100%.
I almost prefer the days of “well iPads just can’t do that task”
Vs. now “I know it can do that, but I have no f’ing clue how to make it do that” 😂
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iPadOS 26 is an Absolute Mess
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I almost prefer the days of “well iPads just can’t do that task”
Vs. now “I know it can do that, but I have no f’ing clue how to make it do that” 😂
I mostly agree with the idea behind this, except for one point. The base iPad is already a viable laptop alternative for many people. Actually, the iPhone is a viable laptop alternative for many people. The problem with iPadOS 26 is that Apple is trying to make the iPad a viable alternative in areas where it will never excel, due to its form factor.
That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a high-end iPad. I enjoy my iPad Pro because it’s a very simple device, much better than my MacBook Pro for things like ideation or research. I never thought “I could have bought a MacBook Air for less than my iPad Pro”; for me, the iPad and iPadOS is an advantage in the context of what I want it for.
The way to keep justifying its price is to improve it in an iPad way, and not by implementing legacy desktop paradigms that will never work on a tablet.
But the more pared down OS let the hardware shine and be lighting fast. Now that the OS is heavier it just feels laggy (might improve, but it’s not looking great). And besides pure performance, the UI is just more janky and less polished than a MacBook.
Really now that they’re so close together it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to get an iPad instead of a MacBook - at least not with a Magic Keyboard - because a MacBook does the same thing in a more polished way.
iPad haters have been saying for years “just get a MacBook”. And it didn’t used to be a valid argument because the iPad had a meaningfully different use case. But now that they basically turned the iPad into a jankier version of the MacBook? Yea, they’re right, now.
It’s quite powerful having a few overlapping windows on my iPad mini 7, or the iPad Pro in handheld mode too. Really not getting this criticism.
Apple has all the logs and data it needs to know what a majority of customers use. My guess is stage manager and slide over were being used by only a small percentage of users overall, probably niche message board folks.
So I watched my son yesterday who has my old M1 12.9” running 26 on PB3 for a while with Stage Manager. On iOS 18 he was a big user of Split View. He would have Safari or Chrome half screen and Google Docs in other half while doing school work. He rarely used Slide Over because he mutes his notifications while working so no need. All other times he was mainly full screen. He’s primarily a touch user as his first instinct is to reach up and touch the screen to move a window, resize or do something. Magic Keyboard is just for typing. I’m the exact opposite as I love the trackpad and keyboard shortcuts when I’m using the MK.
Yesterday he was working on some pre-admittance documents and had Safari open half screen. Then had a Note open with a checklist of all the forms and training he needed in a window in the bottom right. Then another with iMessages in the top right as he was chatting with the people in his dorm about what they plan on bringing. And Calendar in a fourth window open almost same size as iMessage but laid out so that he could switch back and forth to check due dates. His other stage he had Maps full screen. He worked seamlessly for an hour or so. No lag, fast response and no issues using touch for all of the window management. At one point he slid from the left to open up the stages to switch to Maps. Then switched back. I told him “You know, you can quickly do that with a Five Finger Swipe”. From then on that’s how he switched back and forth.
Afterwards I said “I noticed you weren’t using Split Screen like you use to”. He said “Because I had no choice. Now I can do what I want”.
Yesterday he was working on some pre-admittance documents and had Safari open half screen. Then had a Note open with a checklist of all the forms and training he needed in a window in the bottom right. Then another with iMessages in the top right as he was chatting with the people in his dorm about what they plan on bringing. And Calendar in a fourth window open almost same size as iMessage but laid out so that he could switch back and forth to check due dates. His other stage he had Maps full screen. He worked seamlessly for an hour or so. No lag, fast response and no issues using touch for all of the window management. At one point he slid from the left to open up the stages to switch to Maps. Then switched back. I told him “You know, you can quickly do that with a Five Finger Swipe”. From then on that’s how he switched back and forth.
Afterwards I said “I noticed you weren’t using Split Screen like you use to”. He said “Because I had no choice. Now I can do what I want”.
oh my goodness .. I couldn't even finish watching that.
This is so frustrating.
When they make it that additionally cumbersome, it negates a lot of the enjoyment of the feature and likelihood anyone will jump through those hoops to do it very often.
And I brought this up... the limitation surrounding pre-existing multitasking system. But I do agree with those who are in favor of SplitView/SlideOver, the actions were easier to get into.
As @richpjr pointed out there's going to be a mixed bag in terms of which is better... because both sides have a point, limitation vs ease of use. I think Apple plans on pushing forward with this new multitasking system... but I do hope they tweak it to make it much easier to get into SplitView.
I think Apple should have it to where if there's one app on screen and if a user pulls an app from the dock to the far left/right... it automatically should be placed into SplitView. But if the app from the dock is placed in the middle of the screen... let it be a floating window, this is how Samsung does it's multitasking system.
And find some way to bring back SlideOver.. something like a picture-in-picture window, users can swipe the window in-out whenever necessary. But I prefer Apple adding a "pin it" or "stay on top" feature... I think a feature like that would satisfy SlideOver users.
What's so maddening about all of this is that there are many folks (myself included) who specifially like the iPad for how simple and straightforward it always was.
Jamming in all this added complexity just continues to move it in the wrong direction.
Apple is too captured by the hyper vocal audience segment trying to do Mac things with iPad hardware.
I wish they'd split out iPadOSPro for iPadPro devices to do all this "sort of like a Mac, but not" iPad stuff and leave the OG iPad experience many of us love so much ... alone.
But it's still simple and straightforward... I argue most iPad users would just use full screen mode.
I don't view it as complex... it's fairly easy to understand, the issue is the steps to get into SplitView.
