the company redesigned the Home app on iPads and added support for Matter, which is a new standard for smart home connectivity that lets IoT accessories work together seamlessly. Moreover, the improved Live Text and Visual Look Up features also make their way to iPadOS 16.
Another new system app that Apple teased is Freeform, which will be available for iPads, Macs, and other Apple devices, and will let users collaborate on projects on a single white canvas. Although the app is currently not available, Apple confirmed to release it sometime later this year. Additionally, iPadOS 16 will support a new Reference Mode for color accuracy which allows the 12.9-inch iPad Pro to “match the color requirements in workflows like review and approve color grading, and compositing.”
Other than these, there are a number of new features and changes in iPadOS 16 such as an improved Siri experience, iCloud Shared Photo Library, collaboration via iMessage, desktop-class apps, improvements to Apple News and Notes, and a new Handoff feature for FaceTime that lets seamlessly switch between devices during calls. You can check out all the details about it on Apple’s official blog post.
iPadOS 16: Availability
iPadOS 16 is currently available to developers as a developer beta update. Apple is expected to release the first public beta sometime next month. For stable users, however, iPadOS 16 will come as a free update sometime in the fall of 2022.
Much like previous iPadOS versions, iPadOS 16 will not be supported by certain older iPad models. It will be supported by all iPad Pro models, iPad (5th Generation or later), iPad mini (5th-Gen or later), and iPad Air (3rd-Gen or later). You can check out the complete list of iPad models that will support iPadOS 16. Do let us know your thoughts on the new iPad software in the comments below.
