iPadOS 19 May Bring Apple’s iPad Closer to Mac

Apple is gearing up for this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where it is expected to unveil the next iterations of its major operating systems. While iOS 19 is hotly anticipated as the next major overhaul for the iPhone software, a new report claims the next iPadOS version will make the iPad work nearly like a Mac.

In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has noted that iPad’s software will be in the spotlight at WWDC, with Apple planning to introduce significant changes to iPadOS alongside iOS. The iPadOS 19, he said, will focus “on productivity, multitasking, and app window management” to an extent where it would almost feel like macOS. He said the next iPadOS version will finally address the pain points that have so far prevented users from using Apple’s tablet like a laptop.

Most iPad users have long awaited updates that would make the tablet work like a MacBook. While Apple has repeatedly insisted it will not merge iPadOS and macOS — claiming each has a different purpose — it has also said multitasking on iPads needs to be better — almost like Windows-powered tablets. The next update, thus, would focus on increasing the iPad’s capabilities while maintaining the differences from MacBooks.

The kind of hardware powering the iPad Pro can allow room for such software optimisations. The latest iPad Pro has an M4 chip, which also powers Apple’s MacBook, meaning their performance is almost identical, but their operating systems are designed so differently that MacBooks feel more versatile, while iPads have struggled to keep up on the software front.

“For years, users have said that it feels like the hardware capabilities of the iPad are well ahead of its software,” said Gurman. The next crop of iPads is expected to use Apple’s upcoming M5 chip, making the tablets even more powerful, and the planned changes in iPadOS are expected to come around the same time as those models. If Apple delivers on the feedback and overhauls iPadOS, it could finally unlock iPad’s potential, especially with meaningful hardware upgrades each year.

Apple’s WWDC kicks off on June 9.