Apple has turned my favourite computing device into something I hate using.
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iPadOS 26 is an Absolute Mess
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Apple, maker of the best desktop OS, simply has botched iPadOS so badly it's hard to comprehend how it's possible.
I propose some easy solutions:
First, Like others have mentioned, give the iPad Pro and iPad Air lines a different OS than the iPad and iPad mini. The iPad Pro/Air can have features the rest do not. If anything, it would help justify the absurd cost of the iPad Pro. Keep the focus on touch controls on the smaller, budget friendly tablets.
Second. Learn from your competitor and draw a harder line between a touch control UI and a mouse/keyboard UI, similar to Samsung Dex. With Dex, you are either in tablet mode, or desktop mode. None of this blending to two together to make neither work well. Apple could make iPadOS's windowing UI so much better if they simply committed to version of the interface that was for mouse/trackpad only. Conversely, they could keep the touch controls elite (which they were elite) by separating the two interfaces. They should have done this a long time ago, and could have built and iterated upon a Dex-like experience with each new update. Instead, back to the drawing board seemingly every single year while confusing their iPad users again and again with adding more steps to do simple things or removing features entirely.
Desktop-style, free-form windowed apps as a concept and in practice are meant to used with a mouse cursor, not your finger. It simply is not an enjoyable experience trying to manage desktop-like windowed apps with your finger. Opening, closing, minimizing, changing width, height, it's just requires a precision pointer to get 100% accurate inputs. Which is why none of it existed on iPad until they added mouse/trackpad support. With that in mind, offer a flexible UI (Like Dex) that goes into a desktop mode when someone want to hook their iPad Pro up to a monitor and use a mouse and keyboard. Or just keep making it something only an iPadOS enthusiast would convince themselves they actually enjoy working on.
I propose some easy solutions:
First, Like others have mentioned, give the iPad Pro and iPad Air lines a different OS than the iPad and iPad mini. The iPad Pro/Air can have features the rest do not. If anything, it would help justify the absurd cost of the iPad Pro. Keep the focus on touch controls on the smaller, budget friendly tablets.
Second. Learn from your competitor and draw a harder line between a touch control UI and a mouse/keyboard UI, similar to Samsung Dex. With Dex, you are either in tablet mode, or desktop mode. None of this blending to two together to make neither work well. Apple could make iPadOS's windowing UI so much better if they simply committed to version of the interface that was for mouse/trackpad only. Conversely, they could keep the touch controls elite (which they were elite) by separating the two interfaces. They should have done this a long time ago, and could have built and iterated upon a Dex-like experience with each new update. Instead, back to the drawing board seemingly every single year while confusing their iPad users again and again with adding more steps to do simple things or removing features entirely.
Desktop-style, free-form windowed apps as a concept and in practice are meant to used with a mouse cursor, not your finger. It simply is not an enjoyable experience trying to manage desktop-like windowed apps with your finger. Opening, closing, minimizing, changing width, height, it's just requires a precision pointer to get 100% accurate inputs. Which is why none of it existed on iPad until they added mouse/trackpad support. With that in mind, offer a flexible UI (Like Dex) that goes into a desktop mode when someone want to hook their iPad Pro up to a monitor and use a mouse and keyboard. Or just keep making it something only an iPadOS enthusiast would convince themselves they actually enjoy working on.
That is one opinion. Another is that it is a much needed step into the direction that a lot of people have been clamoring for.
Everybody has different needs.
Would you agree that the person who buys a base iPad for $299 has a different use case for it than the person who spends $1,500 for a 13 inch m4 iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard?
Use cases aren’t always welded to a specific device or value, so regarding your argument ‘maybe/maybe not’. Sure, I get the point that the Pro model tricked out with maximum storage, Magic Keyboard etc etc is more akin to a MacBook. But why not give people choice? Tweak the OS to allow features to be activated/deactivated.
