All iPads Analysis - Why iPadOS 26 is a step backwards UX-wise

[Populus]

Apparently not in all installations. Not on 9th gen, 26.3.

Yeah, it depends on the model. I remember that back in the iPadOS 16 days when this new “rendering resolution” was introduced, it was exclusive to the iPad Pro models.

The base iPad has remained with the same “rendering resolution” unless the iPad 10 or 11 has introduced it, which I doubt.

 

[AlanMarron]

I have 26.3 on a test mule and 18.7.3 on my daily driver.

I’m not overjoyed with multiple windows. The split screen in 18 is faster and more intuitive. Whenever I use multiple windows, I spend precious moments trying to get usable sizes.

There seems to be more options in the contextual menus of 26, but maybe I’m discovering options that are there in 18.

Even with reduced transparency, I can’t warm to the visual differences in 26. Some font sizes seem wrong (time, date, connection, battery are bigger than in 18), and when I enable the full LG experience, the fog/mist is inconsistent and distracting.

So after a day of trying to adapt to 26, I return to 18. A week later, I try again. As the OP asserts, the iPad sits in its own place between the iPhone and the Mac, and Apple shouldn’t try to incorporate too many features from the Mac.

 

[throAU]

Apparently not in all installations. Not on 9th gen, 26.3.

interesting, maybe its an M series only thing

 

[throAU]

I have 26.3 on a test mule and 18.7.3 on my daily driver.

I’m not overjoyed with multiple windows. The split screen in 18 is faster and more intuitive. Whenever I use multiple windows, I spend precious moments trying to get usable sizes.

There seems to be more options in the contextual menus of 26, but maybe I’m discovering options that are there in 18.

Even with reduced transparency, I can’t warm to the visual differences in 26. Some font sizes seem wrong (time, date, connection, battery are bigger than in 18), and when I enable the full LG experience, the fog/mist is inconsistent and distracting.

So after a day of trying to adapt to 26, I return to 18. A week later, I try again. As the OP asserts, the iPad sits in its own place between the iPhone and the Mac, and Apple shouldn’t try to incorporate too many features from the Mac.

I feel that the whole non-full-screen experience is rarely used until hooked up to an external display, as the ipad displays are generally pretty small.

I never found the old slide over and split screen useful, again, screen too small. Am liking the updated windowing with a big screen though!

 

[AlanMarron]

I feel that the whole non-full-screen experience is rarely used until hooked up to an external display, as the ipad displays are generally pretty small.

I never found the old slide over and split screen useful, again, screen too small. Am liking the updated windowing with a big screen though!

I wonder how many iPad users hook up to an external display? Doesn’t that kinda negate the portability of iPad?

(Although I use my M2 Air with our TV to watch subscription services. Our sole TV is old and kinda dumb, and our homes are Starlink only.)

 

[Nikhil72]

My 13” goes everywhere with me for the most part and 26 has been incredibly great for my work cases. I boot my MacBook maybe once a month? Everything gets done on the iPad and I’m lucky that my professional work is all based on a touch centric iPad app that can now run in a smaller window while I have other apps open in small floating windows nearby.

To each their own! I’m sure refinements will continue and these paradigms will continue to carry forth in the coming years. I imagine the new folding iPhone will run some sort of floating window system on the inner display as well and this is a ripe setup for that.

 

[Populus]

I wonder how many iPad users hook up to an external display? Doesn’t that kinda negate the portability of iPad?

(Although I use my M2 Air with our TV to watch subscription services. Our sole TV is old and kinda dumb, and our homes are Starlink only.)

Any luck at making Prime Video app full screen on an external display by the way?

 

[AlanMarron]

Any luck at making Prime Video app full screen on an external display by the way?

I just tried it. Apple TV and Paramount begin with the format of the iPad, but switch to the width of the TV when a presentation begins. Amazon stays at the starting width. I couldn’t find a work-around.

 

[sparksd]

Any luck at making Prime Video app full screen on an external display by the way?

No, still have to use through Safari for that.

