All iPads What will iPadOS' major feature of 2023 be after Stage Manager?

[roach1245]

Having been excited and overwhelmed by Apple's key iPadOS innovation of 2022 announced in its WWDC keynote - and having tested it out on iPadOS 16's beta,

namely the ability to resize app windows and view them side-by-side through Stage Manager:

what will Apple's iPadOS new major feature be in 2023?

Following Windows 2000's playbook - a proper file browser? Multiple user accounts? A native terminal?

Curious to hear your expectations.

 

[rui no onna]

Fixing bugs, refining the features added in iPadOS 16 and porting the iOS 16 (iPhone) exclusive changes from this year.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Weight reduction, and maybe even bezel reduction (without going "notched" hopefully).

The iPad needs nothing else as far as I'm concerned.

Stage Manager is the equivalent of an impossible burger: something to appease those who think they want to be vegan but enjoy the taste of "meat".

I'll NEVER use it; I know how to multitask in iPadOS because I took the time to learn how.

 

[Dealmans]

Weight reduction, and maybe even bezel reduction (without going "notched" hopefully).

The iPad needs nothing else as far as I'm concerned.

Stage Manager is the equivalent of an impossible burger: something to appease those who think they want to be vegan but enjoy the taste of "meat".

I'll NEVER use it; I know how to multitask in iPadOS because I took the time to learn how.

I turned it off it's painful on my 11", maybe better on 12.9"

 

[Feyl]

I’m not sure. But I’m definitely sure that 95% of people won’t ever use Stage Manager on their iPads.

 

[JPack]

Stage Manager 2

Right now, the current version is basically useless.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple will bring all iOS lock screen customisation feature to iPadOS 2023, and that one alone is big enough.

Terminal? File manager? Multiple user accounts? No. Apple wants to sell every iPhone user an iPad, a Frankenstein of desktop iOS hybrid, while people flock to buy M1 or M2 MacBook Air because those are real computers running real desktop operating systems.

I believe iOS in essence is still a single user system, and this may never change. If someone wants a terminal on iPad, they can Hope Linux community to achieve this goal.

 

[iPadified]

Pro Apps -iPadOS is fine. iPadOS RAM manegement is the most important feature in v16, not the stage manager. Stage manager need larger iPads or external displays.

 

[tastesliketailpipe]

Calculator app

 

[The Game 161]

Lock Screen widgets

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Apple will bring all iOS lock screen customisation feature to iPadOS 2023, and that one alone is big enough.

Terminal? File manager? Multiple user accounts? No. Apple wants to sell every iPhone user an iPad, a Frankenstein of desktop iOS hybrid, while people flock to buy M1 or M2 MacBook Air because those are real computers running real desktop operating systems.

I believe iOS in essence is still a single user system, and this may never change. If someone wants a terminal on iPad, they can Hope Linux community to achieve this goal.

This exactly.

I don't get why the hell anyone would want the cursor-based macOS on a touch device when already there are such excellent Macs that are thin and light enough to do everything they want to.

I like... no... LOVE iPadOS's "Frankenstein" approach: just enough "power user" features combined with iPhone simplicity, all wrapped in a convenient modular design.

THAT is the juice that brought me to the iPad and will probably keep me there.

Apple has made sure that the capabilities they add every year DO NOT change the base iPad experience. They'll NEVER merge the two OSes. The fact that they're different is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[roach1245]

I don't get why the hell anyone would want the cursor-based macOS on a touch device when already there are such excellent Macs that are thin and light enough to do everything they want to.

It's the redundancy of having to carry 2 screens: one for productive tasks (macOS) and one for being able to write / touch (iPadOS) - rather than just 1.

Won't be long though until these 2 converge into 1 as Apple's competition is developing hybrid laptops with detachable screens - which are productive tablets by themselves - at a rapid pace (even foldable ones nowadays).

The hardware is already there (M1, 16GB RAM in latest iPad) - just needs enabling by Apple to run both macOS and simple-iPadOS.

(and on top of that people who want a big iPhone skip the iPad nowadays in favor of the iPhone Max)

 

[Digitalguy]

It's the redundancy of having to carry 2 screens: one for productive tasks (macOS) and one for being able to write / touch (iPadOS) - rather than just 1.

Won't be long though until these 2 converge into 1 as Apple's competition is developing hybrid laptops with detachable screens - which are productive tablets by themselves - at a rapid pace (even foldable ones nowadays).

