iPad OS26 = Not an iPad, not a MacBook

[ofarlig]

I guess we see it differently, nothing wrong with that. I stopped using SlideOver when Stage Manager was introduced... found it much easier accessing windows/apps in the Recent App area (grabbing them whenever I need it and placing them back).


Agree to disagree. I don't find it to be clunky... maybe it's one of those scenarios Apple can't please everyone.

Recent apps doesn’t help with messages coming in for apps you haven’t used in a while.

I mean this isn’t subjective, it objectively takes longer time to find your app with stage manager than with SlideOver if it haven’t been used in a while.

I don’t have the iPadOS 26 beta so can’t test the other functionality of stage manager because the old one doesn’t have floating windows. So there it minimises your app when you switch to something else like messages.

Might have to download the public beta once it’s out, maybe a move to Samsung fold and Windows laptop is needed to keep somewhat of a multitasking experience.

EDIT: I can see a use case for the new modes on the 13” with the keyboard, but it makes it like a Mac so why wouldn’t I use use one of those instead? If the OS isn’t touch first why wouldn’t I even use an iPad?

But for the iPad Mini? There’s nothing new that enhances touch usage but a lot that detracts from it. The gaps between apps when running them side by side also sacrifices from the limited space on a smaller display.

 

[Ludatyk]

I mean this isn’t subjective, it objectively takes longer time to find your app with stage manager than with SlideOver if it haven’t been used in a while.

There's this thing called the search function or better yet swipe up to use Exposé. Or maybe just open the app from the App Library or wherever you placed the app (as I stated earlier it will save the state in which the app was in, for instance if it was in a small window).

I understand that SlideOver was valuable to you, I used it heavily up until Stage Manager was announced... and I found SM was better for me (because I preferred the ability to resize windows).

I don’t have the iPadOS 26 beta so can’t test the other functionality of stage manager because the old one doesn’t have floating windows. So there it minimises your app when you switch to something else like messages.

Let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly... you think Stage Manager in iPadOS 18 lacks floating windows, because that's false.

What iPadOS 26 does for Stage Manager is allowing for more fluidity in resizing windows and being able to place windows/apps wherever you want along with the ability to have as many apps actively displayed on screen (depending on which iPad you have).

 

[ofarlig]

Let me make sure I'm understanding you correctly... you think Stage Manager in iPadOS 18 lacks floating windows, because that's false.

What iPadOS 26 does for Stage Manager is allowing for more fluidity in resizing windows and being able to place windows/apps wherever you want along with the ability to have as many apps actively displayed on screen (depending on which iPad you have).

How do you open one then on iPadOS 18? Because the only way I found is to pair the apps together so if I open up a new app it would require me to add the app I want to use together with it. It is clunky as hell to have to do that, even clunkier than on MacOS where you have to have loads of apps in your dock.

I just tried and there doesn’t seem to be any other way to do it, and that means it is also not fully in the background of the app your using while not in use, which is a highly inefficient use of space.

 

[Ludatyk]

How do you open one then on iPadOS 18? Because the only way I found is to pair the apps together so if I open up a new app it would require me to add the app I want to use together with it. It is clunky as hell to have to do that, even clunkier than on MacOS where you have to have loads of apps in your dock.

How to open floating windows? Well, first you have enable Stage Manager and this allows you to resize the app in a floating window format… screenshot below is iPadOS 26. But the principle still applies for iPadOS 18.

I just tried and there doesn’t seem to be any other way to do it, and that means it is also not fully in the background of the app your using while not in use, which is a highly inefficient use of space.

So, you just tried to use Stage Manager and it’s failing to do what exactly?

 

[ofarlig]

How to open floating windows? Well, first you have enable Stage Manager and this allows you to resize the app in a floating window format… screenshot below is iPadOS 26. But the principle still applies for iPadOS 18.

View attachment 2530078


So, you just tried to use Stage Manager and it’s failing to do what exactly?

It failed to open a floating window over every app universally, it is tied to the specific app so if I’m in YouTube then I cannot get the app I set up as a floating window for Safari instantly. It also couldn’t be a floating window over a full screen app, so watching YouTube and being able to quickly turn on a light or answer a message isn’t possible.

It also isn’t hiding it fully when switching to another app so it would get quite annoying to have 7-8 apps there that you occasionally use.

The new thing they are introducing that mimics MacOS looks okay (but not for smaller screens) but then the question remains, what does the iPad provide over the Mac? Being fluid with touch controls was the big positive thing that set the iPad apart. Using the dock to reply to a message on the iPad Mini is not a touch first thinking, it will be great if I ever dock it to a monitor though.

 

[Ludatyk]

It failed to open a floating window over every app universally, it is tied to the specific app so if I’m in YouTube then I cannot get the app I set up as a floating window for Safari instantly. It also couldn’t be a floating window over a full screen app, so watching YouTube and being able to quickly turn on a light or answer a message isn’t possible.

Umm... You can place a floating window over top a full screen app, that is possible. I do that often... now there are some apps that can't be resized in a smaller format (Netflix, Disney, Prime), because those apps never implemented SplitView.

The new thing they are introducing that mimics MacOS looks okay (but not for smaller screens) but then the question remains, what does the iPad provide over the Mac? Being fluid with touch controls was the big positive thing that set the iPad apart. Using the dock to reply to a message on the iPad Mini is not a touch first thinking, it will be great if I ever dock it to a monitor though.

