iPad iPadOS 14 Wishlist

[Aibocyrus]

This might be just me, but I wouldn’t mind seeing wireless charging on the iPad, not so much to charge the iPad, but to lay your iPhone down on the back of the iPad and it charge the phone. Just would be a cool hardware update I think.

 

[richpjr]

Mouse support was the biggest single hole and now that 13.4 gives us real support, the next things for me that a few others have already mentioned are:

Extended desktop on a second display
Refined multi-tasking (current implementation is still too clumsy)
Virtual desktops (might be limited by RAM)
NTFS support (at least read support)
More USB peripheral support

 

[lddhtx]

Here’s my wishlist:

- Fix the window system. Slide Over is too complicated. Why can’t I use Split View with apps on the home screen? Why can’t I use Slide Over on the home screen? Why can’t I use multiple Slide Over apps at once? Why can’t I resize Slide Over apps? Why can’t I drag an app into a full screen space in the app switcher like I can do on my Mac?

- Bring Mission Control to iPadOS. This would effectively show the current iPadOS app switcher UI plus the current iPadOS Slide Over app switcher UI in one place. Finally, iPhone-only apps should automatically and only open in slide over (Weather, Wallet, Health, etc.).

- A true desktop. Why can’t I drag files to the desktop? Why can’t I use Stacks in the Dock? Let me put as many apps as I want to in the Dock.

- Better multitasking APIs. Apps performing a background task shouldn’t be forced to time out when in the background. Example: SSH clients, database connections, Spotify downloading a playlist, etc.

- True external display support. Should only work with a trackpad/mouse; Nobody wants a touch monitor.

- Developer tools (please). Xcode, Terminal, Safari/Chrome browser extensions and developer tools, etc.

- Pro apps. I think a Final Cut Pro X and Logic Studio Pro X should be deprecated like they did with Aperture. Apple should just beef up Catalyst versions of GarageBand and iMovie. Although some key features would be probably be missing in the initial release, they could be added over time. Both apps should remain free.

- Multiple user accounts.

- Set default apps for mail, browser, music, and maps.

 

[subjonas]

By the way, why is no one talking about the weird fact that official mouse support was added on a .X release? I’m surprised it happened at all, and with very little rumors leading up to it, but most of all that it wasn’t saved for a major iPadOS release.

 

[w4rm]

Background processing would be awesome feature.

I’ve spent the last 15 mins downloading a video to edit from iCloud and I have to have the app in the foreground otherwise the processing stops after 2 minutes. Also I’m unable to use the photos app.

Any processing, downloading, exporting should move to the status bar with progress bar when opening.

 

[BootLoxes]

By the way, why is no one talking about the weird fact that official mouse support was added on a .X release? I’m surprised it happened at all, and with very little rumors leading up to it, but most of all that it wasn’t saved for a major iPadOS release.

It was done along with the new ipad pros. They wanted to market their new keyboard and trackpad case. Without the update they would have had to delay the ipad until ios14 was announced. You could argue they could have just delayed the case until ios14 but then the new ipad pros would be such a small bump it just would not look good.

 

[Jonathantuba]

With iPadOS 13.4 most of my wishes have been answered, but the big thing still missing is multi-user log-on. Please Apple, let’s have - it can’t be that difficult!

 

[Fat.tofu]

Resize image resolution and read exif data in photo app.

Option to enable split on-screen keyboard on iPad Pro 11 & 12.9

 

[ericwn]

By the way, why is no one talking about the weird fact that official mouse support was added on a .X release? I’m surprised it happened at all, and with very little rumors leading up to it, but most of all that it wasn’t saved for a major iPadOS release.

It makes selling the corresponding accessory in the middle of the year much easier without losing face that your OS didn’t have the best mouse implementation prior.

 

[RevTEG]

I read some wishing for multi-user Log in. What’s the real life use case for this? Ive never needed it in my entire life. I have 5 in my immediate household and all of us have to much work/school work to share a device. Then our down time who wants to share a device?

 

[rui no onna]

I read some wishing for multi-user Log in. What’s the real life use case for this? Ive never needed it in my entire life. I have 5 in my immediate household and all of us have to much work/school work to share a device. Then our down time who wants to share a device?

Personally, I'd use it for separate personal and work profile.

Would also like guest mode. I'm uncomfortable letting others borrow my iPad with my personal stuff on there.

 

[secretk]

Personally, I'd use it for separate personal and work profile.

Same need. Indeed the problem is that I have two profiles (work and personal one) and is it is I have to use the work on the iPhone and the personal one on the iPad.

Would also like guest mode. I'm uncomfortable letting others borrow my iPad with my personal stuff on there.

