Apple Confirms iPadOS 16 Delay, Releases iPadOS 16.1 Beta
Apple has confirmed that iPadOS 16 will not be available for download on the same date as iOS 16 on iPhone. This information had already circulated and it is therefore official today.
In a statement to TechCrunchApple says:
This is a particularly important year for iPadOS. As a full-fledged platform with features built specifically for iPad, we have the ability to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.
The public will therefore not be entitled to iPadOS 16.0, Apple will go directly to iPadOS 16.1. Moreover, the first beta (build 20B5027f) is now available from developers.
Why this postponement compared to iOS 16 on iPhone? Apple does not say it today, but we already know that the concern comes from Stage Manager. This feature allows users to resize apps in overlapping windows for an enhanced multitasking experience. The feature also supports an external display, allowing users to work with up to eight apps simultaneously (up to four apps on the iPad and up to four apps on the external display).
The problem is that the current version is not really ideal and many developers and public testers criticize the operation. Apple has therefore decided to take time to improve it.
Apple will deliver the final version of iOS 16 in September on iPad. For iPadOS 16.1, it will normally be October if we go by the first leak. Apple does not confirm this slot today.
