Downgrading to iPadOS 14 - anyone else?

[Chrissybear]

I’ve been with Apple for over 12 years now - phones, pads, watches, Macs, services, iCloud, apps - the whole caboodle.

Never have I been disappointed in upgrades (though losing the MagSafe from the MacBook was a downer) - that is until now…

I have tried to like iPadOS15, and there are some things that look good, but I cannot make the homepage, the widgets and awful icon layout size work for me on my 12.9” Pro with Magic Keyboard, having been spoilt by iOS 14’s landscape view.

I cannot get my head around the mixed messaging by Apple, trying to pitch the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement and then they drop iPadOS 15 on us - it feels like a return to the original iPad in terms of the Home Screen. And those widgets just won’t stay where I put them!

Am I caught in some kind of nightmare? Will I wake up from it soon?
I had to search how to downgrade to iPadOS 14 - but success!

I am so glad I‘m back with a handful of left-sided widgets and a 6x5 set of icons.
I get ALL my apps on one home page - and a nice digital clock and date!

How long will I be able to stay in this wonderful comfort zone, I wonder?
Or if ‘forced’ to upgrade at some point, how much I will get for my ‘laptop-that-isn’t-a-laptop’ any more?

Really disappointed in Apple, sorry guys…

 

[aibo82]

I think it’s called saturation point they are going overboard changing stuff for the sake of it! I’m thinking the same thing I loved older versions of iOS it was simple and got you what you needed quickly.

it’s now because an 80s TV remote over clutter with to many buttons and sub menus!

Im all for new features but it’s getting OTT

 

[w5jck]

Yep, I bought my iPad Air 2020 earlier this year thinking Apple would deliver a true laptop killer iPadOS with 15. But instead they delivered the biggest POS ever! Why even make iPad Pros if the iPadOS can’t take advantage of the processing power? It is moronic. Apple clearly has no desire to ever release a true laptop killer iPad. They are only interested in releasing way over-priced entertainment toys. I think after 40 years I’m finally done with them too. Even their computer line in total crap and over priced. They can take all their buggy OSes and underpowered devices and put them where the sun doesn’t shine!

 

[kitkat2]

I’ve got an older iPad Pro 9.7”, and even worse than hating what they’ve done to the Home Screen - every time I switch apps or even just put the iPad down for a minute, when I go back to it the app needs to reload and I lose my place. Absolutely dreadful. I’ve never wanted to go backwards before and I’m not sure how to go about, but man! I have never had such a horrible experience with an update before.

 

[PBz]

Not updating any Apple devices (or buying any more) until Tim Cook commits to not scanning my phone.. scan his cloud all he likes.

 

[abw2002]

I think I'm going to have to. This is unbelievably bad. How in the world did this thing make it into production? smh

 

[Heat_Fan89]

Nope, not going back. I absolutely love what Apple has done with iOS/iPad 15. Don’t these types of threads popup every year?

 

[abw2002]

I mean, I finally get something I thought I could live with as far as arrangement of icons, and the widgets throw icons willy nilly onto different screens no matter what I do on the drag and drop. It is so incredibly frustrating. This thing no longer feels like a polished device. It feels like a toy. A thousand dollar toy.

 

[Seanm87]

No I'm happy with the changes.

 

[VinnyML]

In the same camp with you. Have an iPad Pro 11" (Gen 1) and am woefully disappointed in the progress of iPadOS. Was disappointed with iOS 14 (dropping support for things like sleep tracker and NOT having App Library) and now comes iOS 15 and while we get App Library, we lose out icon density and home screen arrangement. I definitely think Apple has lost there way with the iPad and will say I was thinking about upgrading but not until they figure this stuff out - I'm now tempted to try the Galaxy Tab and that says a lot.

 

[MUrhino]

I’ve been with Apple for over 12 years now - phones, pads, watches, Macs, services, iCloud, apps - the whole caboodle.

I have tried to like iPadOS15, and there are some things that look good, but I cannot make the homepage, the widgets and awful icon layout size work for me on my 12.9” Pro with Magic Keyboard, having been spoilt by iOS 14’s landscape view.

I cannot get my head around the mixed messaging by Apple, trying to pitch the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement and then they drop iPadOS 15 on us - it feels like a return to the original iPad in terms of the Home Screen. And those widgets just won’t stay where I put them!

I tend to agree...been a user for 18 years but the UI is killing me w/ this update.

Can I ask, where you found a download link for iOS 14.8 ISPW to restore to? Yes....I should've made room for a backup before I upgraded. I did for the iPhone, but not the iPad. Doh! Have since pointed the backups to an external HD.

