Top Five New Features in iPadOS 16.1
Though iOS 16 has been available since September, Apple delayed iPadOS 16 in order to add improvements to the Stage Manager feature. iPadOS 16 is finally available, so many iPad owners will be installing it for the first time today.
For those who are new to iPadOS 16, we've rounded up the five best features worth checking out, plus a quick look at some upcoming additions that Apple plans to introduce in the future. Make sure to watch our video up above to see these features in action.
- Stage Manager - Stage Manager, a new Mac-like multitasking experience, is the reason iPadOS 16 was delayed. Stage Manager allows you to have four app windows open at once, swapping between them using a sidebar. Stage Manager has been criticized for a subpar, buggy experience, so it remains to be seen how it will be received by the general public. It is available on M1, M2, A12Z, and A12X iPads, though the External Display beta feature has been temporarily removed. Apple plans to re-add it later, but External Display support will be limited to M1 and M2 iPads.
- Display Modes - Apple added new reference modes for those who have iPad Pro models and need to use their devices in a professional capacity. Reference mode is designed to allow 12.9-inch iPad Pro users to display reference color in addition to SDR and HDR, while Display Zoom lets you choose options like more space or larger text, in addition to the default view. The options are available under the Display and Brightness section of the Settings app.
- Mail Updates - Apple overhauled the Mail app, adding useful features like Undo Send, which gives you up to 30 seconds to change your mind on an email you've sent out. You can also schedule messages and get reminders to follow up on an email you haven't heard back on.
- Messages Updates - In the Messages app, you can unsend a message or edit a message, so long as the person you're messaging is also using iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, or macOS Ventura. You can also retrieve deleted messages and mark a conversation as unread, plus the FaceTime SharePlay feature now works in the Messages app so you can watch movies, TV shows, and more while chatting with friends.
- Weather App - The iPad has a long-awaited Weather app for the first time. It's identical to the iPhone Weather app, providing 10-day forecasts as well as information on precipitation, air quality, UV index, wind speed, and more.
- Freeform (Coming Soon) - Freeform is an app that Apple plans to introduce later this year. It's a collaborative brainstorming app that you can use for jotting down notes, sketching, adding links, inserting documents, adding videos, and more. Multiple people can work on a document together using FaceTime or Messages to communicate.
For more information on everything that's new in iPadOS 16, we have a dedicated iPadOS 16 roundup that outlines every feature.
Popular Stories
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
...
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 ...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...