I think people love the format of the iPad (touchscreen, Apple Pencil, portability) but want the software versatility of the Mac. "Buying a Mac" is not the same.
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Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer Come to iPadOS
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Never say never. Look at the concept of the Microsoft Surface. It can be done ... better than what Microsoft has accomplished (because Windows is Windows).
The first one is an artificial limitation in AVFoundation. You can actually do multiple video streams in VisionOS. Apple just need to flip a switch to let the other devices do so.
The second one.. almost every device uses virtual memory. It’s mandatory unless you want to invest to be sharing memory stacks or blowing out the device memory. Did you mean letting apps use more memory? There’s a capability flag in Xcode to let your app go beyond 2GB
Does the entry level iPad get proper external monitor support now? Or do you still need a M version?
You get an option to use Full screen apps (no multitasking), multitask or stage manager.
Stage manager is basically the same as multitasking but with the stage manager ui. (also has the menubar and window controls)
If you pick full screen apps all of this goes away and you use one app at a time. No windows, no menu bar.
Screenshot from my iPad mini running iPad OS 26 beta:
I thought Dex was for Samsung phones. That's one feature that was rumoured for iPhone that never happened (sadly). I'm not surprised though. That would be like giving away a computer to every iPhone user.
They called it out by name, and showed it actually happening, I just couldn’t see what they did. I can emulate pretty much everything else I saw, but the part of the workflow that helps me is that is that’s my easiest way to jump back-and-forth between apps as it’s what I’m used to doing on my Mac
You'll never get the software "versatility" of the Mac when the iPad UI is designed for a touch-first environment.
The thing is that a Keyboard+Trackpad is not permanently affixed to the device.
If I want to read, I flip the keyboard case on the back so I can hold it while reading it vertically.
If I then need to write something, put the keyboard back on and turn it.
That’s most likely a hardware limitation of the A chip the base iPad uses. M series iPads get external monitor support because M chips have multiple display controllers.
I'm not sure if you watched the keynote but the iPad will still run in full screen mode as always. The menu is on auto-hide. The OS doesn't make an iPad an iPad, the physical hardware format with touch screen is what makes an iPad an iPad.R.I.P iPad
Yes, I just checked Apple's websites and no entry level iPad support for proper external monitor use.
Is Windowing coming to iPad mini A17?
Apple today revealed an overhaul of iPad multitasking, introducing a completely new windowing system, a macOS-style Menu Bar, a pointer, and more.
The centerpiece of the multitasking improvements is a new macOS-style windowing system. Apps still launch in full-screen by default, preserving the familiar iPad experience, but users can now resize apps into windows using a new grab handle. If an app was previously used in a windowed state, it will remember that layout and reopen the same way next time.
Intuitive window tiling allows users to simply flick a window toward the edge of the screen to automatically tile it into place. To make managing multiple apps easier, Expose—a feature familiar to Mac users—comes to iPad, offering a clear overview of all open windows, allowing quick switching.
A new gesture allows users to swipe home twice to minimize all open apps and windows, instantly returning to the Home Screen. The updated multitasking system is also fully compatible with external displays.
A Menu Bar is now visible at the top of the screen, similar to macOS. It provides access to key app functions and system controls.
A redesigned trackpad pointer also comes to iPadOS 26. Rather than the circular, shape-shifting blob from previous versions, the iPad now uses a traditional pointed arrow to improve precision, particularly when navigating menus and smaller elements.
Article Link: Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer Come to iPadOS
That's what I was thinking too when I was watching the keynote.
So many attempts at multi-tasking on the iPad that never really worked, until someone at Apple realised that macOS had it right all along.
Yes and that's an issue when developers have to decide how to design the UI. Touch is always available and therefore apps will always be optimized for touch at the minimum.
Reading hasn't been a huge issue on the Mac.
Writing on iPad is far less ideal compared to Mac while reading on a Mac isn't that much worse than an iPad. Get a Mac.
Any changes with the keyboard? I’m still hoping for cut/copy/paste and undo/redo to be more accessible. On my iPhone, the entire bottom is empty except for the smiley icon and the mic icon. I don’t understand why they don’t use all that empty space to add these features.
****ing. Finally.
Apple today revealed an overhaul of iPad multitasking, introducing a completely new windowing system, a macOS-style Menu Bar, a pointer, and more.
The centerpiece of the multitasking improvements is a new macOS-style windowing system. Apps still launch in full-screen by default, preserving the familiar iPad experience, but users can now resize apps into windows using a new grab handle. If an app was previously used in a windowed state, it will remember that layout and reopen the same way next time.
Intuitive window tiling allows users to simply flick a window toward the edge of the screen to automatically tile it into place. To make managing multiple apps easier, Expose—a feature familiar to Mac users—comes to iPad, offering a clear overview of all open windows, allowing quick switching.
A new gesture allows users to swipe home twice to minimize all open apps and windows, instantly returning to the Home Screen. The updated multitasking system is also fully compatible with external displays.
A Menu Bar is now visible at the top of the screen, similar to macOS. It provides access to key app functions and system controls.
A redesigned trackpad pointer also comes to iPadOS 26. Rather than the circular, shape-shifting blob from previous versions, the iPad now uses a traditional pointed arrow to improve precision, particularly when navigating menus and smaller elements.
Article Link: Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer Come to iPadOS
It’s part of the default now which is nice. App full screen but if grab and shrink then in windowing mode.
I have a Mac. I nearly always have my iPad on me for particular use cases, mostly drawing. And if I'm commuting, reading from an iPad is far more comfortable than having a computer on your lap.
I'm sure developers can handle with designing an app on a device that has been keyboard-compatible for 5+ years
Drawing makes sense and it hasn't really been an issue.
iPad clearly is better at consuming things. For those people who need consumption PLUS multi-window productivity sessions, Mac is clearly a better choice.
developers design for touch first because that's what's always available to users. they aren't going to spend time morphing the entire UI for when a keyboard is detected especially when Apple doesn't provide nearly enough APIs to make this easy.