For a while now, a rumor has been circulating on the web, indicating that the iPad update to iPadOS 16 will not be deployed at the same time as iOS 16 in September. And today it is confirmed.

Indeed, in a press release relayed by our colleagues from TechCrunch, the Cupertino company confirms this delay. “This is a particularly important year for iPadOS. As a clean platform with features built specifically for iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update”says Apple.

iOS and iPadOS take different paths

This is a first, because if the iPhone and the iPad have different operating systems, the development of updates for these two types of devices has always been done in parallel. And because of this, iPadOS 16 iPhone update was expected to roll out alongside iOS 16 after iPhone 14 went official.

According to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple decided to release iPadOS 16 later, in part due to bugs found in the operating system. At the same time, by delaying iPadOS 16, Apple would have more resources to devote to the development of iOS 16. This source suggests that the update for iPad should land in October. And the good news is that, according to Gurman, Apple could also unveil new iPads during another keynote in October: new iPad Pros and the iPad 10. Rumors suggest that the latter could have a new design, with thin borders and no home button.

As a reminder, Apple decided to release an operating system different from iOS for the iPad in 2019 (before the release of the first version of iPadOS, Apple tablets used the same system as the iPhone).

An important new feature for iPads with M1 chip

iPadOS has allowed iPads to take advantage of a more optimized system and interface for XXL screens, and has also introduced new functions for multitasking. Moreover, the iPadOS 16 update will include a lot of new features to boost user productivity.

Among these, there is Stage Manager. As Apple stated: “Stage Manager offers an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organizes apps and windows, making it quick and easy to switch between different tasks. For the first time on iPad, multiple overlapping windows of varying sizes can be opened simultaneously in a single view, windows can be dragged and dropped to the sides, and apps can be opened from the Dock to create app groups, for a faster and more flexible multitasking experience. »

Unfortunately, this feature will only be available on iPads using the M1 chip: a fifth-generation iPad Air, a fifth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, or a third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro.