The future iPadOS 16 is associated with severe limitations for iPad users, at least for those users who unfortunately do not own an Apple tablet with an M1 chip. They have a clear opinion on this and are now revealing what they really want.
First the facts: If you want to use the “Stage Manager” promoted by Apple at the WWDC, you need an iPad with an M1 chip. The new multitasking experience will soon only be available to owners of an iPad Pro 2021 or an iPad Air 5. The same applies to the extended support for external monitors, which with iPadOS 16 makes it possible to connect displays in their native resolution – there are no longer wide bezels. A long-term problem, as I explained in the last weekend column.
iPad light: wanted or not?
But as a suggestion for goodness, would users perhaps settle for a limited version of the window manager? Apple could, for example, minimize the number of grouped windows so that even less powerful Apple chips can still do it.
What is it about again? In the video, Apple explains the new features that are only available in their entirety on iPads with an M1 chip:
The colleagues from 9to5Mac asked their readers these and other questions. A trend can already be seen in the responses to the survey, which is still ongoing. A current snapshot: A little less than 8 percent are not at all interested in the new multitasking feature. Just over 66 percent would accept a slimmed-down version of the Stage Manager. For around 11 percent of those surveyed, this would not be an option, they want the new multitasking without any restrictions. Almost 14 percent would rather have extended display support than a limited stage manager. Bottom line: An overwhelming majority is hooked on Apple’s WWDC presentation, but would accept a light variant of the new feature as none of it at all. Few are not interested at all. A representative picture?
There were more announcements to see at WWD:
Correct classification of the survey
Hard to say. It’s safe to assume that 9to5Mac readers are more technically interested. Whether this then applies to the majority of iPad users may be doubted. Quite a few will probably not care about new features at all – the main thing is that it works. In this respect, the current mood is more of a snapshot of a specific target groupin my estimation.