iPadOS 26 to Bring These Mac-Like Features to Your iPad

[WarmWinterHat]

Cool now Chromebooks are dead

Until Apple has an educational suite equivalent to Google's, Chromebooks aren't going anywhere. Even then, they aren't.

Local schools here are paying $350 for their touchscreen Chromebooks, which includes a keyboard and touch pad, and a per-student license for Google's education suite. The keyboard rolls all the back to become a tablet. Apple has nothing in that league.

Edit: Oh yea, they can generally fix them on site, and keep new screens, keyboard, individual keys and such on hand.

 

[groove-agent]

MRs has posted this topic at least 3 times now.

Apple really needs to merge iPadOS with MacOS otherwise the iPad will always be a nerfed version of the Mac. You're not going to get big developers to re-develop their Pro Apps on iPad. Even Apple won't rework Xcode to run on it.

They say it can't be done, but I think it can. They just need the UI to adapt to the screen when a keyboard/ mouse/ monitor is connected much like how fluid/ responsive web design works. If the UI is too sophisticated for a small iPad screen, just badge the app to say "please dock iPad to use app".

I'd love to change to an iPad Pro for my daily driving but for now I will have to keep a Mac to run the apps I need to run. Apple doesn't care because two devices means more sales.

 

[justanotherdave]

Until Apple has an educational suite equivalent to Google's, Chromebooks aren't going anywhere. Even then, they aren't.

Local schools here are paying $350 for their Chromebooks, and that includes a keyboard, touch pad, and touch screen and a per-student license for Google's education suite. The keyboard rolls all the back to become a tablet.

Why does it need to be Apple?

Our school district used Google Docs. After that stink about Google mining kids user data years ago (with a push by myself and several other parents) they dropped Google and went with Microsoft Office instead.

Students gained two benefits. First they weren’t being tracked by the largest data mining company on the planet. Second, they learned to use Office which is still the de-facto standard in most businesses.

Microsoft is no angel, but at least their company survival isn’t based on capturing your data and then using it to sell ads.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Why does it need to be Apple?

Our school district used Google Docs. After that stink about Google mining kids user data years ago (with a push by myself and several other parents) they dropped Google and went with Microsoft Office instead.

Students gained two benefits. First they weren’t being tracked by the largest data mining company on the planet. Second, they learned to use Office which is still the de-facto standard in most businesses.

Microsoft is no angel, but at least their company survival isn’t based on capturing your data and then using it to sell ads.

Not saying it needs to be Apple, but since every school in our state had their budget cut around 10-15%, they have to keep their costs down. Google is offering the best deal, currently.

Either way, it's not going to be the iPad.

 

[justanotherdave]

MRs has posted this topic at least 3 times now.

Apple really needs to merge iPadOS with MacOS otherwise the iPad will always be a nerfed version of the Mac. You're not going to get big developers to re-develop their Pro Apps on iPad. Even Apple won't rework Xcode to run on it.

Say what? There are a lot of high-end Apps for the iPad. I literally just mentioned Blender as an example in this very thread.

I think you’re confusing the iPad with Android tablets. Now there’s an ecosystem that’s lacking in high-end tablet Apps.

 

[hovscorpion12]

Can you format a hard drive in the files app?

Yes

 

[Redlegs20]

I’m pumped about this as an iPad as a tablet/laptop user. I truly don’t understand why most Apple users don’t use an iPad as their only computer. Unless you need a very specific program OR like pc gaming… this is the best of all worlds.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I’m pumped about this as an iPad as a tablet/laptop user. I truly don’t understand why most Apple users don’t use an iPad as their only computer. Unless you need a very specific program OR like pc gaming… this is the best of all worlds.

Plenty of reasons, and I'm not a gamer: It's missing a ton of apps, you need a keyboard/trackpad or mouse to make it useful, it lacks ports, it doesn't have a terminal, it's locked down to Apple's App Store, you can't get Firefox with extensions, they can work entirely offline, multiple user accounts on the same device (my family shares non-phone devices at home). I could go on and on.

What is "both worlds"? I can't see any advantages, and have bought and eventually sold four iPads because I could never find a use for them.

Oh yea, the iOS/iPadOS 26 liquid glass layout is terrible.

 

[mrgraff]

Calling it now. Within 10 years, Apple is out of the desktop business. The iPad and iPhone will be their signature devices that do everything and will be powerful enough and designed to do it. Obviously it's not feasible or practical right now, but that's where I see their hardware and software design going.

Disclaimer: this is solely my opinion and I have nothing to cite or base it on.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Calling it now. Within 10 years, Apple is out of the desktop business. The iPad and iPhone will be their signature devices that do everything and will be powerful enough and designed to do it. Obviously it's not feasible or practical right now, but that's where I see their hardware and software design going.

Disclaimer: this is solely my opinion and I have nothing to cite or base it on.

You're probably right, which is why I'm keeping one foot out of the ecosystem at all times. I need to be able to leave pretty readily if this happens.

