When people buy a new device from popular manufacturers today, they expect several years of software support. These software updates not only fix bugs and fix security holes, but also bring new features to the table. Visual changes and useful additions also help users overcome the stagnation of using their phones, tablets or computers every day. We naturally get bored with the repetitive visuals and system behavior. A system-wide update can freshen up the experience.
Apple revealed iOS 16And the iPadOS 16And the macOS VenturaAnd the watchOS9 earlier this year, and it’s time to move on. We are already expecting iOS 17And the macOS 14And the watchOS 10 — though their first betas are months away — and now we’re looking at iPadOS 17. Here are seven things we’re looking for in the next iteration of the tablet OS.
Multi user support
The Great iPhone The manufacturer markets the iPad as a laptop replacement, but most people aren’t going to ditch the iPad mighty mac while the decent ipad It is still in its current form. Yes, the iPad is arguably the best tablet in terms of app availability and enhanced features, but that does not mean that it is a laptop replacement for many people due to some missing features.
The long-awaited iPad feature is multi-user support. A laptop is often shared between multiple people, and being limited to a single user account limits the iPad’s potential to become a PC replacement. Macs, HomePods, and Apple TV have already implemented multiuser support, and we can only hope that Apple will adopt this feature with iPadOS 17.
Funnily enough, Apple actually allows users to create multiple user profiles on school iPads. The company would only need to open this useful tool on non-educational iPads. Given that the backend build is already available, it shouldn’t require Apple an enormous amount of resources to roll it out globally as part of iPadOS 17.
Lock screen fix
Arguably the highlight of iOS 16 is the customizable lock screen. In case you missed the news, users can now add advanced customizations to this part of iOS, including the ability to change the time typeface, color, and language. This is in addition to the ability to insert easy-to-use widgets and create different wallpapers from scratch. Meanwhile, the iPadOS 16 lock screen — drum roll, please — received nothing.
Oddly enough, it was possible to take advantage of the new iOS 16 lock screen customizations during the early beta stages of iPadOS 16. Then Apple disabled them because they kept installing the operating system.
We want to see these customization options in iPadOS 17 as well as exclusive iPad merchandise. The company could leave the Control Center toggle visible, for example, to save users from having to make an extra swipe. Apple could also offer larger iPad-only widgets that feature more detailed information and take advantage of a lot of wasted space.
Richer home screen
Similar to the lock screen, the iPad home screen also needs a paint job. Apple has already started letting us place widgets on the home screen, but that’s not enough. For the iPad to become a laptop replacement, it must at least have a more fluid home screen.
For example, we should be able to place app icons and widgets anywhere we want on iPadOS 17. Currently, we are limited by the traditional iOS restriction, which does not allow users to have empty spaces between apps. Another welcome addition is the ability to add file icons from the Files app to the home screen. This will introduce the iPad home screen to Mac/PC users.
Notification modifications
The notification banners on the iPad are outdated. It’s unnecessarily long and belongs to the pre-iPadOS era, when the iPad was just an extended iPhone running a scaled-down version of iOS. In iPadOS 17, I want the iPhone maker to modify notification banners in a way that makes more sense on the iPad’s larger screen. A possible implementation would be shorter banners that pop up from the right side of the screen, like the ones on macOS. Having them come off the top side in their current form is misplaced.
Apple Pencil Repair
I tried using the Apple Pencil 2, but was annoyed by the lack of system-wide gesture support. You can’t swipe with the Apple Pencil to switch between apps, go to the Home screen, or open Control Center, which means switching between my finger and the Pencil every time I swipe from one app to another. Having the Apple Pencil sandboxed in one app at a time is pretty limiting. Users cannot count on it as a universal stylus that replaces their fingers. I hope Apple will review this decision and remove these software limitations on iPadOS 17.
AirPlay support
With macOS Monterey, Apple has turned your Mac into an AirPlay receiver. This means that you can use your iPhone or iPad to mirror content to your Mac’s screen. iPads, as we’ve already established, have large, clear displays. However, there is still no direct way for someone to mirror content from iPhone to iPad. Meanwhile, Mac users can already use iPads, a wireless external display, thanks to Apple’s Sidecar feature. As part of iPadOS 17, the Cupertino company can identify an iPad as an AirPlay receiver, allowing iPhone users to seamlessly mirror media from iOS to iPadOS and take advantage of the display.
Apple Watch integration
iPad is aware of the Apple Watch on your wrist. If you don’t believe me, go ahead and tap on a text field on watchOS. A notification will appear immediately on iPadOS, allowing you to use your iPad to type on your Apple Watch. Not to mention, your iPad can display your Apple Watch’s metrics when working out on Fitness Plus. But this is not enough.
iPadOS 17 should focus on and integrate more features of the Apple Watch. For starters, the Apple Watch actually unlocks your Mac and iPhone with Face ID. There are no technical limitations preventing Apple from implementing the same concept on the iPad. The two devices are already aware of each other’s existence.
I love the iPadOS 17 Watch app to have iPad notifications on my wrist, customize my Apple Watch on the big screen, and not be limited to just my iPhone.
Another Apple Watch feature I’d like to see on iPadOS 17 is the Watch app, which is currently an iOS exclusive. Many Android phone users own iPads and would like to rely on their Apple Watch. When buying an iPhone isn’t an option, the iPadOS Watch app can serve as the perfect equivalent, allowing those users to pair and customize their watches. The Apple Watch already relies very little on the iPhone to collect relevant health data. Without an iPhone, users would miss less than six non-essential metrics revolving around their walking patterns.
Even as an iPhone user, I would like the iPadOS 17 Watch app to receive iPad notifications on my wrist, customize my Apple Watch on the big screen, and not be limited to just my iPhone when it comes to smartwatch matters. Of course, this could also mean that the company offers a Health app on the iPad for users to monitor their data. Having this app will also help us to display these stats more easily on the bigger screen.
iPadOS 17 Developer Beta 1 could launch as early as mid-June 2023. This means Apple still has plenty of time to consider new additions and changes to include in this OS version. In the meantime, we just have to be patient, learn to love iPadOS 16 in its current form, and hope that the company does not disappoint us with a ridiculous release.
What features do you want Apple to adopt in iPadOS 17? Let us know in the comments section below.
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