Well, you answered it... having touch input is by far the reason folks choose the iPad over the Mac. And you get a device in a thin profile unlike the Mac, able to pick it up and use on the go (along with Apple Pencil support).

 

[ofarlig]

Umm... You can place a floating window over top a full screen app, that is possible. I do that often... now there are some apps that can't be resized in a smaller format (Netflix, Disney, Prime), because those apps never implemented SplitView.

How? This is how it looks for me when I try, YouTube was full screen until I added the floating Notes app and it refuses to go full screen again until I close it.

And when I choose YouTube as the main app Notes doesn’t fully hide behind YouTube but instead is visible on the side.

Well, you answered it... having touch input is by far the reason folks choose the iPad over the Mac. And you get a device in a thin profile unlike the Mac, able to pick it up and use on the go (along with Apple Pencil support).

Yeah, but if you make the interface worse for touch like they are doing now that defeats the purpose. They are adding the need for resizing windows, multiple presses of small dots to hide stuff and so on. As I said, great if you are using keyboard and mouse but not great when using your finger.

What’s next to remove, picture in picture? So we can resize the video player instead?

 

[klasma]

I can understand downgrading until the final release is out, but eventually you'll have to upgrade - unless you are never planning on updating ever again.

It's easy to skip one OS version to wait for things to improve. I tend to only upgrade every other version, to evade at least some of the worst changes.

 

[richpjr]

It's easy to skip one OS version to wait for things to improve. I tend to only upgrade every other version, to evade at least some of the worst changes.

Isn't that just delaying the inevitable?

 

[klasma]

Isn't that just delaying the inevitable?

Sometimes yes (but at least you still get another year without the annoyance), sometimes no because they actually end up fixing things to some degree. What also helps is upgrading only towards the end of the yearly cycle (i.e. in summer)

 

[ofarlig]

It's easy to skip one OS version to wait for things to improve. I tend to only upgrade every other version, to evade at least some of the worst changes.

I usually just vote with my wallet, if Apple really wants to make touch controls on my iPad Mini more cumbersome than picking up my phone to do it they will lose both iPad and iPhone sales from me.

 

[Ludatyk]

How? This is how it looks for me when I try, YouTube was full screen until I added the floating Notes app and it refuses to go full screen again until I close it.

And when I choose YouTube as the main app Notes doesn’t fully hide behind YouTube but instead is visible on the side.

And here it is on mine…

They are adding the need for resizing windows, multiple presses of small dots to hide stuff and so on. As I said, great if you are using keyboard and mouse but not great when using your finger.

You don’t need to resize.. and there’s no multiple presses you can move windows off to one side and it will automatically be left/right align. The lady was demoing some of the features using her finger, did you watch it?

 

[ofarlig]

And here it is on mine…

View attachment 2530346


You don’t need to resize.. and there’s no multiple presses you can move windows off to one side and it will automatically be left/right align. The lady was demoing some of the features using her finger, did you watch it?

Is that Stage Manager on iPadOS 18? Because that’s what I’m running which you said could do it, but I cannot get it to work at all.

We aren’t talking left/right aligning, we are talking hiding things completely in Stage Manager with one action and getting it visible with one as well.

 

[Ludatyk]

Is that Stage Manager on iPadOS 18? Because that’s what I’m running which you said could do it, but I cannot get it to work at all.

You are correct. It is not possible in iPadOS 18.

We aren’t talking left/right aligning, we are talking hiding things completely in Stage Manager with one action and getting it visible with one as well.

There is the option to use swipe up gesture to hide things... you don't have to rely on those small dots.

 

[ofarlig]

You are correct. It is not possible in iPadOS 18.


There is the option to use swipe up gesture to hide things... you don't have to rely on those small dots.

Well the new mode seems to be decent at least, so it seems I’ll have to test the public beta when it is released then and see if how much more cumbersome it is to use expose when chatting back and forth on a fully touch device.

Thanks for the walkthrough! 😀

 

[Ctrlos]

I’ll admit I’m not a fan of the new windowing system. It would perhaps be better if it activated Freeform windows when it detects a Keyboard but keeps the Menu Bar on-screen at all times. When using it as a traditional tablet the old split-view and slide over were a lot more efficient at window management. It would also be nice to be able to move the dock to the side of the screen.

 

[SoYoung]

If you're not using a mouse and keyboard with the iPad, iPadOS 26 is going to be of limited improvement

It’s even a downgrade. Let’s face it : iPadOS 26 when using as a traditional tablet actually removed features instead of adding new ones. The windows management and the menu bar is a gimmick to let users have the impression they are on macOS but in reality the screen is too small for this kind of stuff and the iPad is still as limited as before to use like a Mac.

 

[richpjr]

It’s even a downgrade. Let’s face it : iPadOS 26 when using as a traditional tablet actually removed features instead of adding new ones. The windows management and the menu bar is a gimmick to let users have the impression they are on macOS but in reality the screen is too small for this kind of stuff and the iPad is still as limited as before to use like a Mac.

I would not go so far as to call it a gimmick. I have used a few windows at a time on my 11" when bouncing between apps and it has been useful, but clearly screen real estate limited.