 

[HiVolt]

Confirming:

That works for the iPad display, but there is no such option for an external display. At least not on mine. Maybe it requires an Apple Display or a higher PPI display.

 

[ThailandToo]

Needs to have a dual OS. MacOS for when attached to keyboard and mouse and iPadOS when want to use it by itself or Apple Pencil.

The problem is the iPad Pros are super capable but cannot do what should be simple due to lockdowns by an anticompetitive company that desires nothing more than to take every penny it can and give it to shareholders.

MacOS would be amazing and it’s the same SoC as MacBook Pro/Air. The only reason to not allow it is to lockdown the system forever. At this price we should be able to run MacOS. Even if it’s only the iPad Pros that offer MacOS it would be a game changer.

I would buy a new iPad Pro 13” if it had MacOS abilities and could run iPadOS when I wanted to. On my 11” iPad Pro, the user interface is too small like the OP says but add in a Magic Mouse and it transforms it. The only reason Apple wouldn’t allow us to use these features it wants to market is to keep their cut of the App Store. Cannot wait until regulation worldwide stops the behaviors and consumers can start winning some of the dollars back.

 

[RLRabb]

Apparently not in all installations. Not on 9th gen, 26.3.

From Apple:

Models that support Display zoom​

• iPad Air (5th generation)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generations)
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation and later)
• iPad Air 11-inch (M2 and M3)
• iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and M3)
• iPad Pro 11-inch (M4 and M5)
• iPad Pro 13-inch (M4 and M5)

 

[HiVolt]

Multiple instances open requires support by the app.

Thanks, I thought so. Have you encountered any that do?

 

[AlexESP]

Needs to have a dual OS. MacOS for when attached to keyboard and mouse and iPadOS when want to use it by itself or Apple Pencil.

The problem is the iPad Pros are super capable but cannot do what should be simple due to lockdowns by an anticompetitive company that desires nothing more than to take every penny it can and give it to shareholders.

MacOS would be amazing and it’s the same SoC as MacBook Pro/Air. The only reason to not allow it is to lockdown the system forever. At this price we should be able to run MacOS. Even if it’s only the iPad Pros that offer MacOS it would be a game changer.

I would buy a new iPad Pro 13” if it had MacOS abilities and could run iPadOS when I wanted to. On my 11” iPad Pro, the user interface is too small like the OP says but add in a Magic Mouse and it transforms it. The only reason Apple wouldn’t allow us to use these features it wants to market is to keep their cut of the App Store. Cannot wait until regulation worldwide stops the behaviors and consumers can start winning some of the dollars back.

“The only” reason? Maybe creating a really poor experience (having to reboot, partitions, creating APIs for touch input…) is a much better reason than the system lockdown. I think having macOS on the iPad would be extremely weird, and a very high percentage of people who say “I would buy it” wouldn’t do it once they test it.

If it was such a good idea, it would definitely steal many Windows laptops/tablets sales, and Apple would do it. It highly outweighs any App Store revenue impact. The problem is that it’s a net negative (or at best, neutral): macOS (even if optional) would make iPads worse than they’re today, and certainly they don’t want people to stop buying expensive iPads.

 

[sparksd]

Thanks, I thought so. Have you encountered any that do?

I think most of those from Apple do (I'm away and can't check).

 

[Populus]

That works for the iPad display, but there is no such option for an external display. At least not on mine. Maybe it requires an Apple Display or a higher PPI display.

On a 4K monitor it also works. It allows you to render the interface smaller or bigger, independently of the main display, which can be great to adjust the content size.

 

[HiVolt]

On a 4K monitor it also works. It allows you to render the interface smaller or bigger, independently of the main display, which can be great to adjust the content size.

Yeah, this monitor while having 5K worth of pixels, because its super ultra wide but at the equiivalent of 2560x1440p PPI, i guess Apple doesn't allow scaling, which is kind of ridiculous.

 

[JamesMay82]

I’m happy with how the OS physically looks it’s just how it works is my issue.. I’d like it to be more independent of the cloud and Mac..

I can’t import my music with out a Mac.

I can’t import photos without a Mac or iCloud.. importing from folder is very difficult.

 

[RevTEG]

It’s nice that you like it, I just think most people won’t. As I explained in the most, I think modes are not a good solution. And I would consider myself an expert, if such thing exists in this context, and I still don’t like it: having a toggle for such a fundamental thing (what you’re mentioning) seems like a UX failure from my point of view.

Regarding the last part, I know they will improve it with time, the problem is that I think they’re moving in the wrong direction.

While a small sample, based on on the responses to Doogm’s response, most people seem to like iPadOS26. Only 1 laugh and 1 angry face, the rest, including me seem to like it. It has options. My 72 year old mom still runs her iPad Pro in single app mode. I run my taking advantage of multiple windows. Win win for options.

 

[ThailandToo]

“The only” reason? Maybe creating a really poor experience (having to reboot, partitions, creating APIs for touch input…) is a much better reason than the system lockdown. I think having macOS on the iPad would be extremely weird, and a very high percentage of people who say “I would buy it” wouldn’t do it once they test it.

If it was such a good idea, it would definitely steal many Windows laptops/tablets sales, and Apple would do it. It highly outweighs any App Store revenue impact. The problem is that it’s a net negative (or at best, neutral): macOS (even if optional) would make iPads worse than they’re today, and certainly they don’t want people to stop buying expensive iPads.

Greed of the walled garden would never let us determine. I think it would make those who want to use iPad Pro in that way super happy and make it worth the prices we pay for locked down BS.

 

[AlexESP]

While a small sample, based on on the responses to Doogm’s response, most people seem to like iPadOS26. Only 1 laugh and 1 angry face, the rest, including me seem to like it. It has options. My 72 year old mom still runs her iPad Pro in single app mode. I run my taking advantage of multiple windows. Win win for options.

As you said, this is a small sample. If you looked at reactions to comments in MacRumors, you’d think Apple (and other companies) is almost bankrupt.

My argument is that bringing this option makes the iPad worse for almost everybody (of course, there will be some people who still like it).

 

[AlexESP]

Greed of the walled garden would never let us determine. I think it would make those who want to use iPad Pro in that way super happy and make it worth the prices we pay for locked down BS.

If greed was the real reason and macOS on the iPad was so great, they would do it. The revenue stream from that would be much higher than App Store fees. The real reason they don’t it is that macOS on the iPad wouldn’t be good.

 

[AlexESP]

To each their own! I’m sure refinements will continue and these paradigms will continue to carry forth in the coming years. I imagine the new folding iPhone will run some sort of floating window system on the inner display as well and this is a ripe setup for that.

I seriously doubt anyone would like to multitask on a 7.8” display. And I wouldn’t expect Apple to do implement that, but based on iPadOS 26, maybe they do…

 

[TechnoMonk]

I really like iOS 26, and over all direction it is headed for my iPad Pro. After the initial shock during beta, I appreciate it more.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I don't mind it. Just got my first "windowing capable" iPad Air M3 a week ago. But it still has many limitations. Like especially when attached to a monitor. I cannot open the same instance of the same app, or a new window within the app.

I'm not sure if this is a feature that devs must implement, but If open one VNC remote window and I just cannot open another one, unless its a different VNC app, which is stupid.

But I was quite blown away that it works hooked up to a 49" Dell monitor via USB-C and keyboard/mouse is passed thru no problem, and native resolution of 5120x1440. But all the UI elements are huge, there is no scaling or sizing unfortunately.

But this is the absolutely the best attempt at trying to be more than a web/media consumption device.

I still wish it could be some kind of true hybrid running macOS when attached to a monitor. That would be a killer feature and I wouldn't hesitate to blow a wad of money on a souped up version.

I use iPad Pro as my test bed and pretty much run what is on cloud through iPad Pro apps. However, I don’t connect it to a huge monitor, I have a MBP or Mac Mini connected. Best part of IPad Pro for me is not tied to a desk or use when I am travelling.