Apple Debuts App Windows, Full External Display Support, and More for M1 iPads
Apple today announced a series of iPadOS 16 features exclusive to iPads with the M1 chip, including support for virtual memory swap, windowing via Stage Manager, improved external display support, and more.

Virtual memory swap expands the amount of memory available to all iPad apps, with up to 16GB available to the most demanding apps on some iPad Pro models. iPadOS 16 includes a new way to scale the iPad's display to increase pixel density to see more inside apps, improving the multitasking experience.
Stage Manager provides an all-new way to manage windows on the iPad, with support for groups of up to four windows. When using an external display, iPadOS will display a full dock and switch to Stage Manager. When using an external display, up to eight apps can run simultaneously between an iPad and an external display.
Reference Mode allows creators to exactly match color requirements in workflows like review and approve, color grading, and compositing.
These iPadOS 16 features are exclusive to iPads with the M1 chip, including the fifth-generation iPad Pro and fifth-generation iPad Air. Reference Mode is only available on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display.
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