Final yr, Apple launched a meaty iOS replace for iPhones, however a few of the greatest adjustments did not make it over to the iPad. This yr, the iPhone replace is modest—so does that imply that the iPad replace is the massive one this time round?
Effectively, that will depend on your perspective. iPadOS 15 brings nearly all the pieces iOS 15 dropped at iPhones, however it additionally brings these main iOS 14 omissions from final yr to the pill. Consequently, iPadOS 15 seems like a big replace if you have not been utilizing an iPhone recently, however in the event you’ve already used iOS 14’s new house display screen and app library options, it as a substitute finally ends up feeling prefer it’s late to the occasion.
We printed a prolonged, iPhone-focused evaluation of iOS 15 earlier this week. Take into account this a brief addendum to that evaluation that places the highlight on the iPad. Discuss with the sooner evaluation for particulars on new options like Focus that are not iPad particular or for a listing of iPads which can be supported by iPadOS 15.
The house display screen
Let’s begin with the house display screen, which noticed the largest transformation this yr, despite the fact that nearly all the pieces totally different about it was already accessible on iPhones when iOS 14 launched in late 2020.
Arguably essentially the most important introduction to iPadOS 15 is the app library view, which iPhones received final yr. Swiping all the way in which to the appropriate on the house display screen will take you right here, the place you may discover a search area and several other folders that comprise each app you’ve put in in your iPad. Sadly, as in iOS 14, you’ll be able to’t outline these folders your self; the software program generates them mechanically.
The actual benefit right here is that the house display screen is now not the one place you’ll be able to retailer apps, which suggests you’ll be able to take away apps from the house display screen whereas nonetheless preserving them accessible each through Highlight search and by visiting the app library display screen.
So in case you have an app that you simply use from time to time however not every day—like one to examine in in your funding portfolio, maybe, or an ordering app for a particular restaurant—you’ll be able to preserve that app put in and use it everytime you need however preserve your private home display screen clear and targeted.
Whenever you attempt to delete an app on the house display screen, you may be requested whether or not you wish to totally delete the app or simply relegate it to the app library.
Additional, now you can conceal or present house display screen pages, which performs properly with Focus mode (see the iOS 15 evaluation for particulars about that; it really works the identical on the iPad) to offer you extra house display screen customization than you have ever had earlier than.
The iPad additionally will get one thing that the iPhone did not: entry to the app library from the dock, which is way more handy than swiping to the final web page on the house display screen.
Widgets
The opposite main addition to the house display screen is free-form widget help. The scenario with widgets has been a bit unusual; home-screen widgets debuted on iPadOS a few years previous, however this extra strong replace hit the iPhone first a few yr in the past and is simply simply making its strategy to the iPad with iPadOS 15.
Whereas you possibly can beforehand place widgets in a predefined place on the very first home-screen web page, now you can place them anyplace on the house display screen and in a number of totally different sizes, together with variations for sure widgets that weren’t accessible on the iPhone.
You’ll be able to both place widgets side-by-side on the house display screen alongside app icons, or you’ll be able to place them in a stack that solely occupies as a lot area as a single widget; you’ll be able to swipe your finger on it to swap between widgets in that place. That is all simply as we noticed it on the iPhone once we reviewed iOS 14.
Sadly, arranging icons and widgets on the house display screen nonetheless is an actual ache. The “wobble mode” icon-and-widget placement method and the house display screen’s cascading listing format have gotten to go; their limitations have solely turn into extra obvious as extra customization and options have been added.
Nonetheless, in the event you can endure via the frustration of breaking your format many instances over as you attempt to get all the pieces the place you need it, the mix of widgets and the app library utterly adjustments the way in which the house display screen works on the iPad, if you need it to. (Should you do not, you’ll be able to simply ignore all of it and use the iPad’s house display screen simply as you all the time have.)
Multitasking
When Apple introduced iPadOS 15, it put multitasking entrance and heart. The brand new stuff right here is generally contains extra intuitive methods to entry options that existed earlier than, however they’re all welcome.
The brand new multitasking button
For instance, software home windows which can be in full-screen or split-view mode now have a three-dot ellipsis button on the high. Tapping or clicking that produces a small panel that lets you choose both full-screen, break up view, or slide over.
Tapping full display screen does simply what you’d anticipate; it makes the app full-screen. Tapping break up view makes the app occupy half of the display screen, then deposits you on the house display screen the place you’ll be able to choose one other app to take up the opposite half.
