Fresh WWDC rumor says iPadOS 16 will make the iPad more like a laptop
The latest iPad Air and iPad Pro models are all fueled by Apple's powerful, Intel-rivalling M1 chip, but many complain that it cannot be used to its full potential because of the tablets' iPadOS operating system. Apple has finally decided to do something about this apparently, per a new report from Bloomberg.
iPad users have long wanted Apple slates to provide Mac-like multitasking and a proper desktop. It looks like those wishes are close to being fulfilled.
Per today's report, the next version of the iPad operating system, iPadOS 16, will make Apple's slates more like a laptop and less like a smartphone. The new OS version will introduce a redesigned multitasking interface which would make it easier to see which applications are open and switch between tasks.
The new version will reportedly also allow users to resize app windows and will also offer new ways for handling multiple apps simultaneously. The revamped iPad interface will allegedly be one of the biggest upgrades to be announced at the Annual Worldwide Developers Conference that begins next week.
Right now, you can either run apps in a full-screen view on the iPad or run two apps side by side and can also launch a scaled-down version of a third app. iPadOS 16 will introduce features to expand upon that interface.
Although Apple makes one of the best tablets around, Android competitors are closing in. The iPad's software has been in need of a huge update ever since the M-series chips made their way into Apple's slates, so it's about time for more advanced features.
Apple will also announce new software versions for its other devices during the conference and one that has been in the news lately is iPhone's iOS 16always-on display option which will let you view glanceable information like the time and date even when your device is locked. The Messages app is expected to gain social-networking features. The Apple Watch is likely to get a new low-power mode for extending battery life.
The new updates will likely be released alongside new products like the iPhone 14 series, the next iPad Pro, the Apple Watch Series 8, and new Macs. Beta versions will likely be available by next week though to allow developers to prepare their apps accordingly.
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