Stage Manager Still Has Several Issues as iPadOS 16 Nears Release

[Mr. Awesome]

The concept of Stage Manager is really promising and I like the implementation, I just really hope they’ll get the bugs worked out soon. I’m frequently getting a bug where trackpad clicks stop registering at all on app buttons, or keyboard input isn’t sent to an app.

 

[Luuthian]

It’s annoying that Apple continues to try avoid the use of “windows” in general by coming up with concepts that break things which are not broken. All they need to do to unlock the iPad Pro’s power is actually port pro apps to the platform (xcode, final cut, etc.) and allow power users to toggle some sort of window based multitasking as needed. That’s it. Bury the option so casual users aren’t confused by it but let people who actually care to utilize the iPad Pro’s power use it. So simple, but Apple continues to be stubborn for the sake of differentiating product lines.

I think it was Tim Cook or Jobs that said you need to canabalize yourself before someone else does. That’s what I see here with them trying to keep the iPad Pro and Macbook apart in ways that make continuously less sense

 

[BrownyQ]

What I've always found strange about Stage Manager, and this might totally be a "me" thing-- is that it encourages windows overlapping with each other.

I use Magnet on macOS for example, and I love it for the reason that I can make sure the windows I'm using are lined up perfectly, never overlapping. If overlap causes some information to be obscured, it defeats the entire purpose, since I'd have to tab to the corresponding window or click on it to view what I need.

Raises the question of SM on iPad, when the current multi-app offering, while not ideal or the best, allows full view of the two apps in use.

So strange that this feature has been having as many problems as has been reported. Doesn't feel like that big a deal, software-wise...

 

[gpat]

What I've always found strange about Stage Manager, and this might totally be a "me" thing-- is that it encourages windows overlapping with each other.

I use Magnet on macOS for example, and I love it for the reason that I can make sure the windows I'm using are lined up perfectly, never overlapping. If overlap causes some information to be obscured, it defeats the entire purpose, since I'd have to tab to the corresponding window or click on it to view what I need.

Raises the question of SM on iPad, when the current multi-app offering, while not ideal or the best, allows full view of the two apps in use.

So strange that this feature has been having as many problems as has been reported. Doesn't feel like that big a deal, software-wise...

The feature visually feels like a movie scene in which the characters are using the computer in some flashy way.

Visually appealing from outside but with scarce actual usefulness.

 

[Ludatyk]

Good thing it’s off by default.
SM has a lot of promise, hope Apple labels it as a “beta” feature and continues improving it.
Wouldn’t be the first time, Private Relay was a beta for a good while, as was the Battery Health panel.

This. We get tweets showing how buggy it is…. yet, we are in a beta cycle. I’m not sure what’s the end goal here… to plead with Apple to scrap it all together?

Then we are back at the starting point… wishing for window-resizing environment for the iPad. Apple has it off by default.. users do not have to use it if they don’t care to. As you mention… label Stage Manager as beta when iPadOS 16 comes around and continue to improve on it.

 

[Dolmio]

To be fair using it today on a m1 iPad Pro this version is much better than previous versions, it’s not perfect but I got 3 windows running which I could resize and use like a desktop so it’s Definately promising as opposed to weird repositioning and crashing before

 

[thenahon]

Stage Manager is useless and poorly implemented. It would have been much easier to just put macOS on the M1 iPads.

 

[ian87w]

So, sounds like a half baked feature that put more focus on show-worthy appearance for the keynote?
Poor Craig.

 

[mrat93]

Mac OS X Leopard with Spaces came out in 2007, that’s all.

 

[mrat93]

Honestly, was the premise for this feature “we need to add better multitasking, but we can’t make it work like the Mac”? That’s the only reason I can think of as to why they created a convoluted new multitasking system.

 

[JTK Awesome]

Scrap it and give iPadOS a windowed UI next year. Stop with this crap software.

I am calling it. Stage Manager will be postponed to iPadOS 16.2.

Yeah… gonna wait on iPad OS 16 for a good long while on my M1 Pro.

iPad OS 16 should be a “tighten the screws” update like Mac OS Snow Leopard.

 

[Stuey3D]

For me it wasn’t Stage Manager I wanted on my non M1 Pro I just wanted proper scaled 2nd screen support, even on Windows or macOS I almost exclusively keep everything maximised or in full screen mode anyway.

What would’ve been more useful is the ability to run an app on the 2nd screen whilst running another on the main screen, such as Teams on the iPad screen and Safari on the 2nd screen so that I don’t have to hide teams to do a simple web search, and I know I could split screen but thats a sub par experience if a 2nd screen is sat there simply mirroring the main display because it cant do anything else.

 

[Kylo83]

They need to stop talking about features before it’s ready internally

 

[Ludatyk]

To be fair using it today on a m1 iPad Pro this version is much better than previous versions, it’s not perfect but I got 3 windows running which I could resize and use like a desktop so it’s Definately promising as opposed to weird repositioning and crashing before

According to twitter… each beta version it gets worst. And I’m starting to think the more criticism it gets… the more pressure to scrap it all together. Seems if Apple cannot win… the huge underlining problem is they already have the Mac and the iPad is stuck in this weird state.