The education market is a big one for Apple’s base models and it will be a different suite of uses compared to Joe/Joanna Public wanting to catch up on Netflix while at the airport. Full fat iPadOS might well enrich user experience or open up use cases for students.
On the flip side, some people equate most expensive with ‘best’ not realising they have a Ferrari to drive to the local supermarket (i.e. a base iPad would do perfect but hey, let’s futureproof a little and spend 5x as much).
For example, I have an iPad 9 from my employer which, with a Smart Keyboard Folio, serves me as a lightweight laptop replacement for days out the office or away from my desk. I’m not a designer, coder or creative - just a basic office worker - so it’s Word, Excel, Teams calls, web, email etc. An Air would be so much better in terms of external screen and webcam support but given my employer is deploying a lot of these…I get the cost angle. Sigh.
For my own use, the Mac got junked and replaced with an Air M1 as a personal device. It’s a laptop and iPad 8 replacement, greatly enhanced by the new OS. Coupled to a regular Magic Keyboard and mouse, it’s an ideal balance for me.
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Use case wise? In general: No.
There are probably some outliers (are there?), but the over all work flow for use cases like photo edit, drawing, music, video, web browsing, mail, typing, productivity, gaming…. there is nothing which differentiates in general these use cases on an iPad from an iPad Pro.
Yep, the iPP is faster, nicer display, sound, … - I mean, personally I like using my iPP to edit photos, but in principle I can do that on any iPad. It’s the app which is of importance - yes, obviously the iPP is technically expanded, but what you wrote is like arguing that the use case for a 13” versus a 11” iPad (whatever model) are different - there are not in principle. Obviously there is more display space - but the use case(s) is(are) identical.
Nota bene: Final Cut is probably one of the few which come with the hardware requirement of almost exclusively running on Pros … and Airs with > M2 … and Minis with A17Pro … with hardware-wise differentiated functionality between even between the supported iPad models. So there is one almost exclusive use case. 🥹
Apple Intelligence would be another similar one… but is that currently a use case so? 🙃
We agree here. I wish this is what they had done. Instead they simply removed a feature that’s been around for 10 years. SlideOver is gone.
Why have a choice of an iPad mini, iPad, iPad Air, and 2 different versions of iPad Pros. The most expensive being 8x the price of the least expensive. Why do this if you didn’t think there’s a model to fit different customers? If we can agree there’s not a one size fits all iPad, then we can can agree that some features might be better suited for their high end line and vice versa. I think many people, especially those with an iPad mini, would prefer Apple refine and build upon the multitasking features that have been steadily improving since the iPads inception. Not a total windowed revamp meant for power users.
Another thing I find strange about all of this: remember when if you didn’t have a M series iPad Pro, you couldn’t get stage manager? Because of “memory swap.” Which they backpedaled after public pressure. Now base 8th gen iPads with a 7 year old chip support this new windowed iPadOS 26. LOL
Point being, Apple can’t figure out which direction to take the iPad line. They’re trying to make an OS that works on their budget line while simultaneously satisfying their pro users who’ve spent $2k on their device and they simply haven’t been able to land the plane.
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The large majority of people that own a tablet use it as a media consumption device and to do lightweight productivity.
The outlier you speak of is the person who would actually need an iPad Pro.
And yes the use case for these two people is different. You think the person who buys an iPad mini wants to use it for the exact same purpose as someone who buys the M4 13 inch iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard?
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Which are use cases with no differentiation between models, aren’t they?
I argue that there are use cases which profit from an iPP.
So you assume that, if a person buys an iPad with the Magic Keyboard Folio that’s always/in principle for a different use case than an iPP with MK? Where from can you deduce that?
Btw. I was/am not talking about purpose but use case(s) - you are moving the goal post here as in your comparison of an iPP+MK with a bare iPad.
There are plenty of use cases which profit from using an Air/iPP plus whatever adequate accessory for said use cases, no doubt about that.
