Latest news with #iPadOS26
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Time of India
Apple SVP Craig Federighi reveals why the iPad won't become a Mac says: ‘It's a bad idea…'
Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi recently answered one of the most asked questions by Apple fans, whether the iPad and Mac should ever merge into a single device. Federighi humorously answered using a memorable analogy: "We don't want to build sporks." Speaking to MacStories' Federico Viticci in an interview, Federighi explained Apple's philosophy behind not merging the two popular Apple products. "Someone said, 'If a spoon's great and a fork's great, then let's combine them into a single utensil, right?' It turns out it's not a good spoon and it's not a good fork. It's a bad idea. And so we don't want to build sporks," Federighi said. This analogy clearly explains Apple's belief that merging the two devices or operating systems will compromise the strengths of the devices and will also make the product less useful. Federighi further explained that Apple's main aim is to make both iPad and Mac excel in their respective areas and the company does not want the iPad to displace a Mac. "The Mac lets the iPad be iPad," he stated, highlighting that the existence of a robust Mac ecosystem allows the iPad to remain focused on its touch-first, immersive, and simple interface. He also said that this time the iPadOS 26 introduced many useful and improved features such as new windowing engine and desktop-like features, but these features are designed to cater to the needs of a broader range of iPad users. The main focus is to improve the capabilities of an iPad without compromising on its identity. Federighi also talked about the growth of multitasking functionality in the iPadOS. He described evolution as a multi-year journey of experimentation. He added that if Apple had introduced traditional Mac-like menu bars on the iPad, developers might have designed their apps differently, which could have compromised the iPad app ecosystem. While the two platforms can "be inspired by elements of the Mac" and vice-versa, Federighi firmly believes that a full merger would lead to a messy, confusing, and ultimately inferior user experience . Apple remains committed to its strategy of offering distinct devices optimized for different use cases, rather than a "compromise" solution that attempts to be all things to all people. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
I tried to replace my aging Pixelbook with an iPad on iPadOS 26; here's how it went
Oliver Cragg / Android Authority It's been nine years since Apple released an ad for the 2016 iPad Pro, which asked, 'What is a computer?' That ad has been mocked ever since, as the iPad has always been seen as too compromised compared to a MacBook, Chromebook, or Windows laptop to serve as a full computer replacement for most people. However, iPadOS 26 brings some significant changes to the iPad, and I think it might be enough for the iPad to replace my aged Google Pixelbook. So, I installed the iPadOS 26 developer build on my 2020 iPad Pro 11-inch. I know — it's the last iPad Pro to use an A-series Apple chip rather than an M-series, so it won't be lightning fast, especially on a developer build. However, I won't hold any lag against it here, as this iPad has always experienced issues in the first few betas but has always been perfectly smooth by the time the stable update is released. No, today we'll be evaluating the changes to iPadOS 26 to see if they're conducive to getting work done. Proper Windows Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Apple attempted to improve the multitasking experience on the iPad in 2022 by introducing Stage Manager, but it didn't make the kind of difference I needed. There was no easy way to snap windows together, and most of the time, my apps would overlap each other. All of that changes in iPadOS 26, which has overhauled everything to resemble macOS. Each window features traffic light buttons, which minimize, maximize, or close the app. Long-pressing them displays a window-snapping menu with templates, allowing you to arrange your windows using the most common layouts. It's a massive improvement to the iPad experience, even on the 11-inch model I'm using. I split-screen and window apps on the 6.2-inch Galaxy S25, so I can get plenty done on this 11-inch iPad. Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority Another Mac-inspired addition is the menu bar, which you can summon from the top of the screen with a swipe or by nudging the cursor against the top edge. I've never used macOS, but from what I can tell, it has most of the same functionality, letting you perform certain tasks and actions within the app you're using. What I found most useful was using it to remind me which keyboard shortcuts are bound to certain functions. I was born and raised a Windows user, so getting used to new keyboard commands was a learning curve. The mouse loses aim-assist Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority It's been five years since the iPad gained support for mice and trackpads, but it's only now that it's even remotely usable. In its first iteration, the cursor was just a dot that would automatically snap to the nearest icon. It was like playing a video game with aim-assist cranked too high, and it felt unnatural. The cursor would also disappear each time an icon was selected, with the chosen icon bouncing slightly to indicate that it'd been highlighted. In iPadOS 26, we have a normal arrow as a cursor. It's as simple as that; the dot has become an arrow, and it moves where I want it to without infuriatingly snapping or turning invisible. On its own, this would have been enough for me to give using an iPad for work another try, but combining it with the changes made to window management, I got a fresh feeling operating system where mouse and keyboard support no longer feel like an afterthought. Will I be working from an iPad? Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority No, but I could. I know — I just sang the praises of how good iPadOS 26 is for stuff like this, and there's even more I didn't go into, like the fact the iPad version of Safari can handle Wordpress in a way Android's Chrome app can't, or that mobile Safari supports most of my extensions. The reason I won't be switching to the iPad for work, and still plan to buy a new laptop, comes down to pricing. I love my iPad, but it's old. It can do everything I need it to when I use it as a tablet, but pushing it as hard as I did this week felt like too much. The A12Z Bionic and 6GB of RAM struggled to handle all my tabs, the 11-inch screen felt cramped, and the fact that it can only mirror its screen to a monitor, rather than providing a dual-screen experience, limited its usefulness to me. So, why not buy a bigger and faster iPad Pro? I can get a used/refurbished 12.9-inch M1 iPad Pro, with a five-year warranty, for £550. That's not bad, but we'd need to add the Magic Keyboard to that, which is another £145 for a used unit. That's £695 for a used setup, whereas I can get Snapdragon-powered Windows laptops with 4 times the storage and twice the RAM brand new for £500. Even if I wanted to go with Apple, a used M1 MacBook Air, with the same five-year warranty, is only £475. If you already own a big, newer, M-powered iPad, then iPadOS 26 has just turned it into a very capable laptop replacement. For me, it's something I could use on my current iPad when there aren't other options, but a new laptop still makes the most sense for my use.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
iPadOS 26 Makes Your Tablet More Powerful Than Ever
iPadOS 26 introduces a beautiful new Liquid Glass UI and more. Take advantage of a powerful new windowing system and improved multitasking. The Preview and Journal apps come to iPad, along with more Apple Intelligence goodies. Apple's WWDC 2025 event is here, and it's a big one. For starters, Apple is moving away from software version numbers to something easier to follow: a unified naming system based on the year. With that in mind, the company just unveiled the new and improved iPadOS 26, which is packed with a complete visual overhaul, powerful new features, and much more. Everything from your phone, watch, iPad, Mac, and even CarPlay is getting a complete visual overhaul with what Apple calls "Liquid Glass." This new design is translucent and clean and adapts to content on the screen, controls, and more in real time. It'll even reflect and refract the content, giving your iPad a more vibrant look. And while we'll be learning much more about Liquid Glass in the coming weeks, here's what's new about iPadOS 26. For iPadOS 26, Apple specifically mentions the design, windowing system, new Apple Intelligence features, more ways to work with files, the Preview and Journal apps are now on iPad, and computationally intensive Background Tasks on devices with Apple silicon. Plus, there's an all-new Apple Games app. "iPadOS 26 makes our most versatile device even more capable," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering. Beautiful new Liquid Glass user interface A powerful and intuitive windowing system The Preview and Journal apps come to iPad More Apple Intelligence features Improved audio controls 3D graphing in the Calculator Ability to import and export notes into a markdown file New accessibility features and more. Aside from the all-new Liquid Glass design, your iPad will get several powerful new features that'll let you get more done, work faster, and take advantage of everything from resizable windows and Apple Intelligence. The new windowing system is probably the biggest change and one of the most-requested updates for iPad owners. Now, you can finally run multiple apps and windows at once, easily resize app windows, and put them precisely where you want. Opening numerous windows in any way you see fit will take productivity to the next level. Just like on a Mac, you can instantly open, resize, and minimize windows on the fly. Better yet, if you previously resized an app in iPadOS 26, it opens back in the same size and position the next time you use it. Additionally, this new intuitive windowing system works with Exposé and Stage Manager. Go split screen, open five windows at once, or swipe down from the top of the display to access a new menu bar that makes it easy for iPad owners to access all the commands available for each specific app. Apple Intelligence will bring live translation to FaceTime, new ways to create Genmoji with the power of ChatGPT, and more useful Shortcut features, including summarizing text with Writing Tools and creating images with Image Playground. iPadOS 26 will also introduce the world to a new and improved file system on the iPad. The