June
iPadOS 26
WWDC is always iPhone-centric, so it’s hard to predict when the iPad will get real attention. Early rumors suggested that iPadOS 26 would push the platform in a more “Mac-like” direction, an idea that always makes me uneasy. The Microsoft Surface has long shown how poorly traditional desktop paradigms translate to touch.
The rumors ended up largely being true, as iPadOS 26 brought not only a visual overhaul of the general interface, but also copied many interface idioms from macOS. The existing multitasking menu was replaced with the traffic-light buttons from the Mac. Every app now has a menu bar to expose shortcuts and commands.
But more importantly, the windowing system was entirely rebuilt. No longer restricted to M-series iPads, all iPad users on iPadOS 26 can create windowed app layouts and place these windows wherever they want. Open apps can also remain live and active, depending on system resources, creating an experience that can be more fluid than Stage Manager 1.0, with its four-app limit, ever could.
It wasn’t all positive, though. With Apple seemingly prioritizing the iPad user who wants their tablet to be more like a Mac, aspects of the iPad experience became worse or more limited for users who prefer touch. Creating a Split View required flinging apps to the sides of the display in the best case, or a multi-step process using the traffic-light buttons at worst. Neither option is as smooth or fluid as simply dragging an app up from the Dock. Slide Over was completely eliminated, to the frustration of those who had built workflows around it. Personally, I’ve found it to be the best place to keep messaging apps.
I don’t want to pretend that the windowing changes didn’t bring improvements, because they absolutely did. For me, the bigger concern was that Apple may have given up on the idea of the iPad as a distinct device, and may be buying into the whole “the iPad should be a Mac” narrative from the tech press. The same tech press that would just continue using their MacBooks anyway, even if the iPad did run macOS.
If I wanted a MacBook, I would buy a MacBook. Apple, take note: I use an iPad because it’s a different type of computer. I have plenty of other options if I wanted to go with more of the same.
Background Tasks
iOS, and by extension iPadOS, have had very limited background task functionality for years. Apple generally prioritizes battery life on its non-Mac portable devices, and letting apps run a bunch of stuff in the background, often without the user’s awareness, runs counter to that.
I’ve argued that this was less of a technical problem to solve and more of a user interface issue. It’s the “user not knowing about it” part that I think was Apple’s hesitation in opening this up. And now that’s been solved by a new Background Tasks API that leverages Live Activites for their user interface.
Now, if an app has long-running work that can be run in the background, that task can be easily viewed and managed by the user on the Lock Screen or in Notification Center.
My excitement for this feature is tempered with disappointment, as the flagship example Apple presented, background exports in Final Cut Pro, still hasn’t shipped. Both LumaFusion and DaVinci Resolve are shipping with this feature. What’s Apple’s excuse here? I’m hoping this will be included as part of upcoming big feature update, but at the end of 2025, I’m just annoyed that this hasn’t shipped yet.
New Apps
Of course, there was much more to iPadOS 26 than new windows. We got a proper Phone app! Finally! FaceTime has been a poor way to manage calls, it’s been great that Apple invested in improving that experience. I love features that make it so I don’t have to go get my phone for every little thing.
The Preview app is something of a disappointment, at least the way I’ve traditionally used the app. The Preview app on macOS is great for working with multiple images or PDFs at once. The app on iPadOS is a single-document-at-a-time affair that is slow to launch.
The Journal app was something iPad users have been clamoring for since the day it was announced for iPhone. I don’t journal anymore, so I don’t have much to say about it other than it was quite overdue.
The Games app is similar for me. I’m glad we have a gaming hub app again on iPadOS and iOS. I never understood why Apple killed the old Game Center app instead of just evolving it.
July
Blender Announced as In Development for iPadOS
I have a confession.
As much as I support the idea open-source software and the free software movement, I’ve generally regarded desktop Linux software as poor knockoffs of popular proprietary apps.
Blender is absolutely an exception.
Blender is a popular open-source tool for 3D art and asset creation. I don’t know enough about this field to know if it’s an industry standard, but it certainly feels like it. In July, the developers announced that work is beginning on a version of Blender for tablets, starting with iPadOS. What’s really great is that the team appears to be taking the time to consider how to adapt Blender to a touch environment without sacrificing functionality.
August
Hitman: World of Assassination Released for iPad
I like highlighting when console or PC games come to the platform, since I know gaming is something many people care deeply about. Hitman: World of Assassination is a compilation of the first three Hitman games developed by IO Interactive, and in August, this compilation came to iPhone and iPad. It includes both game controller and touch control support, and leverages native iPadOS technologies like MetalFX upscaling for improved graphics.
September
Instagram Finally Arrives
The only iPad app that’s been more requested by the community than Final Cut Pro has been Instagram. After years of telling us there weren’t enough users or demand for them to bother with iPad, Meta finally relented.
The focus of the app is Reels, because everyone is trying to compete with TikTok for relevance, I guess. Otherwise, it seems fine…it’s not too far off from the Instagram apps for Windows that existed for years, or the web client.
October
M5 iPad Pro
The iPad Pro appears to be on an 18-month refresh cycle, so an update in October was more or less right on cue.
The M5 chip was the star of the show, with its expected set of improvement, but there were a few surprises that weren’t rumored beforehand . I don’t remember seeing high-refresh-rate external display support on anyone’s bingo card leading up to the announcement. The new tablets can drive a 4K display at up to 120 Hz for the first time. For those thinking this feature indicates the new Apple Studio Display will support a high refresh rate, that’s 4K—not 5K—so I don’t think those two things are related. Nonetheless, this has been great for external display support on iPad Pro… now we just need Apple to make it a significantly less buggy experience.
The M5 also officially supports fast charging, reaching 50% in 30 minutes with a compatible adapter. AI-related performance improvements are present as well, though for users like me who rely mostly on cloud-based tools, they don’t dramatically change daily workflows.
If I had to say anything negative about the M5 iPad Pro, it would be that it’s “just” a spec bump over the M4. I mean, that’s par for the course after a big redesign, but I know some people are disappointed by spec bumps. Not me, though…I like a good spec bump 😁.
Magic Keyboard for iPad Air
Oh, remember that iPad Air Magic Keyboard from a few minutes ago? It now comes in black. Woot.
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