But facing e.g., a dead line tomorrow for a mixed media poster, a brochure, some quick data visualisation, some thesis writing - all required data accessible (cloud, ssd, usb-stick) - and your iPP dies, you really think that you could not manage any of these use cases using an iPad with MKF (or any other recent iPad plus keyboard/trackpad/mouse combo)? There is no change in use case - in comfort, yes.
There are apps which restrict functionality depending on the processor - as mentioned, e.g., Apple’s FC - and if that functionality is the reason for the purchase, I agree, there is a use case difference which drives the purchase.
But how many different of those particular use cases driving the purchase of an iPP are out there?
I argue that the majority of use cases which can be handled on iPadOS are hardware-agnostic - so why a certain model is purchased transcends from most use cases. Currently I would even go so far and say it transcends from almost all use cases on iPadOS.
In any case: for most use cases there is nothing which impedes tackling them on any of the models in the current iPad model line up.
Nota bene: which can be condensed to something that is pointed out for quite a while now - e.g., the iPP hardware is marvellous, and Apple seems to address at least partially that iPadOS should take advantage of it, more so in iPadOS26 - but most functionality is available over the full current line up (and even beyond), so almost all use cases could be tackled on any current model.
Equally one probably enjoys tackling almost all use cases more using an iPP IMHO 😃
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One of the main benefits of an iPad was that because it’s form factor, it could serve many different use cases and workflows. With this change; they locked it to one use case: tabletop and docked in a Magic Keyboard. It’s just so frustrating.
The fact that multitasking is incredibly buggy and full of inconsistent behaviours makes it so much worse.
They should just:
- Restore the old fullscreen + Split View and SlideOver multitasking for tablet use.
- Just add a MacOS ui mode, honestly. Just have a toggle for it to switch - it can even take a few seconds. Then just make it run the exact MacOS UI. The fact that they’re still trying half assedly trying to make one mode that works for both touch and trackpad is exactly why it’s bad for both.
The fact that multitasking is incredibly buggy and full of inconsistent behaviours makes it so much worse.
They should just:
- Restore the old fullscreen + Split View and SlideOver multitasking for tablet use.
- Just add a MacOS ui mode, honestly. Just have a toggle for it to switch - it can even take a few seconds. Then just make it run the exact MacOS UI. The fact that they’re still trying half assedly trying to make one mode that works for both touch and trackpad is exactly why it’s bad for both.
Then how was I able to use it for several hours yesterday relaxing on the couch propped on my lap without a keyboard? Stage Manager was a joy to use. The actions that I would do with the keyboard were all done just as easily with touch. Switching stages is actually faster/easier because it's either 5 finger swipe or quickly swipe from left with my finger if I want anther stage. With the keyboard it's dragging the mouse to the left .
Before iPadOS26 I never used the 13 iPad for that long of a period because Stage Manager was so limited.
You seem very stuck on your interpretation of the phrase “use case” and want to nitpick as to what that’s supposed to mean.
Use case, workflow, purpose, reason to buy an iPad, whatever you want to call it.
There are plenty of use cases (or however you wish to describe it) for someone to own an iPad Pro over an iPad. Are you trying to argue there isn’t? If you edit video, you may need the higher refresh rate, or the more accurate colors. You might need the Thunderbolt 4 for faster data transfer. You might need the extra storage that you can only get on a Pro. The faster chip to export video. The bigger screen. The LiDAR Scanner. Etc.
It’s no different than a professional video editor opting to buy a Mac Studio over a Mac mini, or a Mac Pro over an iMac. They have different use cases for it and therefore need the more powerful device.
Now circle all the way back to the original argument you replied to. Someone who goes to the Apple Store and sees their whole lineup, from a base iPad, to the Air, to the 2 different Pro Versions. The person who says: I really only need the iPad for $329 I don’t need the $1,099 iPad Pro, or I want the smallest form factor iPad mini. That person is more often than not, not a power user and is never going to hook up a mouse, keyboard, and external monitor, thus a different use case.
