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Apple Seeds First Beta of iPadOS 16.1, Confirms Delayed Launch

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming iPadOS 16.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software available alongside the standard iOS 16 seventh beta that was provided today.

ipados 16 stage manager
Registered developers can download the iPadOS 16 profile from the Apple Developer Center, and once installed, the beta will be available over the air.

Apple has decided to delay the launch of iPadOS 16 in order to continue working out bugs and other issues with the Stage Manager feature that is coming to M1 iPad models.

In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple said that there will be no iPadOS 16.0 version at launch, with the company instead planning to ship iPadOS 16.1 following the launch of iOS 16.

This is an especially big year for iPadOS. As its own platform with features specifically designed for iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.

iPadOS 16.1 introduces new ‌Stage Manager‌ features, according to TechCrunch.

The big update this time out is the ability to resurface the Stage Manager side rail with a gesture while the feature is full screen. The other updates with 16.1 are the standard spate of beta bug updates

Apple rarely splits iOS and iPadOS launches apart, but it has opted to do so in this case because the latest version of iPadOS is still riddled with bugs and seeing a number of complaints about the multitasking Stage Manager option.

Related Forum: iOS 16

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Top Rated Comments

WhackyNinja Avatar
50 months ago
“This is an especially big year for iPadOS”

Me:


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Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
50 months ago
“This is an especially big year for iPadOS.”

I don’t see it.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
50 months ago
iPadOS is the prime example what's bad about not having any direct competition. The OS has stagnated for years and years, because what are you going to do? Use an Android tablet? lol.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
50 months ago
Very few journalists & websites hold Apple accountable when it underdelivers.

iPad OS & even MacOS in my opinion have been lagging in development lately with few features that are mostly focused on security-related matters and nothing meeting conudmers demand on UI & functions.

Even the Stage Manager in my opinion is a joke compared to the basic yet functional windows management on Win-11.

Add to it: no notification syncing, delayed iPad OS features coming 1 year after iOS and you see the whole picture is just not what you would expect from Apple.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
50 months ago
"we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule."
But we must demonstrate this independence by keeping the version numbers in sync. :)
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
w5jck Avatar
50 months ago
Apple can take a decade to release iPadOS 16.x, and it will still be a garbage OS that doesn't turn the iPad into a workhorse. It merely makes it an incrementally better toy...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)