To be honest I have this option on my Sony phone and I rarely use it. Then again I do not let others borrow my phone. Maybe if I did I would have.

That being said I once used tethering from a co-worker's phone for a work meeting as the WIFI sucked. I used it for 45 minutes and luckily for him I am not the one to violate his privacy but if he had such option for guest mode I bet he would have used it.

 

[MBX]

The finder needs better media playback options and general functions overhauled.

- The top and bottom UI overlay bars are so annoying that they’re showing when you are scrubbing on the timeline of the video. This needs to be overhauled imo.

- And why isn’t there a direct “Delete” icon or optins when viewing an image or video. Why do I have to go back to list view and delete from there? I’m baffled as to why you can’t even delete it from the actions menu. You really have to go back to the normal list file view to do so, sigh.

 

[pdoherty]

I would love to be able to adjust the size of the split windows even further as it seems that there are 2-3 preset sizes like 1/3 + 2/3 or 1/2 + 1/2 for the screen but according to the apps and the needs that i have on that moment, i would love to be able to adjust even further the division and may be a button/gesture to lock it to avoid readjusting/messing the division while working on the files by accidently touching the division area.

The same for the floating multitasking window/split window. It only has a preset size, i would love to be able to set the size of that floating window as well.

I would also like it if they add the split view to the portrait mode as well splitting it horizontally.

Also sometimes when I want to go on split window, i am not able to find the app that i want to add to the view on the dock in multi tasking view. So i have to reopen it again and do it because may be since the last time i opened it, i had opened other apps as well so there was no space left in the dock for that app. I would like if they could add some kind of swipe future to the dock as we swipe thru several home screen pages, so this way i could find the app easily.

I’d like to be able to detach the window of an app and then resize it and choose whether it overlays whatever is behind it or have it tuck itself into a resize-able corner window.

 

[rui no onna]

To be honest I have this option on my Sony phone and I rarely use it. Then again I do not let others borrow my phone. Maybe if I did I would have.

That being said I once used tethering from a co-worker's phone for a work meeting as the WIFI sucked. I used it for 45 minutes and luckily for him I am not the one to violate his privacy but if he had such option for guest mode I bet he would have used it.

Not so much for phones but for iPads. On the PC, I can let house guests use a limited user account.

I have extra iPads but since those are setup with my iCloud account and have access to Keychain, Mail, iMessage, SMS forwarding and Wi-Fi calling, I'm not comfortable with letting others borrow one.

 

[secretk]

Not so much for phones but for iPads. On the PC, I can let house guests use a limited user account.

I have extra iPads but since those are setup with my iCloud account and have access to Keychain, Mail, iMessage, SMS forwarding and Wi-Fi calling, I'm not comfortable with letting others borrow one.

Good point that we tend to use a bit differently our phones and our iPads. True that I would not give someone my phone that much than an iPad to check something. And yep those devices are setup in a way where with the Apple ID people have access to everything else like messages, mails etc. On the other hand those devices are unusable if you don't associate them with Apple ID.

 

[rui no onna]

Good point that we tend to use a bit differently our phones and our iPads. True that I would not give someone my phone that much than an iPad to check something. And yep those devices are setup in a way where with the Apple ID people have access to everything else like messages, mails etc. On the other hand those devices are unusable if you don't associate them with Apple ID.

The main disadvantage is there's no App Store without Apple ID. Otherwise, you can actually do a lot of stuff via Safari. iCloud sync is primarily for convenience.

 

[gbynum]

I would like for "unlock" to (optionally?) be automatic if an unlocked device with the same Apple ID is near, just as one can automatically connect to a hotspot and easily share wifi credentials.

 

[RevTEG]

Personally, I'd use it for separate personal and work profile.

Would also like guest mode. I'm uncomfortable letting others borrow my iPad with my personal stuff on there.

Work and personal profiles would be cool. I've never thought of that. I don't have anything private (that doesn't require and additional Face ID/passowrd) on my devices and I'm still not comfortable sharing my device either. As a matter of fact, I don't share my device. I'm not even around anyone that doesn't have their own device. They wouldn't ever need to borrow mine. I think most people have their own phones/iPads and such these days.

Can we set a timer through "do not disturb" for work related apps? I need to look into that.

 

[retta283]

Work and personal profiles would be cool. I've never thought of that. I don't have anything private (that doesn't require and additional Face ID/passowrd) on my devices and I'm still not comfortable sharing my device either. As a matter of fact, I don't share my device. I'm not even around anyone that doesn't have their own device. They wouldn't ever need to borrow mine. I think most people have their own phones/iPads and such these days.

Can we set a timer through "do not disturb" for work related apps? I need to look into that.

