iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

[adib]

That wont happen until the Mini gets an M# chip.

It's an artificial limitation, not technical since the 3rd generation iPad Pro can do it with an A12X chip.

 

[darngooddesign]

It's an artificial limitation, not technical since the 3rd generation iPad Pro can do it with an A12X chip.

That iPad only got the windows on the iPad screen; it didn't get the rest of the M#-dependent features like virtual swap memory or stage Manager external display support. But thats largely irrelevant since no other A# iPads got Stage Manager so the iPad Mini wont get Stage Manager until it gets an M# chip.

 

[prospervic]

Why not just enable MacOS instead of spending all these men hours and resources to make it look like partial MacOS? Doesn't make any sense.

Name all the Apple products that are NOT Macs that currently run macOS.
Can’t think of any? Of course not.

Here’s a basic biology lesson:
Mac runs macOS
Apple TV runs tvOS
Apple Watch runs watchOS
iPad runs iPadOS
……etc.
Shoehorning macOS onto iPad would not only go against Apple’s product principles (providing a subpar experience), but would make absolutely no business sense, especially when they’re doing just fine selling people both products.

 

[SuperCat_7]

The iPad Pro line with MacOS made it truly professional and it justified the high price. The rest of the iPads will be on iPadOS. And everyone would be happy.

 

[prospervic]

The iPad Pro line with MacOS made it truly professional and it justified the high price. The rest of the iPads will be on iPadOS. And everyone would be happy.

Any iPad Pro running macOS will not be an iPad at all. Apple would instead announce a new product and call it MacTouch tablet (or something similar).

 

[dalestrauss]

Although I've been begging for dual boot of macOS and iPadOS on my M1 iPad Pro, and many other have described how frustrating it would be and consumer confusion, but I realize I've been thinking about this all wrong.

Just enable a macOS only version - iPad Ultra? - and run the iPadOS apps you want under macOS. iPad purist need not apply.

 

[NovaEmerald]

So this is the 9th attempt in 9 years to "improve multitasking". I’ll believe it when I see it.

 

[dalestrauss]

Name all the Apple products that are NOT Macs that currently run macOS.
Can’t think of any? Of course not.

Here’s a basic biology lesson:
Mac runs macOS
Apple TV runs tvOS
Apple Watch runs watchOS
iPad runs iPadOS
……etc.
Shoehorning macOS onto iPad would not only go against Apple’s product principles (providing a subpar experience), but would make absolutely no business sense, especially when they’re doing just fine selling people both products.

What are you doing posting here Craig, or is it Joz?

 

[sledgehammer89]

Then there are all the macOS tools missing ... Terminal app with shell and Unix tools, configurable keyboard shortcuts, 3rd party tools like BetterTouchTool and many more.

Let us install macOS on iPad with a touch layer, that just run all iPad apps. It's more than possible.

 

[Fraserpatty]

First of all which OS features does the MacBook Pro have that the MacBook Air doesn't or Mac Studio features the Mac Mini or iMac don't?

Secondly, can you imaging all the something-gate whining and "Apple is trying to force Pro purchases when the Air has the same chip and ram" accusations if they artificially segregated the iPads like that. Apple limiting it to the M# iPads makes more sense just like the A# iPads don't have stage manager or virtual swap memory.

Thirdly, I am a granny, and I love my iPad Pro, M2. And I stay abreast of what it can do. It’s my daughter and grandkids that can’t do anything because they aren’t interested enough to learn. I swiped down on one of my keys on the keyboard revealing a number and my granddaughter just happened to see me do it. She said “oh that will change my life.” She didn’t know she could do that on her M1. I just may be an exception though.

 

[MacBH928]

Your dual OS idea is intriguing. I've got more keyboards and mice than I can shake a stick at. If I could get an iPad Air that runs MacOS, it could be an attractive alternative to spending $400 more for a MacBook Air.

I think the problem is battery. Somehow iPad OS made to last like 10hr on ipad battery. MacOS won't last that long. Needs heavier full laptop batteries. I think...

