Apple has officially announced the next-generation operating system for iPads -- iPadOS 15, based on iOS 15 at WWDC 2021. The update will be available for supporting iPads later this spring and comes with a lot of iPad-centric features, which utilizes both Apple pencil and the big screen real estate.
iPadOS 15 update is tailormade for big-screen devices, which now offers an improved web browsing experience, just like a mac using Safari. iPadOS 15 now allows users to place widgets between the apps, just like iOS 14 and App Library is also coming to iPads, which is currently available on iOS 14.
Apple also brings the standalone Translate app to iPads with the iPadOS 15, which allows users to translate texts natively on the iPad. On top of that, the iPadOS 15 also gets offline Siri support, where, users will now be able to give commands to Siri even without an active internet connection.
Apple has improved the multitasking experience on iPads running on iPadOS 15. There is also a new shelf feature, which lets users create custom apps to create a different combination of apps for easy split-screen access. Quick note is an iPad exclusive feature, which allows users to access notes app by swiping up from a corner, which is useful for taking notes browsing the web, or even watching movies.
For developers, the iPadOS 15 offers much-needed tools such as Swift Playgrounds. This allows users to create apps natively on iPad, test those apps natively on iPad, and submit those apps to App Store, directly from iPad. However, Apple hasn't announced any specific features to iPad Pro, which is a bummer, especially considering the capabilities of the new iPads with an M1 processor and up to 16GB RAM.
iPadOS 15 also supports most of the newly announced features on iOS 15 like support for spatial audio on FaceTime and portrait mode, which allows users to blur the background while keeping the subject in focus during video calls. SharePlay is also another new feature coming to both iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, which allows users to watch shows with friends on platforms like AppleTV+, DisneyPlus Hotstar, and more platforms.
If you are a developer, then, the iPadOS 15 developers preview is already available for download for all the supported devices. Similarly, enthusiasts can test the beta version of the iPadOS 15 starting next month, and the stable update will be rolled by the end of 2021. Just like iPadOS 14, the iPadOS 15 will also be a free update and some of the features will be limited to select markets.