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.

iPadOS 16 Header
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.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Sunday December 22, 2024 8:09 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cites a source within Apple. The report said that iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that is capable of running iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro ...
m3 macbook air blue

Apple Accidentally Leaked the Next MacBook Air

Sunday December 22, 2024 8:33 am PST by
Apple earlier this month released macOS 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models coming next year. Apple accidentally released macOS 15.2 restore files for unreleased "‌MacBook Air‌ (13-inch, M4, 2025)" and "‌MacBook Air‌ (15-inch, M4, 2025)" models. While it no surprise that the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models were going to be updated with the M4 ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2 Redux

Top 5 Apple Products to Look Forward to in 2025

Friday December 20, 2024 2:22 pm PST by
It's looking like 2025 is going to be an important year for Apple, with the company planning to revamp the iPhone, push further into smart home products, and improve Apple Intelligence. There are tons of new products rumored for 2025, including new iPhones, M4 Macs, a smart home command center, and much more. We've highlighted the top five Apple products that will have the biggest impact in...
iPhone 16 Apple Store

iPhone Sizes Change Next Year: What to Know

Monday December 23, 2024 7:40 am PST by
This year, Apple tweaked iPhone 16 Pro screen sizes to make them bigger than 2023's iPhone 15 Pro models, and next year we are also expecting a change in the size of the displays in the iPhone 17 lineup. Here's what we know. Standard iPhone 17 Apple could introduce a new display size for the standard iPhone 17 model in 2025. The iPhone 17 could measure in at 6.3 inches, up from 6.1 inches,...
AirTag and Lavender iPhone

AirTag 2 Launching Next Year With These New Features

Tuesday December 24, 2024 8:35 am PST by
Apple is expected to release an AirTag 2 next year, and a few new features and changes have already been rumored for the item tracker. Below, we recap what to expect from the AirTag 2: The new AirTag is expected to be equipped with Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip for longer range. The chip debuted last year in the iPhone 15 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple said it...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18.2.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhone

Saturday December 21, 2024 4:45 pm PST by
Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 18.2.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in our website's analytic logs this week. The logs have accurately revealed many iOS versions before they were released. iOS 18.2.1 should be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or addresses security vulnerabilities, but it is unclear which specific issues might be resolved. The update...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

22 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 23, 2024 6:30 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 pro design cameras

iPhone 18 Pro Rumored to Be More Like DSLR Camera With This Upgrade

Monday December 23, 2024 6:24 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still nearly two years away from launching, a new feature has already been rumored for the devices. In a blog post today, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterated that the main rear camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will offer variable aperture, which would be a first for the iPhone. The main camera refers to the 48-megapixel...

Top Rated Comments

1800AirTAG Avatar
31 months ago
Rather a little later more polished, than on time with larger bugs. No OS is perfect, but if Apple themselves are delaying it, it is for good reason.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
31 months ago
Continuity!

Is it really delayed tho since new iPads will be introduced in Fall October's event?

It would make sense to release the new iPad OS with the launch of new iPads on the lineup.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
31 months ago
Not surprised. It's hard to perfect Stage Manager from home.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fbr$ Avatar
31 months ago
Tried Stage Manager on my M1 iPad Pro 11", didn't like it, turned it off.

I just want to use windows on my iPad the same way I always used windows on macOS and Windows:

- Let's supose I have Safari already opened, then I click on Mail to open it. The way I expect it to work is Mail to be opened alongside Safari. But this is not what happens with Stage Manager: it opens Mail on another app group, then I need to drag Mail to the Safari group, kind of merging the two app groups. That's a huge waste of time

- macOS and Windows remember the size and the position of each app/program, so every time I open the same app I know it will be opened with that same size and at that same place. But Stage Manager doesn't remember windows' sizes and positions, in fact it resizes and repositions each app depending on how much windows are opened at the same time. That really sucks.

Really, this is just a gimmick with small practical usage, at least for me. I don't want to resize and reposition the same app every time I open it.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMG35 Avatar
31 months ago
Surprising since iPadOS 16 is pretty much iPadOS 15. Kind of a weak update.

Weather app though!

Not hating, but after being on the latest beta there really isn’t much to it.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
siddavis Avatar
31 months ago
The forced yearly release is wearing thin
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)