If they fully open their devices to me installing apps/software from wherever I want, with or without their approval, then maybe I'll ride along...but I don't generally like to carry my entire digital life with me at all times.

 

[klasma]

The lines between iPad and Mac have never been blurrier

Also the UI, with iPadOS 26.

 

[klasma]

not software related but i wish they would keep the usbc port but add the mac magsafe power connector on ipads…at least higher models.

it’s very convenient, more efficient than qi charging (which ipad doesn't have anyway) and saves wear and tear on the single usbc port. my usbc port still works but is definitely looser than it used to be regardless of how careful i am.

As a workaround, you can use USB-C magnet adapters like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2D95B3V

 

[dcingie]

Helpful article to help me make the most of my iPad, thank you

 

[phuklok1]

As a workaround, you can use USB-C magnet adapters like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F93XBGMY

thanks, I’ve actually tried a few varieties or those but none seem to work consistently and they all seem to eventually dump the ipad into a mode where it says not charging (which means it may be but ridiculously slowly). also, i would love to be able to charge and still hook things to the usbc when out and not attached to a hub. magsafe just works so damn well. i know it’s a dream, apple prefersto remove things not add them 😂

 

[johnediii]

But when will it give us the ability to run management scripts in iPadOS? That is by far the most interesting thing to a school admin with 700 iPads. Right now, if they're not online, too bad.

 

[klasma]

There are software products that are so full-featured that people go oooh and aaah.

Then there is Apple. Take a well established software, strip out of the advanced stuff, and release it. Yes, we have Notes on the iPhone, yes, a Calendar, yes, a Calculator.

That’s okay as long as third-party software can fill that gap. The real problem is with OS functionality that Apple is not letting third-party apps use or implement. This results in users only having a choice between integrated first-party apps lacking functionality and third-party power-user apps lacking integration, or being impossible to implement at all.

 

[jlc1978]

But the traffic lights are one of the main things I’m wondering how they will work in practice. Seems like one of those things they are trying to make it so it works well with touch and a mouse and it’ll just fall flat.

I've found them o be useful, the hardet part was getting used to having to touch it then select the desired action.

Basically people will whine about Apple no matter what they do. It’s the only constant here at MR.

Of course. Apple could announce free M3 iPads and we'd complain they weren't M4's.

Local schools here are paying $350 for their touchscreen Chromebooks, which includes a keyboard and touch pad, and a per-student license for Google's education suite. The keyboard rolls all the back to become a tablet. Apple has nothing in that league.

Edit: Oh yea, they can generally fix them on site, and keep new screens, keyboard, individual keys and such on hand.

Costs and repairability are no doubt key to schools. When you're buying hundreds or thousands of devices even a few dollars more adds up and school budgets are tight. Being able to fix rather than replace is also important because you know they will get damaged.

Unless they are needed for some special application, like in special ed to meet IEP requirements or for coaches to break down game film schools aren't buying.

As a workaround, you can use USB-C magnet adapters like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2D95B3V

I've used a similar setup for years with my Mac and iPads, especially while traveling to avoid having the device damaged if someone yanked the power cord.

 

[iPadified]

Missing: running MacOS apps or at least desktop Office.

 

[TheDailyApple]

It’s nice, I guess, for those who want it. For me…. Eh… I’d rather have a MacBook as it would seem you’d need to purchase the Magic Keyboard, etc to make this work fluently anyway.


iPadOS 18 added/includes:

Transfer files from iPad to a storage device, a server, or the cloud

With iPad and a computer, transfer files using an external storage device, a file server, or a cloud storage service like iCloud, Box, or Dropbox.

support.apple.com

Ah, I hadn’t caught that.

 

[SYCAMOREGRAD]

I thought automatically show and hide the dock wasn’t new. Also, I don’t see it anywhere in multitasking and gestures.

 

[citysnaps]

If Apple doesn’t significantly update their Apps they get criticized.

If they add a slew of features other software has they get criticized for sherlocking.

Basically people will whine about Apple no matter what they do. It’s the only constant here at MR.

And sadly, it's become a tradition going back around two decades.

 

[Fraserpatty]

Those 'traffic lights' are a real PITA with some apps as they interfere with functions in that space, mostly by covering them. So apps need to be rewritten, or there needs to be an option to move those things around.

They should have kept the three dots at the top

 

[B-Mc-C]

This is the correct description, like. I don't need like, I need a Terminal, real Firefox, Chrome, vscode, configurable keyboard shortcuts and so on. I don't need a Mac-like, a looklike. I even start Mac apps in fullscreen on my 27".

What is stopping you from buying a Mac?

 

[B-Mc-C]

As an iPad mini user, I would like slide over back.

This. I can’t/won’t upgrade my iPad until SlideOver is brought back. It is superior to windowed mode.

 

[lyngo]

No one can moan about this update.

Some fantastic new features.

I’m waiting for the official release; I think it’s going to be transformational.

I will miss part of slideover being part of the rhythm of my workflow.