However, I think the idea would throw Apple's marketing department into fits on how to position and sell the overlapping lines. That kind of confusion between a set of product lines has hurt many a company.

I think the confusing part is that the iPad is basically a touch screen macbook without a keyboard. With M chips and 16GB I have no idea why it can't run MacOS. In past times, when iPad chips were "cellphone" ones that was understandable.

Most people complaining that the iPad isn't a Mac generally have buyers remorse that they didn't just get a Macbook Air instead

The iPad line is however Apples sub-$1000 computing line. At the bottom end that $350 model is incredibly competitive when compared to similarly priced Windows and Chrome devices for the market they are aimed at. At the top it is sold as a creative accessory for people with perhaps an existing desktop. Its a weird device to generalise, which is what makes developing iPadOS harder.

I imagine they'll go with M-Series models having the new windowing system and keep the $350 model as a 'giant iPhone'. It needs to be closer to the Samsung tablets that have a full desktop-like window management system when switched to 'Dex' mode.

iPad is a luxury IMO for the mac user. It fits a nice niche between laptop and smartphone. I usually find myself reaching for the ipad for quick on the go stuff, reading webpages or PDFs. iPhone screen is too small, full desktop/laptop is not pleasant for this task.

Then again, here are people with very light task usage like quick checking websites and writing emails which the iPad would be sufficient. Its also nice to carry forward images, pdfs, video for demonstrations to customers depending in the field you work in.

 

[darngooddesign]

Thirdly, I am a granny, and I love my iPad Pro, M2. And I stay abreast of what it can do. It’s my daughter and grandkids that can’t do anything because they aren’t interested enough to learn. I swiped down on one of my keys on the keyboard revealing a number and my granddaughter just happened to see me do it. She said “oh that will change my life.” She didn’t know she could do that on her M1. I just may be an exception though.

A while back I watched one of her videos about using a journaling/scrapbooking/notetaking app and it was impressive how quickly she did complex things on the iPad.

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[Hajj.david]

A common complaint about the iPad Pro is that the iPadOS software platform fails to fully take advantage of the device's powerful hardware.

That could soon change.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like macOS."

Gurman said that iPadOS 19 will be "more like a Mac" in three ways:

• Improved productivity
• Improved multitasking
• Improved app window management

"I'm told that this year's upgrade will focus on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac," said Gurman, in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter. "It's been a long time coming, with iPad power users pleading with Apple to make the tablet more powerful."

Gurman did not provide any specific details.

iPadOS 19 will be announced alongside iOS 19, macOS 16, and other software updates during the WWDC 2025 keynote on Monday, June 9.

Article Link: iPadOS 19 Will Be 'More Like macOS' in Three Ways

The easiest way for apple to achieve all three goals is to allow ipadOS to run macOS apps. We have mac catalyst to allow macs to run ios apps, now we need pad catalyst to run mac apps. That instantly makes major productivity apps works like xcode out of the box

It does not need to run macOS itself. Just give us mac apps (which would also instantly bring a lot of AAA gaming)!

 

[richpjr]

Name all the Apple products that are NOT Macs that currently run macOS.
Can’t think of any? Of course not.

Here’s a basic biology lesson:
Mac runs macOS
Apple TV runs tvOS
Apple Watch runs watchOS
iPad runs iPadOS
……etc.
Shoehorning macOS onto iPad would not only go against Apple’s product principles (providing a subpar experience), but would make absolutely no business sense, especially when they’re doing just fine selling people both products.

If I was cynical I'd say that an awful lot of the much discussed pain points and shortcomings of iPadOS are a pretty subpar experience right now.

 

[darngooddesign]

The easiest way for apple to achieve all three goals is to allow ipadOS to run macOS apps. We have mac catalyst to allow macs to run ios apps, now we need pad catalyst to run mac apps. That instantly makes major productivity apps works like xcode out of the box

It does not need to run macOS itself. Just give us mac apps (which would also instantly bring a lot of AAA gaming)!

There are a couple of reason why that wouldn't be simple.

