Editor’s note: iPadOS 16 public beta is now available, which means brave souls can install an early patchy version and try it out for themselves. We did just that, so check out iPadOS 16 review For our impressions of the beta version and don’t miss our guide How to download iPadOS 16 beta! Our original story is as follows:
Apple unveiled the new features coming to iPadOS 16 during its annual WWDC event in June. The updates this time focus on improving multitasking performance and take several cues from the new features coming to macOS 13 (also known as macOS Ventura) and iOS 16.
New iPad features include Collaboration, where you can add people to collaborate in real time across first- and third-party video apps. The new Freeform feature in iPadOS 16 lets others take notes or draw on the virtual whiteboard, while Stage Manager makes it easy to work with a connected external monitor.
These new features look promising and may advance the idea of turning the iPad into a desktop alternative.
Here’s a closer look at what’s new in iPadOS 16.
A quick look at iPadOS 16
- New multitasking features let you work more easily in groups
- Collaboration makes it easy to create and collaborate
- Freeform is a virtual whiteboard that groups can modify
- Stage Manager allows for better integration with an external monitor
iPadOS 16: Release date and beta
Apple has not announced when the final version of iPadOS 16 will be released, other than vaguely “later this year”. If we follow how things went in the past, it is reasonable to assume that we will see the updated OS during the fall of 2022. We expect it to appear at the same time as iOS 16, given that the two platforms share many features.
The iPadOS 16 developer beta was made available during WWDC. Apple released its first public beta on July 11, although we highly recommend that you back up your Mac before installing the beta software.
iPadOS 16: Compatibility and Supported Devices
In the nitty-gritty of its iPadOS 16 announcement, Apple says the software update will work with the iPad (5th generation and later), iPad mini (5th generation and later), iPad Air (3rd generation and later), and all iPad Pro models . Based on iPadOS 15 compatibility, this means that the 2nd generation iPad Air and 4th generation iPad Mini lose support with the new update.
It’s also worth noting that not every iPad capable of running iPadOS 16 will support every feature. We would have guessed that some of the features depended on having an M1 powered tablet. These details will become apparent when we spend time with the beta version.
iPadOS 16: New Features
iPadOS 16 introduces a slew of new multitasking features.
One of the new features is called Collaboration, which lets you add and connect with people on apps like Safari, the iWork suite, and even third-party apps. You can share documents, photos, and videos with a group. It is also possible for group members to edit and add notes to these files. You will be able to see who is joining a collaboration session and you can also see who is currently updating a document.
Collaboration extends to other apps like Messages, allowing you to share content from Files, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, Notes, Reminders, and Safari, as well as third-party apps in a group chat. Sharing this information gives everyone access, and you’ll be able to see updates and changes at the top of the Messages window. (Like iOS 16, Messages in iPadOS 16 gains the ability to edit and recall messages, mark conversations as unread and watch videos via SharePlay from within the Messages app.)
Another upcoming feature called Freeform. This application allows users to interact with a virtual whiteboard. Apple says this feature is great for brainstorming and collaborating. You can use the Apple Pencil to take notes or even draw on the aforementioned whiteboard. It is also possible to drop photos, videos, and documents into a specific group using the whiteboard feature.
The Stage Manager feature in macOS Ventura is also making its way to iPadOS 16. Stage Manager lets you resize windows as you would on a Mac (or PC) and has a visual dock on the screen that makes it easy to access apps. You can switch between open apps, moving unused apps to the side.
The best feature of Stage Manager is the way it allows you to connect your iPad to an external monitor so that you can have two monitors effectively. You can create groups of three or four windows on each screen and have a total of eight apps running on your iPad and the external screen. This feature will undoubtedly come in handy during presentations. It’s a shame it’s only available on M1-powered iPads. Although Apple explained why the feature can only be turned on for the M1 iPad, it’s still disappointing.
iPadOS 16: Other Extras
The Weather app has been missing in action from iPads since the dawn of time, but iPadOS 16 brings it to the Apple tablet. (The developer API will allow app makers to create weather information in their programs as well.)
Mail gets some features that look straight out of Gmail’s playbook. New gadgets allow you to cancel message delivery before it reaches the recipient’s inbox, schedule emails, and re-appear emails with the reminder feature later. Apple says Mail search will be improved as well.
Apple promises desktop-class apps for the iPad, providing features like a consistent undo and redo experience and a better search and replace experience. You can also view folder sizes in files. Consider these additional steps to make your iPad more like a desktop experience.
If you have an iPad Pro, you’ll be able to take advantage of Reference Mode, which allows the 12.9-inch model to match color requirements in workflows like review, approval, color grading, and compositing—definitely a welcome addition for professionals using the iPad as a second screen. Display Zoom on iPads running M1 lets you increase the screen’s pixel density to see more in different apps, while Virtual Memory Swap can expand the available memory.
A lot of iOS 16 additions are also making their way to the iPad, including live video text support, Apple News’ My Sports section with scores and features, on-device dictation and more. Game Center gets an activity section on the dashboard so it’s easy for you to see what games your friends are playing and what they’ve achieved.
iOS 16 Safari also gets many new features, some of which are common to iPadOS 16.
iPadOS 16: Outlook
iPadOS 16 should make iPads look like proper desktop computers. This is something many have long hoped for and Apple seems to be achieving. Like we said, there are a large number of people who use iPads for work or as their only computing device. These multitasking features should make better use of the M1 chip found in the iPad Pro and iPad Air.
iPadOS 16 looks promising, but we’ll need to work with it to see how well these new features last in real-world conditions. Hopefully, it won’t be long before the developer and public beta go live.
Stay tuned to this page for more iPadOS 16 updates.
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