Windowing, Menu Bar, and Pointer Come to iPadOS

[tim@ipad]

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

Im not a programmer… but this virtual memory to have more than the 16GB is apparently the issue why we do not have DXO, Topaz or Lightroom Denoise… Whatever the issue is, it needs to fixed ASAP

B

 

[seek3r]

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.

except the base model can use an external display, it’s just limited by apple (and not just mirroring, video apps like netflix know to address the two displays separately, which means the display controller can). Also, remember, the transition kit mac mini for Apple Silicon was an A12 based chip. The chips have the oomph

 

[Johnny London]

all of these are strong mac features coming to the iPad. To help differentiate the mac from the iPad now, Apple could finally make keyboard keys adaptive (customizable for letters, shortcuts, function keys, be app-specific). Imagine key caps with tiny micro-led displays.

 

[reyesmac]

It's about time. imagine how many people that only own iPads will know how to use a Mac by the time they are ready to buy one. With kids being the biggest demographic this would help, it only makes sense to do. Hopefully using the iPad with a mouse will be as good as using it on a Mac and not some hack.

 

[applefan8254]

Can we get multiple users please? Thank you

 

[aorr]

Love this genuinely… wonder what external monitor resolution will iPadOS 26 support? Just want to use Excel on big screen.

If it does support bigger monitors, then skipping m4 mini and giving m2 mini to my kiddo and make m4 11” iPad Pro as my primary device.

I’ve got a 4k display running right now and windows and apps on the screen look great! (M1 iPad Pro so it’s a bit dated, but it seems to drive the display and apps on the screen pretty well)

 

[TracerAnalog]

About damn time

This feels like a certain manager finally said: 'f@ck it, we're doing it. D4mn those silly guidelines and new computing paradigm. It's about time we put MacOS on the iPad'

 

[JohnnyQuest]

How are the iPadOS changes going to impact your next Mac purchase?

I don't use my iPad to its full potential because of the interface. Multitasking still feels clumsy to me, but being able to layer windows is a game changer that'll allow me to operate it closer to how I do a Mac. I've always used my Mac as a workhorse and iPad as a media/entertainment device, and now that could easily flip.

I still need a Mac for specific work tasks, but if I start doing more and more on my iPad because of the new interface, I could totally see myself opting for a MacBook Air instead of Pro.

 

[artifex]

Haven't seen it mentioned yet, but background tasks are going to be a big improvement. Hopefully, this means fewer instances of swapping apps, coming back, and finding your app has to restart/reload and can't find your place. Of course it will probably take more RAM in practice than older model iPads have.

 

[baryon]

Finally. Can't stand slideover and the absolute inconsistent chaos that it is. And how many stupid steps it takes to get an app to go into split screen or slideover. And why some apps refuse to do it. And why some apps can have multiple windows but not others.

 

[Maxgate]

Pretty significant update, looks more useful than the current multitasking system. I wonder if there will be an option to stay in the old single window mode?

Yes there is an option for that

 

[jdb8167]

FINALLY.

Goodbye stage manager

Does this replace Stage Manager or is it simply another option?

Nope. Still there as an option.

Does the iPad mini support this?

Yes. And also does stage manager now. Not sure about external screen support.

I wonder if you can use menu bar and window controls without trackpad and mouse? Like Apple Pencil? I don't have iPad keyboard/trackpad but I do have Apple Pencil.

Works with a finger (down swipe) or Pencil.

If some of this can't be disabled, this is going to be a nightmare for seniors to use.

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:
View attachment 2517825

On first start after install you get three options. Full screen, windows, or stage manager. Totally under user control.

Is Windowing coming to iPad mini A17?

Works great so far. Seems really solid.

 

[jdb8167]

Finally. Can't stand slideover and the absolute inconsistent chaos that it is. And how many stupid steps it takes to get an app to go into split screen or slideover. And why some apps refuse to do it. And why some apps can have multiple windows but not others.

With window mode no more three dots at the top of the screen.

 

[tuckerjj]

Great. Now bring this to iPhone you cowards!

#dex

 

[It’s always something]

Makes me think they are pushing for the iPad to replace the MacBook. I certainly hope this is not the case.

I love your avatar. I must now go put on my slightly larger glasses.

 

[Scott6666]

I don't use my iPad to its full potential because of the interface. Multitasking still feels clumsy to me, but being able to layer windows is a game changer that'll allow me to operate it closer to how I do a Mac. I've always used my Mac as a workhorse and iPad as a media/entertainment device, and now that could easily flip.

I still need a Mac for specific work tasks, but if I start doing more and more on my iPad because of the new interface, I could totally see myself opting for a MacBook Air instead of Pro.

Now that the Pro is more expensive than the Air Apple doesn’t care which you choose.

 

[It’s always something]

I wonder if you can use menu bar and window controls without trackpad and mouse? Like Apple Pencil? I don't have iPad keyboard/trackpad but I do have Apple Pencil.

Similar here: I have a keyboard I sometimes use but no trackpad/mouse or pencil.

 

[platinumaqua]

On first start after install you get three options. Full screen, windows, or stage manager. Totally under user control.

This is good. I use iPad for entertainment only and I prefer using it as a "big iPhone" for that purpose. I don't kike how current multitasking tries to trigger if something's held down for too long

 

[falainber]

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.

Samsung DeX works both on the phones (useful when connected to the monitor) and tablets.

 

[lifeinhd]

Could they please slap a touch screen on the Mac already?! Now that they've basically slapped a Mac on a touch screen.

 

[groove-agent]

Samsung DeX works both on the phones (useful when connected to the monitor) and tablets.

Ah, I've only seen Dex examples with the phones but it makes sense it would work with the tablets as well.

The dream for me is to use an iPhone for all my computing needs in a docking/ dex-like environment and only own one device for all my computing needs. I would be shocked if Apple would go this direction as they literally "bank" on you owning multiple devices for all your computing needs.

 

[yabeweb]

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.

View attachment 2517873

This is the Ui topcoat the keyboard on iPad.

 

[0lf]

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:
View attachment 2517825

Interesting. So windowed replace split screen. They have shown a new gesture to put the app windows in split screen, but I wonder if the back gesture in tablet mode (slide from the left) still works in this mode. With stage manager on iPados 18, it is so inconsistent I consider the gesture disabled.

 

[bluecoast]

This could make the iPad the default computer for most people - and maybe even start to be the default computer for companies for those who just need to use web apps and basic productivity.

 

[mazz0]

Finally real multitasking

Not until apps can reliably stay open without the system deciding when to kill them.