11 Best iPadOS Features You Must Try On Your iPad

Though the iPad cannot replace your laptop, it has still gradually become a more successful productivity tool over the last few years. And iPadOS is a typical example, which Apple is about to introduce for its tablet by the end of this year.

This is the first time the company has separated the OS in iPad from the iPhone OS. This move aims to further distinguish these two devices from each other. This move is reasonable when most today smartphones have much bigger displays than when the first iPad was unveiled in 2010. At present, many users are using their smartphones for some tasks that they had to use a tablet to do before.

Therefore, companies such as Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, and others have positioned the tablets as the devices for productivity which provide bigger displays than phones and are easier to carry than laptops. And the introduction of iPadOS will deliver new features which play an important role in improving the performance of iPads when using.

Apple has not confirmed the specific launch date of iPadOS, however, it typically introduces its latest software updates in its devices in the upcoming fall.

Now, let’s take a look at some new features that will be added to the iPad later 2019.

1. Pinning widgets to the home screen

For iOS, users just need to swipe from the home screen to view widgets. However, with iPadOS, users can pin widgets to the home screen of the device, which makes it easy for them to quickly see the information such as coming calendar appointments.

Users also can choose to pin their favorite widgets on the home screen. It’s really a useful feature which helps you take full advantage of the iPad’s extra display real estate.

2. iPad can work as a secondary screen for Mac with iPadOS

Third-party applications such as Duet Display have allowed you to use the iPad as a second screen for years. However, iOS now is about to have this functionality. The next huge Mac update of Apple, namely Catalina, as well as iPadOS,  will offer Sidecar which will turn the iPad into a secondary display for Mac.

Therefore, users can extend the desktop in order that it stretches across the Mac and iPad, which allows them to drag content between the two devices. In addition, you are able to use Apple’s tablet to mirror the display of Mac as well as edit the content on iPad by using Apple Pencil stylus while seeing the changes happen live on Mac.

3. Cycling through various application open in Slide Over mode

Another typical update in the iPadOS is Slide Over that lets you pin an application to the side of the screen of the iPad in a column view along with another application. With iPadOS, users can simultaneously open various applications in the Slide Over and then switch between these applications with just a swipe.

4. Being compatible with thumb drives

One of iPad’s limitations is that it doesn’t have the support for external drives, which prevents it from working as a computer. However, this is ultimately changing in 2019. The Apple’s tablet will be able to work well with the external devices like microSD card, USB drive, and hard drive, which makes it easier to have content not saved in iCloud onto the iPad. This feature will take on the likes of Window tablets such as the Surface Pro of Microsoft.

5. Files application integrated new views to manage the content more easily

Apple first introduced Files application for the iPad two years ago, which was needed for the iPad to be seriously considered a productivity device. Now when iPadOS comes, the company is making the app more comprehensive and robust by adding new column view as well as other useful features.

It seems that the new column view can allow users to search documents more easily and quickly with no need to dig through the folders, according to the company’s presentation. In addition, users will also see sub-folders in the column along with the main folders. Also, a new preview pane allows users to see photos as well as other content despite not opening it.

Apple also updates Files with a new folder for downloaded files to keep users’ downloads from Mail and Safari in only one place.

6. Seeing the downloading files progress in Safari

Safari will ultimately provide a tool for managing downloads easily.

With iPadOS, the web browser of Apple will get a downloads manager which allows users to see the progress when downloading files and access downloaded files quickly. It is actually helpful for those that usually use iPad for the tasks oriented work and download documents from the Internet frequently.

7. Safari can show desktop versions of websites on iPad

Apple is integrating the feature of showing the desktop versions of sites automatically on iPad for its web browser, which takes advantage of its bigger display better. In addition, the company says that these sites will still have the touch-optimized design in spite of being made for the desktop.

8. Viewing the same application in multiple windows

The Split View feature for tablets has its limitation when it cannot run the same application in various windows. For instance, users cannot open 2 tabs in Safari or 2 documents in Notes side-by-side, along with each other with the current software on the iPad.

However, it will soon become possible when iPadOS is able to run various windows that show same application. That will help users work on projects requiring multitasking across some websites or documents more easily.

9. Navigating documents and webpages more correctly with a new scroll bar

To enhance user experience in navigating through documents with long content, Apple is featuring scroll bar scrubbing support on its tablet. With iPadOS, users can drag the scroll bar to any particular area on documents or webpages, which allows for more correct scrolling like on the desktop.

10. New gestures for copy & paste as well as other actions for iPad

While the touchpad and mouse may still be the basic input form during work, the company is trying to improve how touch works on its tablet.

For instance, the firm is bringing new copy & paste gestures to its iPadOS. Accordingly, users can pinch up from the display with 3 fingers to copy text. And if they want to paste the content somewhere, they can pinch outward with 3 fingers. The new gestures are designed to mimic the motion of picking up something and putting it back down, which makes users remember the gestures easily.

In addition, the firm also plans to launch new gestures which let users undo their action by swiping 3 fingers to the left. If they want to redo, they can swipe 3 fingers to the right.

11. Apple Pencil will be more helpful

An advantage which the S Pen of Samsung has always won Apple Pencil tylus is that it is possible to tie into the software of Samsung to enable specific features and shortcuts.

Now when iPadOS rolls out, Apple Pencil can offer users this kind of functionality as well. They can take a screenshot by simply dragging the Apple Pencil from either the screen’s bottom corner in iPadOS. While the Apple Pencil still mainly aims at supporting writing, sketching, annotating and drawing rather user interface shortcuts, it is changing to see a new use case for the style of Apple.

Along with the new feature of screenshotting, the Apple Pencil also can work at lower latency due to the improve prediction algorithms of the company.