Apple Aiming to Make iPad More Mac-Like With iPadOS 16 Multitasking Changes

Apple wants to make the iPad behave more like a laptop than a smartphone and plans to implement changes in iPadOS 16 to further that goal, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

iPad Pro Big Ol Logo
iPadOS 16 will feature a redesigned multitasking interface that makes it easier to swap between tasks and see which apps are open, plus it will allow users to resize windows. Apple plans to implement new ways for users to deal with multiple apps at once, in what sounds like a much more Mac-like multitasking experience.

The revamped iPad experience will be one of the biggest upgrades announced at WWDC, according to Gurman.

Apple's iPad Pro models are as powerful as its Macs as they use the same M1 chip, but the software experience has always lagged behind and prevented the tablet from being used in the same way as a laptop or desktop machine.

The new iPadOS 16 experience will premiere on Monday, June 6, with Apple previewing the software for developers. Developers will get beta access that same day, and Apple will refine the iPadOS 16 software over the course of several months before launching it in the fall alongside iOS 16.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

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Top Rated Comments

GreenPixel Avatar
39 months ago
I’d love an iPad that had a touch OS on the go and macOS as needed or when docked.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dantracht Avatar
39 months ago
Any improvement is welcome. Particularly in this area.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sherwinzadeh Avatar
39 months ago
I'm torn by this... on the one hand it's very welcome. But after MacBooks went M1, I really don't use my iPad as a "laptop" anymore. Sorta wish they would go back to the "tablet" roots and really innovate more in this space. I really do want a *third* device that is different than my laptop and my iPhone as Steve Jobs presented it.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fbr$ Avatar
39 months ago
Resizable windows? Welcome to 1990! ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_3.0
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
39 months ago
Also, how about bringing the macOS to the iPad. Let's transform it to have that macOS experience. That will be a game changer!

Imagine, An iconic glowing Apple logo on iPads. :oops:
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
The Cappy Avatar
39 months ago
I'm all for iPad improvements. But some of the speculation about basically making it turn into a Mac-like interface seems a terrible idea. Let the Mac have a Mac interface. Let the iPad spread its wings and have multiple monitor support (touch-on-monitor would be awesome). Windows if they can do it without making touch targets that only a mouse can find.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)