iPadOS 26 is an Absolute Mess

[sonicrobby]

I just downloaded the RC. In mail app, the compact view on the sidebar is gone! I liked being able to see lots of emails, normally hiding any preview of the message makes them more compact. Same with messages and files. Why did everything get unnecessarily bigger?

 

[xxFoxtail]

I’ve already had one crash on the RC. Opening up the Fitness app on the external display did it.

 

[PaladinGuy]

Is anyone else super annoyed that the scribble to erase with Apple Pencil now CONSTANTLY brings up the slider to add space to the line?? I would not have scribbled first if that’s what I wanted. It should only be a single press that brings that up. It never did this in iPadOS 18.

 

[Cave Man]

Outlook Web in Safari displays the recipient pane but the message pane does not work on my ipad pro m1.

 

[steve62388]

The new windowing system is clunky as hell. I have an 11 inch iPad so it’s normally appropriate for me to use apps full screen, but if I want to quickly check another app omg what a kerfuffle to pull one up, muck around resizing and placing both windows. It just took me 30s to get Mail and Safari side by side in a view that I found acceptable. Slide over was so much quicker and user friendly, this is just hostile.

I’m going to have to use full screen apps for now, so thanks Apple for downgrading my iPad to something that can’t multitask anymore. I think there is a real problem here trying to force everyone to use the new windowing system, they know Stage Manager is an absolute bust so why is it still an option, have slide over instead.

I don’t see or notice the supposedly beautiful graphical touches, so ‘meh’. What I do see is rounded corners everywhere which gives the impression of wasted space. And why are the toggles so much bigger other than to look out of scale? Also the settings sub menus all have various different widths, easily fixed but looks like a lack of attention to detail. The highlights around app icons looks like someone did a bad masking job and just makes them look crooked.

 

[says_stuff]

The new windowing system is clunky as hell. I have an 11 inch iPad so it’s normally appropriate for me to use apps full screen, but if I want to quickly check another app omg what a kerfuffle to pull one up, muck around resizing and placing both windows. It just took me 30s to get Mail and Safari side by side in a view that I found acceptable. Slide over was so much quicker and user friendly, this is just hostile.

I’m going to have to use full screen apps for now, so thanks Apple for downgrading my iPad to something that can’t multitask anymore. I think there is a real problem here trying to force everyone to use the new windowing system, they know Stage Manager is an absolute bust so why is it still an option, have slide over instead.

I don’t see or notice the supposedly beautiful graphical touches, so ‘meh’. What I do see is rounded corners everywhere which gives the impression of wasted space. And why are the toggles so much bigger other than to look out of scale? Also the settings sub menus all various different widths, easily fixed but looks like a lack of attention to detail.

"I'm altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further" vibes

Well no, you should actually be grateful, they gave you so much more room for reading the tos. What were you gonna do with the option of running two or .. even three??! apps anyway, also, it's not actually a windowing system it's a new os, and seriously just describe your whole day starting from waking up so we can tell you how wrong you are and then provide us with your credentials while you are at it.

lol

 

[BruiserBear]

So I’d heard some rumblings in recent months about multitasking on iPad being different with iOS 26, but I had no idea what I was in for when I loaded up the new firmware now.

I cannot believe they thought this was an improvement. Sliding apps and snapping into multi views on the iPad was such a good user experience. It was so simple and the single best thing about the iPad over a MacBook IMO. I preferred using the iPad as my main computing device in the home for this single reason.

Now I’ve got to fidget about for 15 seconds to do what I used to be able to do in 2 seconds. It’s ridiculous.

They clearly listened to the idiots who complained for years trying to turn the iPad into just another version of the MacBook. I always figured Apple was smart enough to realize this wasn’t the right move, as the iPad served its purpose very well how it was. I guess I was wrong. Even the cursor was made to be more laptop like when using the keyboard.

 

[papbot]

Even the cursor was made to be more laptop like when using the keyboard.

I don’t mind the cursor being changed to an arrow, but I think it was unnecessary. The circle was fine and actually seemed more appropriate as it wrapped around page and screen elements.

 

[steve62388]

So I’d heard some rumblings in recent months about multitasking on iPad being different with iOS 26, but I had no idea what I was in for when I loaded up the new firmware now.

I cannot believe they thought this was an improvement. Sliding apps and snapping into multi views on the iPad was such a good user experience. It was so simple and the single best thing about the iPad over a MacBook IMO. I preferred using the iPad as my main computing device in the home for this single reason.