This has been a feature I've been asking for since I got my first iOS devices. For someone like me it would not be an everyday use, but it would still be really handy.

 

[MBX]

A native “text to speech” function that is easily accessible from the share menu or otherwise. So you can quickly have a Siri-voice read websites or text from any app or document.

This seems to be possible right now only via shortcuts but only works limited with browsers and not apps. And also has crappy robotic voice.

 

[boston04and07]

I‘m so happy that native mouse and trackpad support was added in an iOS 13 release. That was my biggest need for the iPad.

Now that that’s added, the next biggest thing I need on iPadOS is for the iPhone-only native apps to get iPad versions as well, or at least for us to be able to use iPhone sized versions in a small floating window, or something.
In particular, Weather, Phone, Health, Activity, Wallet, and Calculator are all badly needed.

I think Weather will be added soon-ish because of Apple’s recent acquisition of Dark Sky. Phone would be extremely useful for wifi calling, and now that I’m working from home I find that I‘m making and accepting phone calls on my iPad constantly. However, having an app with a native dialer and, hopefully, voicemail access (maybe via iCloud) would be SO handy. Health and Activity should be on the iPad, because I think it’s important for users to be able to access their own data from their own devices, and the data already syncs/is stored in iCloud anyway, so we only need an interface to view it. Obviously, with Wallet, we can’t use NFC, bu now that I have my Apple Card it would be super useful to be able to have a normal Wallet app to manage it without having to go into Settings. Finally, Calculator...that one‘s very obvious.

 

[subjonas]

I‘m so happy that native mouse and trackpad support was added in an iOS 13 release. That was my biggest need for the iPad.

Now that that’s added, the next biggest thing I need on iPadOS is for the iPhone-only native apps to get iPad versions as well, or at least for us to be able to use iPhone sized versions in a small floating window, or something.
In particular, Weather, Phone, Health, Activity, Wallet, and Calculator are all badly needed.

I think Weather will be added soon-ish because of Apple’s recent acquisition of Dark Sky. Phone would be extremely useful for wifi calling, and now that I’m working from home I find that I‘m making and accepting phone calls on my iPad constantly. However, having an app with a native dialer and, hopefully, voicemail access (maybe via iCloud) would be SO handy. Health and Activity should be on the iPad, because I think it’s important for users to be able to access their own data from their own devices, and the data already syncs/is stored in iCloud anyway, so we only need an interface to view it. Obviously, with Wallet, we can’t use NFC, bu now that I have my Apple Card it would be super useful to be able to have a normal Wallet app to manage it without having to go into Settings. Finally, Calculator...that one‘s very obvious.

A split screen/slide over window would be great to run iPhone apps not yet optimized for iPad. It would also be great to have the option to use iPhone app versions of iPad apps in split screen/slide over for those iPad apps that don’t support split screen/slide over (and probably never will, like Gmail).

Somewhat related to this, I also really want to be able to use my iPhone remotely on my iPad on a split screen/slide over window when the two devices are nearby or on the same WiFi network. This would be very useful for accessing pictures and files that are only stored on the phone, apps that are only on the phone for one reason or another (eg. number of devices limits, no sync function, no iPad version), voicemail, and call logs.
This could also work to cover some of the needs you listed, though not as ideally.

 

[ericwn]

A native “text to speech” function that is easily accessible from the share menu or otherwise. So you can quickly have a Siri-voice read websites or text from any app or document.

This seems to be possible right now only via shortcuts but only works limited with browsers and not apps. And also has crappy robotic voice.

I think that would be a very nice feature.
On a related note, I had an earlier version of the Kindle that had this feature - trigger the function and whatever the book presented at that time it would read to you. They killed the feature in the next version, probably to sell more audiobooks or get more Audible subscriptions.

 

[lddhtx]

This is a continuation from my original comment in this thread (comment #128). I’ve though of more:

• Share screen when FaceTiming
• Fix the files app
• Allow external cameras and mics to be plugged in and used in Camera app, voice memos, 3rd party apps, etc.
• Siri and incoming call screens shouldn’t take up the entire screen. Control Center shouldn’t blur whole screen.
• iPadOS 13.4 mouse/trackpad support needs some work. Don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome but there are times when the mouse is awkward to use. Ex: Slide to power off with a mouse is awkward. Control Center with trackpad doesn’t feel natural.
• When a file gets Airdropped to my device and a UIAlertController pops up asking me where I want to save the file... not very intuitive. How about instead of that, a screen similar to the screenshot markup UI is shown. I can quick look the file, mark it up, then send/save it where I want to.
• When I long press on an address, how about we show a share sheet instead of the current pop up.

I know this is a lot, but this is what people want. And I bet Apple gives us most of this stuff. Guess we’ll have to wait and see