#ipados-26

#ipados-26

If the current speculation is correct, Apple's 2026 operating system releases will follow a familiar path: they're more likely to mimic the macOS Snow Leopard pattern set in 2009 than deliver a raft of snazzy new features. Snow Leopard, if you recall, was intended to be a refinement of all the new technologies introduced in the preceding Leopard version of macOS rather than something with a ton of new features.

Picking up the M5 iPad Pro for the first time should come with a wary bystander asking, "are you sure you can handle this thing," as if you were sliding into the driver's seat of an F1 race car. The amount of power under the hood of the newest iPad Pro is that significant, and with Black Friday week kicking off, Amazon is handing you the keys to the 13-inch version with a first-ever $100 price drop to $1,195.

Visually, the iPad Pro is sleek and appealing. It features a thin, unassuming build that makes it almost unsettling when you consider how much power is packed into something so light -- especially when testing the 11-inch variant. Apple also offers the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, in case you require the extra screen real estate, but the 11-inch size is just right for everything I need on a tablet.

The final general release for iPadOS 26 and iOS 26 is slated for September 15. Apple released the developer beta of iPadOS 26 for registered developers during WWDC in June. The public beta is available now, giving anyone early access to test it. Which iPads are compatible with iPadOS 26? You'll need an iPad with iPadOS 16.4 or later, which means one of these models: iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later)

Apple's major iPadOS 26 update comes out on September 15th, offering a new windowing system that will change the way you use the tablet. The company announced the news during its iPhone 17 launch event, just a few months after launching it in beta. The latest version of the iPad's operating system comes with Apple's new Liquid Glass design language that infuses transparent elements across different apps and interfaces.

The iPad and the Mac have always been complimentary devices with a few overlapping functions -- until iPadOS 26, which brings them a lot closer together. The big question since Apple announced iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025 in June has been, "Does this mean I can finally use my iPad to replace my laptop?" The answer for me is, "No." But that doesn't mean that iPadOS 26 isn't a big step forward.

For the longest time, the iPad has been a product that I've wanted to add to my workflow but couldn't due to its rigid operating system.