1. Most developers dont allow their iPad apps to run on MacOS. The reverse could be different if Apple requires a mouse and keyboard for them to run, but even still a lot of developers would have to dedicate testing and development resources.

2. Mac apps rely on the menubar so iPad OS would need to be built to include that when running a Mac app.

3. iPadOS would need the Mac Finder if it wants to support file handling within the apps without modifying them.

4. iPadOS would need to be built with support for things like JIT.

Realistically what would happen instead of dual boot is for there to be one MacOS full screen window, much like running Remote Desktop but locally.

 

[darngooddesign]

The iPad Pro line with MacOS made it truly professional and it justified the high price. The rest of the iPads will be on iPadOS. And everyone would be happy.

Based on my experience with MacRumors, "Everyone would be happy" seldom happens. 🤣

 

[It’s always something]

I swiped down on one of my keys on the keyboard revealing a number and my granddaughter just happened to see me do it. She said “oh that will change my life.” She didn’t know she could do that on her M1. I just may be an exception though.

I have tried to like this feature but can’t make it work predictably: sometimes I get a digit, and sometimes I get a letter. So I gave up on it.🤷‍♂️😬

 

[sdz]

the current iPadOS is not refined enough. It needs 5-10 more years. The Multi Tasking stuff is sluggish.

 

[NewOldStock]

Multiple audio streams i`ll be happy.

 

[sdz]

Multiple audio streams i`ll be happy.

Imagine that. That would be already a 95% macbook 🤭

 

[HighwaySnowman]

Name all the Apple products that are NOT Macs that currently run macOS.
Can’t think of any? Of course not.

Here’s a basic biology lesson:
Mac runs macOS
Apple TV runs tvOS
Apple Watch runs watchOS
iPad runs iPadOS
……etc.
Shoehorning macOS onto iPad would not only go against Apple’s product principles (providing a subpar experience), but would make absolutely no business sense, especially when they’re doing just fine selling people both products.

The Apple TV ran Mac OS X 10.4. It only took a tiny bit of hacking to get it to launch Finder.

Pippin ran System 7.5, could run Mac OS 8.

And ALL of the devices you listed are really running most of macOS, i/iPad/tv/watch are all a Darwin kernel with most of macOS under the surface. It would be just as trivial for Apple to allow iPhones to run Mac apps as it was to allow Macs to run iPhone/iPad apps.

 

[HighwaySnowman]

Because macOS itself would not scale well to an 11” iPad. Don’t believe me? Try logging into your Mac using Jump Desktop. It’s the closest thing to running macOS on an iPad.

That's hilarious.

How big is the Macintosh screen? You know, the original one? And the 512, the Plus, the SE, the SE/30, the Classic, and the Classic II? And then how big is the Color Classic and Color Classic II?

(9" and 10", since you apparently don't remember.)

 

[sdz]

That's hilarious.

How big is the Macintosh screen? You know, the original one? And the 512, the Plus, the SE, the SE/30, the Classic, and the Classic II? And then how big is the Color Classic and Color Classic II?

(9" and 10", since you apparently don't remember.)(9" and 10", since you apparently don't remember.)

iPadOS is optimized for small screens. I notice that every time when running Mail.app in slide over. Try minimizing the macOS version of Mail.app to the size of the width of the iPhone screen. It is not usable.

Most of sold computers are notebooks. It makes sense, that iPadOS eventually will dominate the "Notebook" market.

 

[KPOM]

That's hilarious.

How big is the Macintosh screen? You know, the original one? And the 512, the Plus, the SE, the SE/30, the Classic, and the Classic II? And then how big is the Color Classic and Color Classic II?

(9" and 10", since you apparently don't remember.)

Yeah, let’s compare computers in 1984 to 2025.

 

[KPOM]

That's hilarious.

How big is the Macintosh screen? You know, the original one? And the 512, the Plus, the SE, the SE/30, the Classic, and the Classic II? And then how big is the Color Classic and Color Classic II?

(9" and 10", since you apparently don't remember.)

Yeah and how many colors did that original Mac support?