new Files app has a slew of customization options that'll make it easy to change the colors and icons, add emojis, and more to specific files, making it easier than ever to find what's important. You can even use an updated list view to see more documents and files in resizable columns. There's also a new drag-and-drop system to put any folder from the Files app into the dock. Additionally, you can select the default app that'll open specific file types. While those are a few key changes, there's so much new in iPadOS 26. Owners will love finally having the Preview and Journal apps on their iPad, as well as new audio features that add flexibility for input/output and recording. You can even choose different microphones for each app or individual websites, taking the audio experience to the next level. iPadOS 26 will be available for the iPad 8th Gen (with the home button) and all newer models, but it looks like the 7th Gen base iPad is no longer supported. All of these features are available for testing starting today through the Apple Developer Program or the public beta next month. Otherwise, it'll arrive as a free software update later this fall. At this point, they should just call it macOS. Source: Apple Newsroom
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Why 2025 Will Be the Year to Start Your Apple Journal
Apple's Journal app is a great way to write out your thoughts or reflect on your day while also allowing you to add photos, voice memos, locations, fitness workouts, and mental well-being components to your entries. However, the app has only been available on iOS until now. With iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, that's no longer the case as Apple is bringing Journal to the Mac and iPad too. Because of this, I'll be more inclined to use Apple's Journal app in 2025 since I can add entries from the devices I actually write on (and you should too). The Journal app was first introduced during WWDC 2023, when iOS 17 was first unveiled, and was released later that fall with iOS 17.2. It provided users with an app that allowed them to express their thoughts in a more detailed way than just using the Notes app. With the Journal app, you can give your entry a title and then start writing underneath it with no limit. But while this first starts to sound similar to writing in the Notes app, it's what you can add in that takes the app to the next level. When writing your journal entry, you can tap into different apps to add data from them that happened throughout your day. For example, your iPhone knows what music you've been listening to, so you can add that in. Alternatively, if you took any photos that day, those can be included as well. You can mix and match different elements from different apps, so it doesn't need to only center around one. If you don't feel like writing, you can also insert an audio recording and talk about your day instead of typing it. This works similarly to how you record voice notes in the Voice Memos app. Being able to access additional information from external apps can also help you brainstorm different topics to write about. For example, you can log your mood right inside the Journal app, and then you can write an entry about why you feel that way. While this app can help you upgrade your journal entries, it is only available on devices running iOS, meaning it is not compatible with iPadOS or macOS. Personally, since the iPad usually receives features after the iPhone does—like when lock screen customization was introduced on the iPad a year after it was introduced on the iPhone—I thought the iPad would get it in the following major release, but I was wrong. But the wait is nearly over. With iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, the Journal app is finally coming to the iPad and Mac, allowing those who prefer typing on those devices instead of the iPhone to join in on the fun. With iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe—also known as macOS 26—the Journal app is finally coming to those devices. I think it's taken a little too long for it to come over, but late is better than never. It makes more sense for the Journal app to be on the iPad and Mac, as that is where people write more, rather than on their iPhones. Typing on the iPhone is good, but if you want to write a long journal entry, your thumbs may get tired or sore very quickly. Typing on your iPhone might also not be ideal, depending on your screen size. A larger display—like on the iPad or Mac—is more comfortable to read on, and the physical keyboard on the Mac, along with the larger keyboard on the iPad, makes typing easier. Now, Apple is not just taking the Journal app and slapping it into these operating systems; they are fine-tuning it to work with what you can do on those devices. For example, on the iPad, if you have an Apple Pencil, you can draw and sketch within your journal entry. Yet, while new features are being added, the same old ones that have been there from the start will still be available on these new platforms. This includes being able to import information from external apps into your entries. Additionally, with the larger displays, you'll be able to see more while typing and when viewing all of your journals—a new feature coming to the Journal app on all devices. This feature enables you to organize various entries into separate journals, categorized by specific