Apple just previewed its new OS lineup, set to release this September, and the surprising standout was iPadOS.
Liquid Glass Design
All Apple’s operating systems have a new look called ‘Liquid Glass’ that mimics the qualities of glass in the real world. Navigation menus, controls, and information bars are either transparent or translucent and refract light to give them a three-dimensional appearance. With enough clarity to make content visible, liquid glass makes the screen appear less crowded and provides a better user experience.
The new design has a host of other benefits, including simplified menu design, dynamic transform that minimizes controls to keep the focus on content, and a more unified user interface to provide a similar experience across devices.
Now, let’s take a look at what’s coming in iPadOS 26.
1. Windows
Windows on the iPad can now be resized, moved, and organized exactly like Windows on the Mac. A flick of your finger lets you tile windows in preferred positions. An upward swipe initiates Expose to show you all open windows and speed up multitasking. Window size and position are remembered the next time they are opened.
2. Menu Bar
A new menu bar appears with a swipe down from the top of the display and lets users access common commands. iPad users have been waiting for this feature for a long time.
3. Files And Folders
The Files App now has a list view with resizable columns and collapsible folders. Folders can now have colors or images for a unique look and for the first time, users can drag folders onto the dock for easy access.
4. Preview
Preview is Apple’s version of the Adobe Acrobat PDF reader. It’s been on the Mac for years and has a host of useful tools for marking up, resizing, and signing documents. With iPadOS 26, Preview finally makes it to the iPad, and with a touch interface and the Apple Pencil, it should be better than ever.
5. iPhone
Use the Phone App to make and answer calls, and listen to voicemails on your iPad. New Phone App features include Hold Assist and Call Screening. Hold Assist lets the Phone App take over when you are left on hold listening to music. You can work on other things, and you will be notified when the music ends and a human picks up the phone on the other end. Call Screening answers calls from unknown phone numbers, provides a transcription, and lets you decide whether or not to answer.
6. Live Translation
Communication in a foreign language is no longer a problem with Live Translation. Texts are automatically translated in Messages, live captions appear in FaceTime, and on phone calls, the translation is spoken aloud. If you love to travel and don’t have an ear for languages, this is the app you’ve been dreaming of. Apple’s demo of this feature at WWDC25 was truly awesome.
7. Flexible Audio Input
An new audio input selector makes microphone switching a breeze, and you can even select a preferred mike for each app. Noise cancellation through voice isolation is now available no matter what app is being used.
Local Capture maximizes quality by allowing each participant in a group session to capture their voice and video on their own device. Later, this content can be shared and used to produce a high-quality video or podcast.
8. Background Tasks
With the power of Apple Silicon, apps can now perform complex tasks in the background while you use other apps on your iPad. Task completion is shown in Live Activities, so you are always aware of how things are progressing.
9. New iPad Apps
iPadOS 26 brings the Journal App to the iPad. Your daily entries can now incorporate audio, video, notes, and handwritten drawings.
The new Gaming App puts all your gaming activities in one place, making it easier to see your progress, track the games you bought, and challenge friends to competitions.
10. iPad App Improvements
- Messages provides unique, custom backgrounds to personalize your conversations. Group polls and the ability to accept Apple Cash make planning easier than ever.
- Genmoji and Image Playground allow greater customization of expressions, hair, accessories, etc. ChatGPT can be used to vary image styles, and bring more specificity to image creation.
- Apple Pencil can use the new Reed pen for a traditional calligraphy experience.
- Calculator now has 3D graphing capabilities. I know I’ll be using this one a lot 🙂
What’s In A Number
Apple’s operating systems will now be numbered to reflect their release season, e.g: macOS 26, iOS 26, iPadOS 26, etc. This should help users stay current and reduce overall confusion.
Who Can Upgrade?
The following iPads can upgrade to iPadOS 26:
- iPad Pro (M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
- iPad Air (M2 and later)
- iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
- iPad (A16)
- iPad (8th generation and later)
- iPad mini (A17 Pro)
- iPad mini (5th generation and later).
Apple Intelligence features (Live Translation, Genmoji, etc) require supported devices, which include iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad models with M1 and later that have Apple Intelligence enabled and Siri and device language set to the same supported language.
If you like, you can go straight to Apple’s site to watch the WWDC25 Event.
If you need help upgrading, please call us at (310) 621-5679.
