A touch of Mac: Apple promises a more powerful iPadOS 26

Apple is obviously putting iPadOS on a new footing: Version 26, announced on Monday at the WWDC developer conference, not only receives the fresh Liquid Glass design, but also removes limitations that have long been criticized. The fundamental improvements include significantly enhanced window management. The windows now have the familiar traffic light controls from macOS as well as more flexibility in terms of positioning, as the manufacturer announced.

More freedom for iPad windows

iPadOS now supports more open windows and the Exposé overview, also familiar from the Mac, which brings together all open windows in an overview and allows quick selection. This can also be used in combination with Stage Manager and supports the extended display when users connect an external monitor to the iPad. The "complete support" for external screens is still only available for iPads with Apple's M-Chip. However, extended window management now appears to work on all iPads that support iPadOS 26.

Apple also promises better handling of files: The Files app now makes it possible to set default apps for opening certain file types. Folders with files can also be stored directly in the iPad dock so that they remain accessible system-wide. The list view in the Files app should also provide more information and thus provide a better overview. The Preview app familiar from macOS is also coming to the iPad, specifically for handling PDF documents. And with a menu bar for apps, Apple is bringing another Mac element to the iPad, which can be used to find and execute commands. Developers can customize this for their apps, according to the company.

Another fundamental addition is extended background actions: Apps can now perform power-hungry functions in the background, this is displayed as a live activity. This makes it possible for the first time to export a video project while switching apps – something that was previously impossible on the iPad, even in Apple's Final Cut.

iPadOS 26: Apple supports these iPads

iPadOS 26 should also bring more flexibility for audio projects, including the option to select and change the input source. For the first time, it will also be possible to record audio tracks locally in high quality, for example during a video call. The new iPad operating system also integrates the innovations announced for iOS 26, the diary app Journal and a fresh calligraphy pen. iPadOS 26 is expected to be released in September. The update runs on the iPad Pro (from 2018), iPad Air (from 2019), iPad (from 2020) and iPad mini (from 2019).

(lbe)