Now I’ve got to fidget about for 15 seconds to do what I used to be able to do in 2 seconds. It’s ridiculous.

They clearly listened to the idiots who complained for years trying to turn the iPad into just another version of the MacBook. I always figured Apple was smart enough to realize this wasn’t the right move, as the iPad served its purpose very well how it was. I guess I was wrong. Even the cursor was made to be more laptop like when using the keyboard.

Yes, and I think there is a fundamental misstep here.

The sort of people that would appreciate all this fiddly window multitasking are not the mass market, they are a small subset of users who happen to be the loudest on places like YouTube. The real money for any product is huge sales volume to the average Joe or Jane, and there is no way Joe or Jane is going to be able to wrap their head around it all.

 

[muzzy996]

Yes, and I think there is a fundamental misstep here.

The sort of people that would appreciate all this fiddly window multitasking are not the mass market, they are a small subset of users who happen to be the loudest on places like YouTube. The real money for any product is huge sales volume to the average Joe or Jane, and there is no way Joe or Jane is going to be able to wrap their head around it all.

True. There’s also a subset of people like my wife and son who had no clue that slide over existed until I asked them recently if they used it. For that subset they will continue on their merry way without complaint.

 

[SebCohen]

Apple’s biggest problem (apart from charging too much for RAM) is too many hidden functions that most "professionals" don’t even know about….and there’s really no way of finding out about them in an effective way either.

 

[steffi]

The one issue so far that impacts me greatly is Apple's decision to no longer show the text of a TV show in the icon in the grid in iPadOS26.

They seem now to be assuming that the cover art is enough to allow you to know what show you're looking at despite nearly all my content in my "TV shows" having no cover art. So I'm essentially looking at a grid that tells me the number of episodes each show has but that's it.

 

[richpjr]

True. There’s also a subset of people like my wife and son who had no clue that slide over existed until I asked them recently if they used it. For that subset they will continue on their merry way without complaint.

I think the number of people who actually used things like slide over are the subset from people who just used everything full screen - a pretty small subset.

 

[says_stuff]

I think the number of people who actually used things like slide over are the subset from people who just used everything full screen - a pretty small subset.

while it might be true I'm having trouble visualizing the majority of iPad buyers using it as a large iPhone, are people never in need to parallel consume info or compare or whatever? why pay extra and carry around that thing then

still, no one forced people to use Split View and Slideover, it was always optional and you had to trigger it, why change that now.

 

[tekboi]

Maybe the final release next week will fix all of the issues. But I’m having serious doubts about that one. If that were the case, we would need to see a RC 2 release…. Like TODAY!

 

[i-Liam]

iOS will continue to be a mess until Craig Federighi is gone.

It’s no coincidence that iOS quality became awful when he took charge of software.

 

[JMalone]

iOS will continue to be a mess until Craig Federighi is gone.

It’s no coincidence that iOS quality became awful when he took charge of software.

You don’t understand anything about iOS or how management at Apple is structured.

The frameworks iOS has today are light years ahead of iOS 15 years ago or any Android OS.

If your issue is with design, that is not under Federighi’s direction. The design department covers hardware design and UI. For example, Jonathan Ive was in charge of design of hardware and user interfaces. You can see in 2015 when Yosemite was introduced he spoke about his work redesigning everything.

Our interfaces today are still largely based on the Ive designs, but now with Liquid Glass added.

Federighi has some input in design but his job is mostly focused on overseeing framework development, optimising performance on new Apple designed chips, and software development kits for developers. He knows the macOS and iOS kernel better than anyone because he was also at NeXT in the 80s.

 

[i-Liam]

You don’t understand anything about iOS or how management at Apple is structured.

The frameworks iOS has today are light years ahead of iOS 15 years ago or any Android OS.

If your issue is with design, that is not under Federighi’s direction. The design department covers hardware design and UI. For example, Jonathan Ive was in charge of design of hardware and user interfaces. You can see in 2015 when Yosemite was introduced he spoke about his work redesigning everything.

Our interfaces today are still largely based on the Ive designs, but now with Liquid Glass added.

Federighi has some input in design but his job is mostly focused on overseeing framework development, optimising performance on new Apple designed chips, and software development kits for developers. He knows the macOS and iOS kernel better than anyone because he was also at NeXT in the 80s.

Hi Craig 👋

 

[BruiserBear]

So I’d heard some rumblings in recent months about multitasking on iPad being different with iOS 26, but I had no idea what I was in for when I loaded up the new firmware now.

