Apple surprised many fans when it unveiled a separate operating system for iPad at WWDC 2019 called iPadOS. This new software freed the tablets from some of the restrictions imposed by running on the same OS as the iPhone and paved a way for two streams of device going forward. While the version numbers may retain similar counts – iPadOS 13 and iOS 13 – there is plenty to differentiate between the platforms. Now, as the first major update to iPadOS is on the horizon, we look at what you can expect from iPadOS 14.
When will iPadOS 14 be released?
iPadOS 14 will be announced at WWDC 2020 on the evening of 22 June, during the keynote speech. This starts at 6pm UK time; here’s how to watch it live.
The first developer beta version will probably be released on the same night, but when will it be released to the general public? There will be a public beta a few weeks later – look for that in July, and we strongly expect the final release to be rolled out alongside new iPhones in September.
Still, there isn’t much form to go on when predicting iPadOS release schedules. iPadOS 13 and the iPad 10.2in came out in September 2019, but we’ve also seen new iPads at education-focused events in spring, at WWDC in summer and at dedicated launch events in October, which used to be when most of Apple’s tablets made their debuts. There’s quite a few openings when iPadOS 14 may appear… but we think September is the best bet.
You’ll get a notification when the OS is available, or you can check for it in Settings > General > Software Update. Here’s how to update iPadOS.
Will my iPad get iPadOS 14?
If it can run iPadOS 13, we think it will be able to run iPadOS 14 too. Sources say Apple won’t increase the system requirements from iOS 13 to iOS 14, and the two operating systems remain closely connected.
If the device you’re on now didn’t get iPadOS 13 there’s virtually no chance it will be compatible with version 14.
Here’s a list of devices that support iPadOS 13 and should hopefully work with iPadOS 14:
- iPad Air 2 (2014)
- iPad Air (2019)
- iPad mini 4 (2015)
- iPad mini (2019)
- iPad (2017, 2018, 2019)
- iPad Pro 9.7in (2016)
- iPad Pro 10.5in (2017)
- iPad Pro 11in (2018, 2020)
- iPad Pro 12.9in (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020)
What to expect from iPadOS 14
We’ve gathered together the rumours of features coming up in iPadOS 14, alongside our own wish list.
Better support for multiple screens
Apple and its users are constantly challenging what the iPad is actually capable of. Ten years on from launch, the iPad range now supports keyboard, keyboard shortcuts, a mouse and cursor, external storage, USB-C, classic file management and much more.
An external display can already be connected to the iPad, but support is clearly limited. What if it was possible to extend the desktop area to the external screen, to place one app on the extra screen and another on the iPad’s own?
It’s a feature that would benefit those professional users who really push the limits of what the iPad is capable of, without inconveniencing those who only use the iPad to watch Netflix. Samuel Nyberg, Macworld Sweden
Desktop mode for iPad
On a related note, it might even be time for a dedicated desktop mode.
With a keyboard case set up, especially the new Magic Keyboard, you can’t call the iPad anything other than a computer. The iPad is more computer than ever before, and that needs to be better reflected in the software.
What if the iPad could automatically jump to a desktop mode when appropriate, and then give access to things like, say, floating windows? It wouldn’t need to be activated with a button, instead kicking in as soon as a keyboard is connected to the device. Samuel Nyburg
Multi-day alarm snooze
It’s a simple thing, but one that could come in very handy: the ability to put all your alarms on snooze for several days or weeks would make it very convenient when on holiday, so you don’t have to turn everything off manually then reverse the process when you return. Just hit a button that says ‘two-week holiday’, safe in the knowledge that a fortnight on Monday the alarm will kick back in at 6am sharp.
As it’s all software-based, and hardly a mammoth undertaking, we think this could be a great addition to iPadOS 14.
Power-saving mode
The iPhone has it, so why not add one to the iPad as well? Surely it would be good to have an automatic mode that lowers brightness slightly and pauses background updates for later, when more energy is available.
iPads often have better battery life than iPhones, but that doesn’t help on the (perhaps rarer) occasions when you do find yourself down in the red. That’s when a power-saving mode needs to come to the rescue. Samuel Nyberg
Proper support for using a mouse
Apple did include a mouse support feature in iPadOS 13, but it’s buried in the Accessibility section and has a number of issues. The cursor is the size of a fingertip, rather than the more precise arrows we’re accustomed to, and requires the same movements and gestures as you’d use with touch-control.
Bluetooth devices seem to work ok, but a wired mouse seems to be a challenge for anything other than the Pro devices. If Apple is serious about making the iPad a laptop replacement, then making mouse support more functional, easier to find, and simply more mouse-like would go a long way to make that happen.
Apple Watch support
This one just seems obvious to us. Up until now health data collected by Apple Watch remains solely compatible with an iPhone. Now, while we can make some sense of the need for an iPhone when gathering data (although this feels less necessary now that there are Apple Watch models with LTE capabilities), not being able to then view the information on a larger screen like your iPad or Mac is, well, quite daft.
We’re sure there’s some kind of security issue involved, but even so, this is surely something that Apple can fix with the integration of a Health app for iPadOS.
Bring back the split keyboard
Typing when holding an iPad, especially the larger ones, can be something of a challenge. For years there was a simple solution in the split keyboard that placed one half on one edge of the screen and the other on its opposing flank.
In iPadOS 13 this was removed and replaced instead with a floating keyboard, but this just doesn’t help in the same way. We’d like to see the reinstatement of the split keyboard in addition to the floating variant. It shouldn’t take much to implement but could make the day-to-day use of an iPad much easier for a lot of people.
An app drawer
With the Home screen getting an overhaul in iPadOS 13, replete with the ability to host widgets, now could be the time for Apple to leave behind its approach where every app has to be on the screen. An app drawer would keep things tidy and prevent users from having to create a junk folder for storing everything you don’t use.
Yes, it’s an Android thing, but it also mimics the behaviour of macOS and other desktop operating systems which generally have an Applications section where you can find all the programs on your device.
Seeing all the apps you have installed was useful on a phone when people were still unfamiliar with how to use them, but today it feels antiquated and messy. Just creating an Apps button that opens a Launchpad-style pane containing your installed software would be a great way to start 2020.
A calculator (let’s live the dream)
At first it was surprising, then it was strange. Now it’s just ridiculous. Nope, the iPad still does not have its own calculator app. Just please put a calculator in Control Centre, so we don’t have to keep writing about this wish.
(For those who can’t wait to see if this day ever comes, calculations can at least be done in the search field. Better than nothing, we suppose.) Samuel Nyberg
That’s all we know for now. Be sure to check back regularly to see what lies in store for the iPad and also read our iOS 14 rumour roundup to see what new features iPhone owners will be receiving.
Via MACWORLD