Apple released the newest version of iPadOS on Monday, October 24th. The new operating system, iPadOS 16.1, is packed with features that are designed to make the iPad more than just a larger version of an iPhone.
Apple began the process of separating the devices in 2019 when they split the operating systems into iOS for the iPhone and iPadOS for the iPad. With the features and power of an iPad running iPadOS 16, users may be tempted to employ their tablet instead of a laptop for many tasks.
Before looking at the new features available in iPadOS 16, let’s talk about the hardware requirements necessary to use them effectively. You won’t be able to take advantage of the features in iPadOS 16 with just any iPad.
While many features will work on any iPad compatible with the new OS, some of the most interesting ones require a new tablet with an M1 or M2 chip. This means you will need to purchase the latest iPad Air or iPad Pro to enjoy all of the operating system’s new features.
New Features of iPadOS 16
Following are some of the main new features available in iPadOS 16.
- 📱 Stage Manager – This feature offers users a new multitasking mode on iPads with at least an M1 processor. This mode allows you to have up to four apps running on the iPad and another four on an external display.
- 📄 Collaborative Document Editing – Users can genuinely collaborate with colleagues rather than simply share files. You can send a link with the Messages app that allows everyone in the conversation to edit documents. The Messages thread gets updated whenever someone makes a change.
- 🚪 Magnifier Detection Mode and Door Detection – These Accessibility features provide descriptions of doors, people, and images. Door Detection can read signs around a corner and give instructions on how to open a door. You’ll need an iPad with an A12Z, M1, or M2 processor.
- 🧰 Virtual Memory Swap – This feature lets users allocate up to 16 GB of SSD storage space as additional RAM. It requires an M1 or M2-based iPad with at least 256 GB of storage.
iPadOS 16 is compatible with all models of the iPad Pro, 3rd generation or later iPad Air models, 5th generation or later iPads, and iPad minis.