The hardware is already there (M1, 16GB RAM in latest iPad) - just needs enabling by Apple to run both macOS and simple-iPadOS.

(and on top of that people who want a big iPhone skip the iPad nowadays in favor of the iPhone Max)

Apple's competition has been there for a decade already. Windows convertibles or Android tablets aren't changing the game and there will be no convergence of MacOS and iPadOS anytime soon, if ever.
iPadOS will evolve as its own thing and with its Store apps. MacOS is not coming, not because it wouldn't be useful to many iPad pro users (me included), but because Apple clearly thinks it's not in their interest and competition is no reason to worry for them.

 

[roach1245]

Apple's competition has been there for a decade already. Windows convertibles or Android tablets aren't changing the game and there will be no convergence of MacOS and iPadOS anytime soon, if ever.
iPadOS will evolve as its own thing and with its Store apps. MacOS is not coming, not because it wouldn't be useful to many iPad pro users (me included), but because Apple clearly thinks it's not in their interest and competition is no reason to worry for them.

My sense is that society is moving away from big consumption devices such as the iPad-with-simple-iPadOS towards devices that can (simultaneously) be put towards productive and creative use. Hence why iPad revenue has declined this year from the previous year whereas Macbook revenue has gone up.

Also I feel the competitors' laptop convertibles are just taking off - tremendous progress over the past years. It's just that Apple Silicon in the new Macbooks has been a lifesaver for Apple.

But let's see in 5 years from now, only time can tell.

 

[Digitalguy]

MacBook revenues are up while PC sales are down. The reason is not "more productive, creative etc", but simply Apple Silicon (silent, powerful with long battery life).
Windows convertibles are handicapped by x86 more than by Windows itself, they aren't taking off at all, they are stagnating more than anything. The surface pro 8 is no revolution at all, unlike the pro 3 back in the day (which is the device that pushed Apple to make the iPad pro).
Qualcomm is still behind Apple Silicon, but the latest 8CX Gen 3 is promising.
The current situation is no competition to Apple Silicon Macs and iPads as they are now (and I talk as someone who has 2 Samsung flagship tablets, including a maxed out S8 ultra, and many Windows devices, including several Surface convertibles)
What could really change things is something like a Samsung Android tablet running a Qualcomm chip that has the power of M1 or better (expected by the end of 2023 with Nuvia) and that instead of running DEX can run Windows 11 on Arm, including both at the same time. And it doesn't matter if M3 is more powerful by then, even M1 power is plenty.
Will it happen? I wouldn't hold my breath because of Qualcomm exclusivity deals and their policy of separating "mobile Arm" chips with Android from "laptop ARM" chips with Windows.
Any other Windows x86 or Android tablet won't change anything and won't be any competition to Apple.

 

[Ludatyk]

What could really change things is something like a Samsung Android tablet running a Qualcomm chip that has the power of M1 or better (expected by the end of 2023 with Nuvia) and that instead of running DEX can run Windows 11 on Arm, including both at the same time. And it doesn't matter if M3 is more powerful by then, even M1 power is plenty.
Will it happen? I wouldn't hold my breath because of Qualcomm exclusivity deals and their policy of separating "mobile Arm" chips with Android from "laptop ARM" chips with Windows.
Any other Windows x86 or Android tablet won't change anything and won't be any competition to Apple.

I honestly thought Microsoft Surface Neo would have really changed things. Especially running Windows 11, on top of running Android apps and if it had a Qualcomm chip that could rival the M1.

I like the Samsung S8 Tab Ultra… but that Surface Neo would have been such a pleasure to use and if the UX was designed properly it would been a solid product. Don’t get me wrong I like Android… but Windows has more to give in terms of desktop class apps.

