Bloomberg: Apple postpones release of iPadOS 16 for a month

Apple expects to delay its next major iPadOS release by a month until October. Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman says this based on his own sources. This means that the tablet operating system will not be released at the same time as iOS 16.

The delay would be partly due to the new multitasking functions that are in iPadOS 16, writes Gurman. Apple is introducing Stage Manager as a new part of iPadOS 16, a feature that displays apps and windows on the left side of the screen, so that users can switch between them more quickly.

Gurman said developers criticized the feature during beta testing for bugs, a confusing interface, and lack of compatibility with most iPads. Stage Manager only works on iPads with an M1 soc, so the iPad Pro 2021 and this year’s iPad Air. MacOS Ventura, which also gets Stage Manager, doesn’t seem subject to delays. iOS 16, which would normally appear together with iPadOS 16, will also not be delayed, according to Gurman.

If Apple does indeed delay iPadOS 16, the release will also be closer to the arrival of new iPad models, says Gurman. Apple is said to have plans for an updated iPad Pro with an M2 chip, in addition to a new entry-level iPad with USB-C. Both were due out later this year. Apple has not responded to Bloomberg’s messages.

iPadOS 16 with Stage Manager. Source: Apple