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If you own a recent iPad, iPadOS 16.3 is something you’ll want to learn more about: it’s the next version of Apple’s iPad software and is available for download.
This new version of iPadOS was announced at Apple’s annual WWDC 2022 conference, where the company is showing off its new operating systems – iOS 16 was the biggest upgrade shown with a new lock screen and more.
iPadOS 16.3 is the fourth generation of the tablet operating system since Apple split it from the iOS smartphone operating system – although iPadOS 16.1 shares many features with iOS 16.
Apple recently announced that iPadOS 16.1 would instead launch later in 2022, with more time needed to improve Stage Manager, its new take on multitasking on the tablet. That came to an end on October 24, when the update was available for certain iPad models.
Upgrades include improved collaboration tools, including a new collaborative markup app, and new features to bring the iPad experience closer to that of working on a computer.
Below we’ve covered all the features Apple announced on stage and what could be coming in future iPadOS releases.
iPadOS 16.3: to the point
- What is it? The latest major update for iPads
- When did it come out? October 24, 2022
- How much is it? It is free
Compatibility with iPadOS 16
So which iPads can get iPadOS 16.3? Here’s the official list Apple provided.
To check which iPad you have, go to the Settings app, select the As regards find option Model name.
- iPad (fifth generation) and newer
- iPad Mini (fifth generation) and later
- iPad Air (third generation) and later
- Any iPad Pro model
It should come as no surprise that Apple’s current iPad portfolio is some of the best tablets in the industry, but thanks to entries like the 2021 iPad 10.2, even some of the best low-cost tablets are taking advantage of the latest and greatest features that iPadOS 16.1 brings. has to offer .
iPadOS 16.1 features
Here’s what you need to know about the iPadOS 16.1 update:
iPadOS 16.1 borrowed features
Many iPadOS 16.1 features are primarily iOS 16 features and are expanding.
Another comes from Apple Maps – you can create a route in the app on your iPad and then send it to your iPhone – making it easier to plan a trip on a big screen before viewing it on the map. smaller.
You can also schedule emails to be sent at a specific time, retract emails you’ve just sent, and set reminders for emails you don’t want to deal with right away.
Apple’s new Weather app is also coming to iPad and macOS Ventura, an extension of its iOS 14 debut. It shows an expanded layout so you can view more information on the tablet’s screen, such as predicted rain, detailed maps for temperature and more.
Another new app coming to iPad is Reference Mode, which is designed to keep your iPad’s screen colors in sync with those of monitors and other displays, which would come in handy for color graders — though Apple didn’t go into much detail.
iPadOS 16.1 collaboration features
Enhanced collaboration features are a major focus for the next iPad update.
Now when you share a document (from certain apps) with your friends or colleagues, you’re sharing the actual document instead of a copy of it. This makes it easier for collaborators to make edits together.
You can also use FaceTime to work on these documents with other people by sharing links and files through the video calling platform. Among other things, this should make it super convenient to use Freeform, another feature we’ll get to later.
iPadOS 16.1 desktop focus
A new method of multitasking is coming to iPadOS in the form of Stage Manager, which gives you desktop-like functionality: you can have overlapping windows, you can set aside all your background apps to see them in one list, and you can resize change windows.
This feature is available for iPads released from 2018 onwards, with the exception of the iPad mini.
Apple has also promised to upgrade more first-party apps to make them “Desktop-class,” though this seems to bring hundreds of small tweaks, such as different ways to display files or view folders with different icons.
Thanks to Stage Manager you can finally connect your iPad to an external monitor. This allows you to use Ulysses on your iPad, for example, while viewing the Photos app on a connected monitor, but this feature has been deferred to a later release.
iPadOS 16.1 Freeform
A new app called FreeForm has been announced, coming to iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura later this year. It’s basically a collaborative digital bulletin board, or a shared version of the Notes app, that allows multiple users to sketch and jot down ideas.
In the presentation, Apple showed that many people drew a lot of different mind maps with sticky notes, colored lines and annotations – the Apple Pencil was shown as a useful tool for contributing to these types of documents.
If you’ve used Google Jamboard, this feels like Apple’s equivalent, although since it works on a stylus-enabled tablet it should be a little more convenient to use.
Gaming improvements in iPadOS 16.1
After describing Mac’s gaming prowess at WWDC 2022, Apple revealed that the iPad will get many of those features as well.
This includes a feature called Metal 3, which automatically upscales game visuals (basically boosts framerate and resolution), and it should make iPadOS games feel a little more like console alternatives. Now we just need Fortnite back!
However, this also means that other games previously exclusive to the PC and Steam Deck are coming to Apple’s platforms, while No Man’s Sky is coming soon to iPadOS and macOS Ventura.
Game Center gets an activity list so you can see what your friends are up to – it’s similar to the features that exist in many other game networks like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network so you can see if someone is getting an achievement in for example a game, or spent 20 hours playing a particular title.
Finally, it’s now easier to share instant links with your friends so they can play a multiplayer game with you.