Apple’s iPadOS 15 feels like it has a clear vision for what the iPad is and will become — it’s just taking some time to get there.
Apple on Wednesday released the first public beta of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 for anyone to help test the upcoming software update that will power millions of iPhones and iPads. You can sign up for the public beta if you’re willing to deal with frequent updates, bugs, and poor battery life. Apple first announced the new operating systems in early June at WWDC 2021, and it also released them as developer betas. I’ve been using the developer betas since they were made available on my iPhone and iPad. There are plenty of changes on both operating systems to write a book about — but, for now, I want to start with my first impressions of the iPadOS 15 beta, specifically. As you go through the areas of the update I like, and what I think needs some work, keep in mind that iPadOS 15 is very much still a beta. Apple can and will make plenty of changes before the official release this fall — and that’s a good thing. Multitasking, or using more than one app at the same time, has been possible on the iPad since the release of iOS 9 in 2015. If you knew about it, you often struggled to remember features like Split View (using two apps side-by-side) or Slide Over (using an app that hovers above whatever apps are open on your screen) even existed. It wasn’t obvious how you moved an app from Slide Over to Split View or vice versa. With iPadOS 15, Apple has added a small button that lives atop every app window. Tap or click on it, and you’re given a few different options for that particular window. The Multitasking control button will let you move an app into Slide Over, Split View, or Full Screen without any extra fuss or gestures. If you already have an app open full screen and you tap or click on the multitasking button and select Split Screen, the app’s window will move off the right side of the screen, allowing you to pick a second app to use from your home screen or App Library. Select a compatible app, and a second later both apps will be open and ready to use. Another frustration I had with iPadOS and multitasking before iPadOS 15 was that you never knew exactly which app’s text field was active, and I would always start typing in the wrong window. Thankfully, I never sent a message to the wrong person or whatever embarrassing thing could happen.
