Apple will update iPad system to serve professionals

With a software update, the plan is to make more use of the bulky hardware of the iPad

THE apple will announce significant changes to the operating system of the iPad this Monday, 6, according to people with knowledge of the matter, part of an effort to make the device more like a laptop and less like a phone.

The next major iPad software update, iPadOS 16, will have a redesigned multitasking interface that will make it easier to see which apps are open and switch between tasks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the changes are not yet public. The system will also allow users to resize application windows.

The iPad accounts for nearly 9% of Apple’s annual sales, and that percentage has increased in recent years. But professional users of the device clamor for an interface that feels more like a laptop experience. The iPad hardware, which now includes the same M1 processor as some Apple laptops, has gotten more and more powerful, and in some ways, the operating system hasn’t kept up.

The new iPad interface will be one of the biggest updates announced at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, which will also include software updates for iPhone, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

Currently, iPad users can run apps in full screen, like on an iPhone, or run two apps side by side. The company also allows users to add a scaled-down version of a third app by swiping it sideways. The changes will expand this interface.

Apple is estimated to generate over $20 billion a year from the App Store, and the WWDC event helps maintain that revenue. New software features help encourage developers to create new applications which in turn increase revenue.

For iOS 16, the next version of the iPhone operating system, Apple plans several changes, including a new screen lock with widgets, according to Bloomberg.

The company will also update the health app and add new audio and social media features to the messaging app. Redesigned apps for macOS are also on the way, including an overhaul of System Preferences.

For the Apple Watch, the company plans changes to the watch faces, system navigation and various apps on the device, including a notable update to fitness tracking features.

The company also plans a new low-power mode that will allow users to operate the device when the battery is running low. Current low power mode only shows the time.

Source: Bloomberg