I installed iPadOS 26 Public Beta on my 2018 iPad Pro 11 inch. In the short time I’ve been using it, it seems quite stable and relatively fast for the first public beta. Overall, I think its a massive improvement to the usability of my iPad. For context, I’ve had this iPad Pro since new and recently, it has only been used for content consumption. I previously used it as a companion to my Mac that I would use in meetings for note taking purposes but I never got amazing productivity out of the iPad. Certainly, I could use iPads prior multitasking tricks like Slideover and the prior iteration of Stage Manage but never found them to be particularly intuitive.
This release with the windowing system and window controls, macOS like traffic lights and app menubar feels much more intuitive. The new pointer for trackpad makes controls when using my Logitech case with keyboard and trackpad feel like I am using a totally different device. Its just more usable for me, makes me want to keep using it. Its still too early to determine any significant difference to productivity but with the improved usability comes perceived productivity improvements, breathing new life into an older iPad.
This release with the windowing system and window controls, macOS like traffic lights and app menubar feels much more intuitive. The new pointer for trackpad makes controls when using my Logitech case with keyboard and trackpad feel like I am using a totally different device. Its just more usable for me, makes me want to keep using it. Its still too early to determine any significant difference to productivity but with the improved usability comes perceived productivity improvements, breathing new life into an older iPad.