Apple to Delay iPadOS 16 Launch Until October
Apple is planning to delay the launch of iPadOS 16 until October, which means the iPad software will not launch alongside iOS 16 in September as it typically does, reports Bloomberg.
Apple has been developing a new multitasking feature for the iPad called Stage Manager, with the option designed to offer a more Mac-like multi-window multitasking experience. The delayed launch of iPadOS 16 is said to be partly due to the implementation of Stage Manager as Apple is still working out bugs. A delayed launch will allow Apple to devote more time to finishing iOS 16, and then the company will be able to shift to working on iPadOS 16.
Stage Manager is limited to the
M1 iPad Pro and
iPad Air models, and it is not available on older iPads, which has
caused some controversy. Apple maintains that it is not possible to offer an acceptable multitasking experience on older iPads, hence the limitation.
Since Apple split iPadOS into its own operating system in 2019, iPadOS releases have largely been tied to iOS releases, with software updates for the iPhone and the iPad launching at the same time. The delayed launch of iPadOS 16 will mark a departure from Apple's standard release plans.
Introducing iPadOS 16 in October means the software will be timed to launch closer to new iPads. Apple is developing a new M2 version of the iPad Pro with an M2 chip, and an entry-level iPad that features a USB-C port, both of which are expected to debut later this year.
Popular Stories
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The third-party Apple retailer said that MacBook Pro stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with...
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