topics, and sync them across all your devices. As the Journal app becomes available on the iPad and Mac, creating and maintaining a journal becomes more accessible thanks to the ability to type more comfortably and naturally. The iPhone is great for jotting down short entries, but if you're looking to write longer ones, you're probably going to prefer doing it on a Mac or iPad with a larger or physical keyboard. Although the app is coming to the iPad and Mac, it is not yet available and will arrive in the fall with the final releases of iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe. However, there are still ways to use the Journal app on those devices, but it will require an extra step or two. If you're looking to type on your Mac, you can use the iPhone Mirroring feature—as long as both your Mac and iPhone support it—and type within the app that way. You can open the Journal app through the mirrored iPhone on your Mac's screen, then control it and type your entry using your Mac's keyboard, just as if you were typing on the iPhone's keyboard. If you're looking to type using an iPad, there is, unfortunately, no way to mirror your iPhone to that display. However, what I used to do is type my journal entry in the Notes app, have it sync over to my iPhone, and then copy and paste it into the Journal app. From there, I would add all the extra details—such as external app information—to complete the entry. I would often do this when writing about my daily workout reflections. Now, if these tips don't apply to you, don't appeal to you, or you simply don't have a Mac or iPad but want a better way to type on your iPhone, try connecting an external keyboard. Any keyboard that connects via Bluetooth should work with your iPhone or iPad, so it's an option worth considering. This assumes you're interested in typing on an external keyboard instead of your iPhone's screen—something many users might not think to do. Still, the option is available and possible. Whether you follow one of these tips or wait for the final releases of either operating system, there will soon be a way to type your journal entries from your other Apple devices—and it's just on the horizon. The Journal app is an excellent tool for expressing your thoughts and documenting your ideas, feelings, and daily life—especially with the help of external app data and various features. However, it always felt limited to the device least suited for typing longer entries. With the arrival of these new software versions, many people may finally reconsider using the app and enjoy a more seamless experience. Journaling is a healthy habit, and being able to do it from more devices—with your entries syncing between them—will help many users finally begin their journaling journey.
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Apple brings Journal App to more devices with iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe
Apple's native Journal app, first introduced in 2023 with iOS 17.2, is set to make its way to the iPad and Mac later this year, the company confirmed during its WWDC 2025 keynote. The expansion comes alongside the launch of iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, which will bring a host of new features to Apple's ecosystem. The journaling app, designed to help users document their thoughts and daily experiences, will now take full advantage of the hardware and interface capabilities of the iPad and Mac. Until now, the app has been limited to the iPhone, but the move to bring it to more devices is seen as a natural progression. On the iPad, Journal will gain support for the Apple Pencil, allowing users to include handwritten notes, sketches, and drawings within their entries. Additionally, users will be able to insert photos, audio clips, and other media to enrich their daily logs. The larger screen real estate and multitasking capabilities of the iPad are expected to enhance the journaling experience significantly. Mac users, meanwhile, will benefit from the familiarity and efficiency of a physical keyboard, offering a more seamless way to type entries compared to the iPhone's on-screen keyboard. Apple also highlighted that the app will support multiple journals for different themes or life events, all of which will be synchronised across Apple devices via iCloud. Journal entries will be end-to-end encrypted and securely stored on iCloud, ensuring privacy and peace of mind. To safeguard content further, entries can be locked using Touch ID or Face ID, depending on the device in use. The app also introduces features aimed at helping users revisit their memories, such as a location-based map view of entries, the ability to bookmark moments, and advanced filters to search through past logs using criteria like photos, locations, and fitness activities. Powered by on-device machine learning, Journal provides intelligent prompts tailored to each user's recent activity — including places visited, music played, and photos taken — to encourage meaningful and consistent journaling habits. The updated Journal app will become available on iPad and Mac with the rollout of iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26, both scheduled for public release later this year. With its arrival across Apple's wider product range, the app is expected to become a more central part of users' digital lives, encouraging reflection and creativity on a broader scale.