I cannot believe they thought this was an improvement. Sliding apps and snapping into multi views on the iPad was such a good user experience. It was so simple and the single best thing about the iPad over a MacBook IMO. I preferred using the iPad as my main computing device in the home for this single reason.

Now I’ve got to fidget about for 15 seconds to do what I used to be able to do in 2 seconds. It’s ridiculous.

They clearly listened to the idiots who complained for years trying to turn the iPad into just another version of the MacBook. I always figured Apple was smart enough to realize this wasn’t the right move, as the iPad served its purpose very well how it was. I guess I was wrong. Even the cursor was made to be more laptop like when using the keyboard.

Quoting myself here from a few days ago right after I downloaded iOS 26 to my iPad.

Having a few days to get used to things, I can say there are some advantages to how multi view works on iOS 26. Now you’re able to custom size some apps to take up less or more of the screen. It’s more capable, but also more complex, so I’m still not sure if this was a good change, but I can see its advantages.

I should also note that all of my impressions are based on using my iPad Pro 12.9 model with the Magic Keyboard. Things could be easier or more complicated to use without the keyboard/touchpad combo.

 

[yabeweb]

Agreed - to a point.

My comments are related to how they make that money.

Apple products got so popular by adhering to the values mentioned above. They sell more of those products over years, making more money, because people trust that the company keeps those values in mind when developing those products.

By rushing out services or features before they are ready (and I’m not just talking about a beta - the state of these features clearly show they aren’t even ready for that), they are eroding the trust in those values.

If customers see, over time, that Apple no longer has a reputation for “it just works”, then they may look to the competition. If they do that, then Apple’s profits will go down.

I do not think Apple is an entity. Adhering to the values of customer experience, reliability, usability, and functionality was a business decision – one meant to generate a profit.

What I was saying was that I think those values have shifted for more short-term ones. And the new values of faster, flashier, and more bullet listed updates, go directly against those that made them so profitable and successful today.

I think this is the first real iPad os update wich makes most iPad users actually enjoy the iPad more.
Using almost exclusively iPad as work machine only hit the nail for me.

 

[says_stuff]

I think this is the first real iPad os update wich makes most iPad users actually enjoy the iPad more.
Using almost exclusively iPad as work machine only hit the nail for me.

I wish that’s the case (or that all this gets improved stat) cause this video makes my eyes bleed

First ios update im not jumping on, in 13-14 years?

 

[yabeweb]

I wish that’s the case (or that all this gets improved stat) cause this video makes my eyes bleed

First ios update im not jumping on, in 13-14 years?

I went right trough cause I rarely use split screen and use the iPad with a Keyboard, and this Updates really makes the difference for me.

I get it it is not for everyone, and people only consuming media might regret the update.... It would be awesome if we had a way to pick one or the other, I'd use older style for tablet only and the new one for when on keyboard I guess.

 

[says_stuff]

I went right trough cause I rarely use split screen and use the iPad with a Keyboard, and this Updates really makes the difference for me.

I get it it is not for everyone, and people only consuming media might regret the update.... It would be awesome if we had a way to pick one or the other, I'd use older style for tablet only and the new one for when on keyboard I guess.

genuinely curious, if you rarely use split screen, I'm guessing you didn't need two windows simultaneously, so what did ipados26 change for you?

its not the consumption of media, its the multitasking for some us, that we think is now nerfed. Having more than two or three windows doesn't mean that it's a better experience when they seem difficult to organize and even call up, especially when the system seems to be fighting you?

 

[orsev]

iPad OS 26 has been pretty good on my M1, except for a lockscreen bug that has been present where if FaceID doesn't pick me up, the passcode won't appear and I have to go through control centre > wifi > wifi settings to 'trigger' it. Have been running it and seeing this since the first developer beta. Been great other than that, mind. Should note that i only really use it as a second monitor on the go / notes / reading articles nowadays..

 

[yabeweb]

genuinely curious, if you rarely use split screen, I'm guessing you didn't need two windows simultaneously, so what did ipados26 change for you?

its not the consumption of media, its the multitasking for some us, that we think is now nerfed. Having more than two or three windows doesn't mean that it's a better experience when they seem difficult to organize and even call up, especially when the system seems to be fighting you?

Usually swapped app when needed, now I can multitask easily, having half of the app was not really useful for my workflow now I can arrange apps as I would do on a Mac.

Also using a second screen it now works wonders.