 

[Otago Lad]

Totatally agree with the comments about app layout - massive unused space around the apps, no edge to edge which causes apps to move to next screen that I had "perfected" in iOS 14 - really frustrated, as are the kids on their iPad's as they had spent alot of time organising and this has completely stuffed all that up

 

[Butchie-T]

So how do you downgrade? Safari is basically useless for me. Pages just don’t load. i have done several resets, reacquiring my home network. Nothing seems to work, safari just sits and timesout.

 

[sparksd]

No, not going back.

 

[Chrissybear]

I tend to agree...been a user for 18 years but the UI is killing me w/ this update.

Can I ask, where you found a download link for iOS 14.8 ISPW to restore to? Yes....I should've made room for a backup before I upgraded. I did for the iPhone, but not the iPad. Doh! Have since pointed the backups to an external HD.

After some searching, I got them from here…

Download: iOS 14.8 IPSW Links, OTA Profile File Along With iPadOS 14.8 Out Now

You can now download iOS 14.8 IPSW links and OTA along with iPadOS 14.8. As always, we have all of the relevant details so that you can make an informed decision before you download and install Apple’s latest release.

www.redmondpie.com

 

[DogHouseDub]

Change for the sake of change. iOS and MacOS have both gone backwards.

Did NOBODY look at the Appletv Remote app? The epitome of gibberish.

 

[stinkhorn9]

I genuinely don't understand the point of widgets. I'm open to learning - but at the moment, I am 'huh'?

 

[BimBamSmash]

Curious if Jony Ive still had a say on the HI (i.e. Human Interface) side of things, even as a consultant.

 

[Starscape]

I’ve been using iPadOS since beta on my iPad Pro 11 and for the most part, I’m pleased with it. I definitely understand frustrations with the home page and lack of customizable elements. I feel there is too much wasted, open space that could otherwise be used for better widgets and even more app icons and folders. Apple really needs to remove the outdated iOS mobile yoke off iPads so users can customize the home page to the best of their needs.

 

[NicoTRZ]

Personally (iPad Pro 12.9'), I'm happy with iPad OS 15. Been waiting for widgets on home page since iOS 14 came out. And I didn't understand why that didn't came sooner on iPad.

For me the point of widgets is to have a bunch of informations available at a glance without having to open each app. Or having photos I wouldn't have think to watch and have nice memories.

And with focus, you can update the home page depending on the time of day (or even what day is it) and have the apps that you probably gonna use at the moment if you configure it correctly (but I can understand that it takes time to configure it).

I would never come back to the old design. I'm happy I can finally limit the number of visible pages on my iPad without having to show all the installed app I have on it.

But I can understand that some people don't care / don't want the widget. The best of both world would probably be to set an option to show or not the widgets on home page

 

[pacorob]

I genuinely don't understand the point of widgets. I'm open to learning - but at the moment, I am 'huh'?

I have been using widgets since back in the day (iOS8) we had them for the first time via Today View area. I still use these today in iOS15 to quickly see the rain forecast for the upcoming minutes/hour for my area and things like Launcher widget.

Since we have homescreen widgets I tend to use those in two stacks for:

- weather upcoming hours with precipitation in mm and % (Carrot Weather)
- weather upcoming days with precipitation in mm and % (Carrot Weather)
- clean image without a widget name to show between my app icons (ClearSpaces)
- Countdown to one or more events (Countdown widget +)
- See random photos from your photo album (Apple Photos)
- When shipments arrive (PostNL - Dutch)
- Appointments upcoming hours and days (DayHub)
- Action points at a glance (Cheatsheet Notes)

 

[Gator5000e]

I went back to 14.8 on my Air 3. Much happier now. Now I just Have to figure out how to get rid of the one over the settings icon telling me there’s a software update. But, I can live with that.

 

[Butchie-T]

I am back on 14.8 and will be for a while. Thanks all here for the assistance.

Cheers,

 

[tstimper]

After some searching, I got them from here…

Download: iOS 14.8 IPSW Links, OTA Profile File Along With iPadOS 14.8 Out Now

You can now download iOS 14.8 IPSW links and OTA along with iPadOS 14.8. As always, we have all of the relevant details so that you can make an informed decision before you download and install Apple’s latest release.

www.redmondpie.com

thanks, that helps.
We are staying on iOS 14.8 until OnDeviceScanning is cancelled, the related code is removed and this is verified by a trusted third party.

 

[Cobold]

thanks, that helps.
We are staying on iOS 14.8 until OnDeviceScanning is cancelled, the related code is removed and this is verified by a trusted third party.

So never, as no third party (not even a second to be honest) will ever get their hands on Apple code 🤪