Some of those points made it in the video were right. But they missed out on other ways to get into SplitView or rearrange Windows in the new multitasking system since they didn't use the traffic lights nor keyboard shortcuts.
I’m not really trying to make the argument that one should buy a MacBook over an iPad. Just simply stating the truth that from a sheer performance standpoint, a M4 chip and 16gb ram cost $900 less in a 14 inch MacBook Air than it does in an 13 inch iPad Pro, while also being capable of doing more because of the software (MacOS).
I agree. The iPad is a viable laptop alternative but it’s also cheap.
The iPad Pro is not cheap. Putting the same processor they use in the desktops into a tablet, then charging more for the tablet, that was a choice, one that’s going to welcome direct comparisons. It made sense that iPads cost $329 and 14 inch MacBook Airs cost $999. You can do more on MacBook Airs than you can on an iPad. Now, a 13 inch iPad Pro cost more than a 14 inch MacBook Air, but it can’t do anything than a $329 iPad couldn’t do, while also being still less capable than a MacBook because of iPadOS.
And I think this is why you’re seeing posts in this thread that suggest iPadOS should look and feel different on the Pro and Air line than it does on the base and mini line. I’m actually fine with iPads with 13 inch screens being pushed into the windowed environment. It’s the smaller, cheaper devices I don’t think it makes sense on.
Yeah, there's just no convincing me, an iPad Mini user, that a fully windowed environment is a good design decision for a roughly 8" screen operated by touch.
Maybe this stuff should be gated differently depending upon "mode"? (touch vs kb/pointer)
I'm just venting out loud.
Modern Apple DGAF about any usability or user desires anymore.
This whole thing is just a financial engineering operation at this point.
Tim has fully "Cooked" it.
Correct, because those options are aimed at people using a mouse and keyboard.
Not true... it would be correct if the traffic lights stayed the same, but they expand to allow for touch input.
But you didn't specify keyboard shortcuts when you responded to my post. But glossed over the mouse input... interesting.
Having a better processor helps with intensive tasks, and there are many apps on the iPad that push the limits of the processor — they’re just not the kind of apps many MacRumors members use, so they assume they don’t exist. Regarding “doing more”: I guess it’s very difficult to make a list of how many things you can do on a Mac and an iPad (there are also things you can do on an iPad and can’t on a Mac), but the main point is how well you can do them. For example, in my case: I don’t care if a MacBook Air is cheaper than the iPad Pro, to me the MacBook Air is not an upgrade over the iPad Pro. A Mac is not objectively more “capable” than an iPad. It depends on your goals/use case/preference.
Also: an iPad Pro *can’t* do anything a base iPad couldn’t do, in the same way a Mac Pro can’t do anything a MacBook Air couldn’t do. But somehow this argument only applies to the iPad.
I definitely wouldn’t like to split iPadOS depending on the device. My point here is that a windowed environment will never work on a touch-primary device, and there have been many attempts (also in the Windows or Android world) that prove it. The iPad Pro is great not because it’s closer to the concept of a MacBook, but because it’s the best iPad out there.
You have to touch it to enlarge it, then choose. With a mouse you don’t have to do that. It enlarges as you hover your mouse over it. Hence, it’s geared towards mouse controls because the UI recognizes the mouse input and doesn’t need you to preform an extra step first before proceeding.
You already know this so I don’t know why you’re trying to argue against it.
You touch to enlarge it, then touch it again to select.
With mouse cursor:
Obviously they’ve made it possible to use without a mouse. I never said otherwise. I said it’s aimed at people using a mouse and keyboard. Which by requiring less steps, it is.
Just because it requires more steps doesn't mean it's aimed for a different input. And the point I was trying to make is that it's an option, which the video didn't bring up.
Especially when it came to rearranging SplitView... instead of trying to manually move the left side to the right (by flicking gestures), it can be accomplished by using the traffic lights.
It’s not just apps.
- Dual/quad external monitors.
- Actually being able to adjust the resolution, refresh rate, screen position of external monitors
- Being able to play more than one audio source simultaneously
- Having 1 to 2 more USB C ports
- installing apps outside of the App Store
- Using 3rd party peripherals. For example I have several really nice Logitech mice that I can’t take full advantage of on an iPad because I can’t install Logitech Options. You can do about 80%, which is acceptable, but that’s pretty much how I feel about iPadOS as a whole. You can do about 80% and it’s acceptable.
And I am really not trying to suggest that a MacBook is a better option for everyone. iPads are awesome and I want that line to flourish. I actually wish the iPad was as capable as a Mac. And I think there’s a pathway to that. I just don’t see iPadOS 26 as a step in that direction. They need to separate the UI like Samsung Dex instead of blurring the two together.
It does mean that though.
How can you argue otherwise? Especially if it’s the window manager button! Something that you’re going to have to use over and over again during a work session. So many extra taps if you aren’t using a mouse.
I’m 39 years old and have used Apple products my entire life. My Dad still has his 1984 Macintosh at his studio on a display. Adding steps is counter productive, which feels so un-Apple. I feel like iPadOS has gotten so off the rails at this point that they’re willing to add taps here, there, everywhere, and it’s becoming a chore to use vs. being enjoyable.
Whatever argument I make... you already made your mind up that this new multitasking system is not for you. Because the traffic lights.. helps to avoid manually managing windows (tiles), which in itself is extra steps.
And I've been an iPad user since the 2nd generation (2011)... haven't wavered since. It travels with me everywhere... sometimes I dock to a monitor. As I stated before, I care deeply about the iPad just as much as anyone. And unfortunately Apple decided it was time to move on from the limitation surrounding pre-existing multitasking... I don't understand how people refuse to accept that side of it.
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