The WWDC 2019 is jam packed with a bagful of launches, unveils, updates, and upgrades. And one of the things that the Apple wizards pulled out of their magic hat is the iPadOS. Yes! The Apple tablet that has until now been running on iOS will finally get its own operating system. And wait, the show isn’t over yet. The new OS is built similar to an iOS and will, in fact, have a few features of the newly revealed iOS 13 including the Dark Mode, custom Fonts, QuickPath keyboard feature and more.
What’s Changed?
The biggest improvement that iPadOS brings is in the UI. You’ll no longer have to use the tablet screen as an extension of your iPhone screen, and much better use of the screen. How, you ask? First, the number of apps you can have on each page has jumped. Second, the space of 7 seas between the app icons has also reduced significantly.
With all that space, it means that there room for other stuff. And that’s how you get Today View on Home Screen which will allow quick access to widgets. Wanna switch out an app widget? Swipe to the side, pull up an app widget and switch it out. A wide screen has more advantages, in case you thought we were done. You can view Files in a Column View.
You will now be able to share folder via iCloud. And if you’ve plugged in USB or SD card, you’ll also be able to see content from there too.
Safari and Multi-tasking like a Pro
And now, let’s talk Safari. Remember how when you click on websites on your iPad, and they open with mobiles viewing sites? Well, this will no longer be the case. Thanks to the iPadOS, websites will be shown in a modified desktop view, but with a cleaner look and touch support. And this means that work on Google Docs and WordPress will no longer be lots of zooming and pinching.
You’ll also multitask like a pro with the new iPadOS. You can use Split View to view two windows from the same app simultaneously. You can also view your open apps quicker with a natural finder using Slide Over. Cha cha real smooth.
Gestures Matter
The iPadOS is big on gestures. And they’ll touch your hearts (finger, but yeah). Although simple, the gestures are here to make our lives easier. So cut something (the content on your screen, dummy) with a three-finger pinch and paste with a three-finger spread. Oops, cut the wrong thing? Work those three fingers again to swipe and undo. Easy, isn’t it?
Now, that’s not all. In a few apps, you’ll also be able to use the mobile-sized iOS keyboard. Simply use two fingers to pinch the keyboard and move it around. Drop it next to the side of the screen and voila. One thumb is all it will take to type.
There’s More to iPadOS
Along with the string of other updates, Markup gets one as well. And what can you do now with the new power? Just a simple Pencil swipe and you can mark up entire webpages, documents, and emails. You only have to swipe up from the corner using an Apple Pencil to markup and access the tool palette, which btw is redesigned as well. And if the palette obstructs the view, just drag and reposition it.
There’s also been plenty of streamlining when it comes to performance. In case you’re wondering, things work much faster now – be it the Face ID Unlock or the app launch. Storage footprints have reduced as well. The Apple browser also has new features such as download manager, improved tab management, and 30 keyboard shortcuts.
What’s the Compatibility Score?
The iPadOS will be supported in 5th and 6th generation iPad, 5th gen iPad mini, iPad mini 4, iPad Air 2, 3rd gen iPad Air, iPad Pro – 12.9-inch, 11-inch, 10.5-inch, 9.7-inch.
The OS is currently in developer beta testing phase and will be available for public beta in July. The final version for us hopefuls will be available in the market only in September. But we say it’s well worth the wait! Because what’s not to be excited about?
