I think iPadOS should continue to improve with the same kind of modularity exhibited by Stage Manager. I love how modular the iPad is, both in terms of hardware and software. I’m hoping we eventually get some kind of software menu for actions such as powering off the iPad, restarting the iPad, and maybe even a menu that displays all of the keyboard shortcuts for an app almost akin to the macOS menu bar. Also a proper clamshell mode could be useful. Those changes would make more sense when you’re docking your iPad at your desk with an external monitor, because then you don’t have to reach across your desk to press two buttons on the iPad to turn it off. My main hope is that now that iPadOS supports virtual memory swap and has made some other foundational improvements, maybe we could see a Catalyst 2.0 that ports Mac apps to the iPad. I don’t think that will happen this year, there’s still some work to do to get a system like that up and running, but I think Apple is putting all the pieces in place for that to be a possibility in the next few years. I guess macOS emulation could work, but the problem with that (and dual-booting) is that it takes up more system resources. Perhaps Apple could do something similar to Parallels that could emulate the resources macOS apps require on iPadOS, but it may be better in the long term for apps to “just work” on both platforms. I think that is what Apple is working towards, a system where you code one app, and it can run on all of Apple’s platforms automatically. We’re already there for the most part, newer apps have been able to develop a single code base that runs on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Look at Vectornator for an example. The main differences in software now are older apps that haven’t been updated to be able to share a code base with iOS and iPadOS. But times are quickly changing, and I can see one of two things happening: either the app developers themselves re-work their base code to make it cross-compatible (I find this idea pretty doubtful because it means more work for developers), or Apple releases a new set of tools that automatically updates the code where needed (and also by Apple adding support for some macOS dependencies or making a simple, automatic way to translate those dependencies into a form that makes sense for iPadOS). This latter option, I find much more likely, and I think to some extent Apple’s already doing it.
As for features I’m hoping for, I hope that iPadOS gets some of the features I listed earlier, as well as a few other improvements such as a way to properly eject an external storage drive (maybe even a disc repair utility), FontBook would be a great addition (iFont currently works very similarly, but it’s not quite as good), the ability to save device backups to an external storage drive (instead of another computer that I then have to backup), app icon customization, lock screen customization, and Continuity Camera could be a great addition for those who want to use their iPhone as a webcam for their iPad. Perhaps a sidecar/universal control between two iPads could also be useful for those who have an iPad Mini and a larger iPad. I’m really excited about the future of iPadOS, and I think if Apple continues to improve iPadOS, it could really beat the Windows “2-in-1” concept by truly delivering the best of both worlds: a good tablet OS at it’s core, with modular software additions that can make it perform like a laptop/desktop when needed. I think iPadOS 16 demonstrates that modular software can be a very elegant way to add the options and capabilities that power users need, while maintaining a simplified core experience for average people, or for when those power users are ready to relax.