 

[sparksd]

MacBook revenues are up while PC sales are down. The reason is not "more productive, creative etc", but simply Apple Silicon (silent, powerful with long battery life).
Windows convertibles are handicapped by x86 more than by Windows itself, they aren't taking off at all, they are stagnating more than anything. The surface pro 8 is no revolution at all, unlike the pro 3 back in the day (which is the device that pushed Apple to make the iPad pro).
Qualcomm is still behind Apple Silicon, but the latest 8CX Gen 3 is promising.
The current situation is no competition to Apple Silicon Macs and iPads as they are now (and I talk as someone who has 2 Samsung flagship tablets, including a maxed out S8 ultra, and many Windows devices, including several Surface convertibles)
What could really change things is something like a Samsung Android tablet running a Qualcomm chip that has the power of M1 or better (expected by the end of 2023 with Nuvia) and that instead of running DEX can run Windows 11 on Arm, including both at the same time. And it doesn't matter if M3 is more powerful by then, even M1 power is plenty.
Will it happen? I wouldn't hold my breath because of Qualcomm exclusivity deals and their policy of separating "mobile Arm" chips with Android from "laptop ARM" chips with Windows.
Any other Windows x86 or Android tablet won't change anything and won't be any competition to Apple.

It should be mentioned that by total numbers of units sold, Apple is way behind the pack so those up/down percentages should be viewed in context as relative -

https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/28/apple-macbook-sales-continue-to-grow-pc-sales-down

 

[HandsomeDanNZ]

Usability for ALL iPad users?

But in reality, bug fixes

 

[Digitalguy]

I honestly thought Microsoft Surface Neo would have really changed things. Especially running Windows 11, on top of running Android apps and if it had a Qualcomm chip that could rival the M1.

I like the Samsung S8 Tab Ultra… but that Surface Neo would have been such a pleasure to use and if the UX was designed properly it would been a solid product. Don’t get me wrong I like Android… but Windows has more to give in terms of desktop class apps.

I agree, and I have said it in the past. Windows on Arm is a big part of the future, regardless of what skeptics think. But we are not there yet. First, Qualcomm chips need to be at least on par with current gen Intel U series, then they need to go in many more form factors. So far we only had the surface pro x with 8CX gen 2, and only recently the Thinkpad X13S with gen 3 (plus a couple of other lower end devices). We need more, especially smaller devices, like the surface go or the laptop go, they need to get ARM chips, and not the low end one, but the good ones, just like Macbooks start with M1, no less. And price needs to be competitive with Macs.
We are not there yet.
Let's hope things will be much difference in around 3 years.
To be honest I don't care very much about Android, but Samsung has many more form factors and sizes when it comes to tablets. It would be great if they could use those chips and run WOA instead of or in addition to Android

 

[Funny Apple Man]

Customizable lock screen lol since they're a year behind of the cool stuff that iOS gets.

 

[Gherkin]

Pro Apps -iPadOS is fine. iPadOS RAM manegement is the most important feature in v16, not the stage manager. Stage manager need larger iPads or external displays.

If the rumored 14” iPad is real, there NEEDS to be Pro apps or some MacOS Apps mode. Who else is clamoring for a larger iPad?

 

[sparksd]

If the rumored 14” iPad is real, there NEEDS to be Pro apps or some MacOS Apps mode. Who else is clamoring for a larger iPad?

I love my M1 12.9 but the price hit the *ouch* level for me so I don't think I'd be interested. I'd rather put that amount of money into a higher-end laptop.

 

[Digitalguy]

If the rumored 14” iPad is real, there NEEDS to be Pro apps or some MacOS Apps mode. Who else is clamoring for a larger iPad?

It doesn't need pro apps. Many (me included) would buy it for the size, not as a laptop replacement.

 

[Ludatyk]

Customizable lock screen lol since they're a year behind of the cool stuff that iOS gets.

This. And I’m hoping Apple put some thought into the LockScreen-Notification Center, because the center view with all the wasted left and right space just doesn’t look right to me.

If the rumored 14” iPad is real, there NEEDS to be Pro apps or some MacOS Apps mode. Who else is clamoring for a larger iPad?

Not me. 12.9” size is perfectly suited for me. And what is Pro apps? LumaFusion isn‘t considered a Pro app? Affinity apps? Or Procreate?

 

[Gherkin]

Not me. 12.9” size is perfectly suited for me. And what is Pro apps? LumaFusion isn‘t considered a Pro app? Affinity apps? Or Procreate?

Once Apple starts making professional level apps for the iPad I think the floodgates will open. So that’s why I want Apple to jump in. Yes you can do professional things with the apps you listed (I use Procreate for a little side business I do), but there are still OS limitations that make things difficult.

I’m thinking if Apple would bring something like Final Cut Pro over, they would make sure those OS limitations are gone. Hopefully that’s what’s coming with the swap feature in iPadOS 16.