I don’t see why you would use stage manager or the new multitasking without using a keyboard tbh. The old touch and gesture based multitasking was much more smooth for lapped use. What did you do exactly that made full multitasking compared to Split View + slideover + spaces?
I wish they'd diverge the lines fully ..
Put all the "trying to be a Mac" stuff on the iPad Pro line only.
Those of us on normal, cheap, iPad & iPad Mini's are looking for tablet first/only usages and interaction method optimization.
I guarantee you the normal buyer of a $299 iPad barely even wants split view or slideover, but certainly not full blown windowing. If they are to use a form of multi-tasking, the existing options were already great and designed with that user in mind (simple, but functional).
Put all the "trying to be a Mac" stuff on the iPad Pro line only.
Those of us on normal, cheap, iPad & iPad Mini's are looking for tablet first/only usages and interaction method optimization.
I guarantee you the normal buyer of a $299 iPad barely even wants split view or slideover, but certainly not full blown windowing. If they are to use a form of multi-tasking, the existing options were already great and designed with that user in mind (simple, but functional).
Maybe that's why it's been so great for me as I don't use multitasking based on my input but based on my needs and they are they almost the same with and without the keyboard. The only difference is if I plan on doing a significant amount of typing or input.
I use Stage Manager because it allows me to place "like" apps in groups, almost like a Desktop in macOS. My primary stage is Safari in full screen and Messages in a small window taking 1/2 screen. If I want to quickly respond to a message, I just swipe up to Expose, select messages, respond and then tap Safari (CMD+TAB with keyboard). My "planner" stage is Mail, Calendar, Reminder and Notes in a stage laid out so all 4 are easily accessible. Social media apps are in another stage but . Then my infrequent use stage is for apps I only use occasionally but are better full screen (eBay, photos, cable TV app).
Whether I'm using the Magic Keyboard or touch I'm able utilize Stage Manager with no loss in speed. Each input has it own way of managing stages and they both work well if you learn them. Split view is limited because for example I have Facebook, Instagram and X in a single stage laid out in thirds. Slide over was nice for a single app, but if you added more apps into Slide Over then it required more work to switch the slide over app. And then if you had to go back you had to redo the gesture. Stage Manager has improved and replaced both of those work flows easily for me.
Am I the only one enjoying iPadOS26? I think it's really cool, and a definite step in teh right direction.
I enjoy using it with my Magic Keyboard. I enjoy Liquid Glass. I enjoy the new pointer, and Apple Music Automix. I just hate, hate, hate using my iPad without a keyboard + mouse now, which kind of ruins any of the aforementioned benefits.
I really wish there were an option to switch between classic Split View + Slide Over and window mode, depending on whether the Magic Keyboard is connected. That alone would solve like 90% of the issues I have with this operating system.
Yeah that does sound like a good idea. Heck, I wish there was a way to switch between iPadOS mode (tablet) and MacOS (with keyboard), since many of the iPads are running M series chips anyway. However, I know that would create other problems with app design as well.
I reverted back to iPad OS18. Not only is it shocking how much smoother and faster SplitView and SlideOver are than the new multitasking - it's actually amazing how much smoother the OS feels overall on my M1 iPad Pro. Maybe it's showing it's age - but on iPad OS18 everything is super fast and butter smooth. On the iPad OS26 PB2 everything felt very slow, janky and buggy. Hopefully that at least will be sorted out by the final release. But I'm actually a little hesitant about that. I wonder if a September release window is actually a bit too soon for the state that it's currently in.
I'll stick on iPad OS18 until - hopefully - public outcry forces Apple te restore the older features, once this thing starts rolling out to the general public.
I'll stick on iPad OS18 until - hopefully - public outcry forces Apple te restore the older features, once this thing starts rolling out to the general public.
No I quite like it too. I think people just like to find things to get upset about particularly on the interweb.