iPadOS should enable more flexible work with app windows – on M1 iPads. New features improve apps and collaborative work on documents.
Apple makes the iPad more flexible: iPadOS 16 brings the new “Stage Manager” window management, which should enable working with multiple windows of up to eight apps at the same time, as Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi promised on Monday evening at the opening of WWDC 2022 (Mac & i-Liveticker). This makes it possible for the first time to work with overlapping windows on the iPad, stressed Federighi. Stage Manager also allows you to group apps with specific windows and then quickly switch between them.
But the new function is apparently only supposed to work on iPads with Apple’s M1 chip, which so far has been the iPad Pro 2021 and the recently introduced iPad Air 5.
Apple promises apps at desktop level
With iPadOS 16, Apple also promises new functions at “desktop level” for many apps, including For example, there is the possibility of changing file extensions in the Files app or creating lists in the Contacts app.
For the first time it is also possible to configure the toolbars of apps – similar to what is known from macOS. iPadOS 16 also works with virtual memory for the first time in order to be able to swap out data from the main memory. Also new in iPadOS and iOS 16 is support for device drivers (DriverKit).
iMessage collaboration tools
The update is also expected to bring new features for collaborative editing of documents directly in Messages or iMessage can be integrated. This should make it possible to work together on documents or to share tabs in Safari. Developers can also integrate the collaboration functions into their apps. Group conversations in iMessage serve as a starting point for collaboration and also allow you to start a video call in FaceTime.
In the future, Apple also wants to deliver an app called Freeform, which serves as a kind of shared whiteboard that can be used by allows multiple users to edit at the same time. Freeform will also be available for macOS and iOS. With iPadOS 16, iPads finally get their own Apple Weather app, along with many of the new features seen with iOS 16.
