Key Takeaways
1. iPadOS 26 features a new “Liquid Glass” aesthetic design with updated app icons and transparent menus.
2. Enhanced multitasking allows users to display and resize multiple app windows on the screen, similar to desktop systems.
3. A new menu bar at the top of the screen offers quick access to common features, and the Preview app is now available for document editing.
4. The Files app is revamped for better file organization and searching, with new features for managing downloads and dragging files.
5. iPadOS 26 introduces a new Gaming app and the Journal app, with a developer beta available now and a public beta expected in July.
Shortly after the launch of iOS 26, Apple also unveiled iPadOS 26, the latest major version of the operating system for the iPad, during the WWDC opening event yesterday. The iPad will feature similar design updates as the iPhone, including a newly designed user interface in a “Liquid Glass” aesthetic. This update brings new app icons, transparent menus, widgets, and pop-ups, along with various elements that are see-through, blurring backgrounds, and contrasting with light and shadow effects.
Enhanced Multitasking Features
The standout aspect of iPadOS 26 is the revamped multitasking capabilities. Apple is finally letting iPad users show a greater number of app windows on their screens at once, allowing them to resize these windows freely and place apps anywhere they want, much like on Windows or macOS. Just like in desktop systems, windows can simply be dragged to the edge of the screen to resize them to half or a quarter of the display area.
With a simple swipe gesture, users can easily view all open windows side by side. Apple has also introduced a menu bar at the top of the screen, reminiscent of the Mac, which makes commonly used features readily available. The Preview app is now included on the iPad, enabling users to open and edit various document types without needing third-party applications. For the first time, true background processes can function, even those that are heavy on the processor, like video exporting.
Files App and New Additions
Apple has revamped the Files app, making it much more user-friendly for sorting files into folders and searching through them, similar to the experience on macOS. Downloads can now be located in the designated folder in the Dock. Users can also drag files and folders directly from the Files app into the Dock. Additionally, iPadOS 26 introduces Apple’s new Gaming app, which allows users to download and access games and start multiplayer sessions with friends. The Journal app, which users may recognize from the iPhone, is now available on the iPad as well.
iPadOS 26 is currently accessible as a developer beta, with a public beta expected to be released in July and the final version available as a free update in the fall. This operating system can be installed on the 2018 iPad Pro, the third-generation iPad Air, the eighth-generation iPad, the fifth-generation iPad mini, and all newer models.
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