Apple wants to sell you both a Mac and a iPad, but the iPad cannot be as similar to a Mac because then what would be the point of buying a Mac. I recall Apple mentioning the iPad is the future of computing… however, if that statement is true where does that leave the Mac. I think the most vocal criticism is coming mostly from Mac users who would rather the iPad stay as is.

 

[cwosigns]

It has a few promising use cases, but is hampered by lousy implementation:

• Multitasking with up to four screens in landscape orientation. I can have Teams, Slack, Outlook, and Jira open all at once and flip between them more seamlessly.
• Multitasking that way doesn't translate to portrait orientation; I would prefer the iPad to revert to traditional multitasking in portrait mode (or just have one app open full-screen). Be smart about device orientation.
• We need the ability to have the webcam continuously enabled, even if I'm in another window. This is a big con for people who have a lot of camera-on meetings but need to switch between apps.
• External monitor support is a must.
• The ability to use external webcams, or Apple should relocate the webcam to be on the top in landscape orientation.

Apple has an idea about how they want people to use an iPad. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to line up with how people ACTUALLY use an iPad.

 

[tonyisit]

The biggest issue that still remains is that it doesn't work on the iPad Air 4th gen!

 

[GuruZac]

I think Stage Manager is novelty, but honestly, Apple would have been well to offer up external monitor support on iPads with at least A12X and higher. I don’t know what the system requirements are for that, but it would odd for a device with the power of the A12X, notably more powerful than available 13” MacBook Pros from 2018/2019 to not be able to power full external display support.

With respect to stage manager, I have left it turned off. It’s cumbersome and I find Split View and Slide Over just as good if not better than the current Stage Manager.

 

[tonyisit]

Does not look like ipad 4 will get it

 

[LotusLord]

For me it wasn’t Stage Manager I wanted on my non M1 Pro I just wanted proper scaled 2nd screen support, even on Windows or macOS I almost exclusively keep everything maximised or in full screen mode anyway.

What would’ve been more useful is the ability to run an app on the 2nd screen whilst running another on the main screen, such as Teams on the iPad screen and Safari on the 2nd screen so that I don’t have to hide teams to do a simple web search, and I know I could split screen but thats a sub par experience if a 2nd screen is sat there simply mirroring the main display because it cant do anything else.

This is basically exactly what we want. We were/are hoping for the ability to move some of our sales management staff to just iPads, since the people they manage just use iPads now in the field. There are increasingly few places where a Windows device really is needed at the level we're talking but being able to work in some spreadsheets on a larger display while having the iPad to display another app should more or less get us there.

 

[BWhaler]

Sounds like the next Apple Maps.

 

[eicca]

A half-baked attempt at satisfying people who want a competent multitasking experience on the iPad.

Just suck it up and give us the option to run macOS on the iPad already.

 

[Mr. Dee]

macOS would already be an awesome OS for the iPad.
They should only put an automatic switch, between full screen / split screen only if you're using the tablet via touch, and full windowing if a keyboard + trackpad is connected.
It would really be that easy.

You know what I think. After all this fiasco with iPadOS 16, they likely will just use macOS as the foundation for iPadOS in the future instead of iOS. iOS was just never intended to what they are trying to do now. They have been reinventing wheel for more than a decade now. Just gut some of the stuff in macOS that don't make sense on an iPad, add, refine the best of iPadOS's touch functionality on iPad OS.

 

[smulji]

Whats so hard to just tack on touch capabilities in macOS and make it be the default OS for the iPad?
If they want to make it iPad centric, they easily componentize it and remove mouse/keyboard specific functionality like the Global menu bar.

So much of the heavy lifting has been done already with macOS already compatible with M1, APFS, ability to run iPad OS apps. Yet, they would gain all the powerful windowing and desktop features of macOS.

At this point, I agree. After many years, Apple's still having trouble getting windowing and multi-tasking right on iPadOS and there's no point trying to reinvent the wheel. This is where I think MS has it right with the Surface Pro. Adding touch and stylus support to Winddows is proving to be right decision. It isn't perfect but it's improved a lot in Windows 11.

 

[smulji]

The concept of Stage Manager is really promising and I like the implementation, I just really hope they’ll get the bugs worked out soon. I’m frequently getting a bug where trackpad clicks stop registering at all on app buttons, or keyboard input isn’t sent to an app.

There's nothing promising about a broken feature / system

 

[smulji]

You know what I think. After all this fiasco with iPadOS 16, they likely will just use macOS as the foundation for iPadOS in the future instead of iOS. iOS was just never intended to what they are trying to do now. They have been reinventing wheel for more than a decade now. Just gut some of the stuff in macOS that don't make sense on an iPad, add, refine the best of iPadOS's touch functionality on iPad OS.

Hit the nail on the head.