I was unhappy to see that iPadOS 15 was more of a catch-up to iOS 14, including widgets on the home screen, when it was unveiled at WWDC 2021.
While the new Focus feature and improved multitasking choices were good additions, they didn't go far enough to improve my iPad usage. I opted to upgrade to a MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) because these improvements seemed so trivial to me, and I've been delighted with it ever since.
With WWDC 2022 set to take place on June 6, there's a significant possibility we'll see iPadOS 16. Hopefully, the operating system will distinguish itself from iOS by including capabilities that are not only unique to the iPad but also justify the 'Pro' in iPad Pro.
With that in mind, here are five features for iPadOS 16 that I'd want to see.
1. Support for external monitors
This is a feature that many iPad users have wished for, including myself when I had one. While an iPad can be connected to a monitor, it just replicates what's on the tablet, and in a resolution that doesn't adapt to the monitor.
We live in an era where working on two or three displays is the norm. You may switch programs and windows between these monitors with ease, and macOS or Windows 11 will handle it well.
However, this is not feasible with iPadOS. When an iPad is linked to a display, an additional multitasking window appears. This allows you to slide an app to a different display and have it appear in the full quality of the monitor.
2. A brand-new lock screen
There are sections of iPadOS that appear to be iPhone features that have been blown up. For years, Siri was guilty of this, covering the entire screen, but happily, with iPadOS 13, this was shrunk in a tiny menu.
The lock screen should be the next to get this treatment. While iPadOS 15 improved notifications, there's still a lot of wasted space, especially on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Let's see at least one widget presented - possibly weather as the default, with the option to add another. While you can display some widgets by swiping to the left, having them appear as soon as you wake the screen would be a great touch.
3. In a call, record more than one individual.
This has long been a source of frustration for content providers, particularly podcasters. While FaceTime, Skype, and other apps allow you to participate in conversations and group calls, there hasn't been a means to record everyone independently.
Many people use this method to record for a podcast since it allows audio editors to combine many audio files into a single episode.
There is currently no method to achieve this on iPadOS.
So, let's look at a simpler approach to record many individuals on a call and save them as separate files that may be edited into a podcast.
This one tweak may turn the iPad into a portable podcasting machine, allowing you to record a guest, edit the file in Garageband or Ferrite, and save it as a polished podcast file ready to send to service.
4. Final Cut
While programs like iMovie and Luma Digital can help you edit your videos, some content makers prefer the added power and functionality that Final Cut offers.
This is the pro version of Apple's video editing tools, and it's exclusively accessible on Mac OS X. Users have wished to see Final Cut on the iPad because the Mac and iPad both run on Apple Silicon.
This, coupled with widgets and shortcuts, being included in iPadOS 16 might entice professional users. It would also enhance processes if they could continue working on their Final Cut projects on the iPad without having to switch to another software.
5. Support for picture-in-picture
This is a function that was previously only available on the iPad, until making its way to macOS and subsequently iOS 15. However, since its launch in iOS 9 on iPad, its features have remained the same. It's past time to make some changes.
A timeline slider would be quite useful, as you presently have to return to the program that was initially playing the video and use the slider to go to a new section of it.
Another useful feature would be the option to move the movie about the screen. While you can do this to some extent currently, the video has been known to hide behind menus or be blocked by an app. You may fix this on macOS by holding down the command key and dragging the video anywhere on the screen.
With YouTube's decision to introduce the capability to its app for Premium customers, these two upgrades for iPadOS would expand its use.