Apple’s latest software release saw a small divergence for iPhone and iPad. Although they both run a version of iOS, the iPad variation is now called iPadOS. This is because of the increasing number of iOS features that only work on an iPad. Here are some of my favorite additions to the new iPadOS as well as a quick guide on how to enable them.
New Home Screen Layout
The new iPad home screen includes a sidebar of widgets and an increased number of app icons. The scrollable list of widgets can be customized to include updates from all your favorite apps, and the day and date is displayed above them for a nice, clean look. If 30 apps on one screen is too many for you, head over to Settings > Display & Brightness where you can revert to the previous configuration of 20 apps, but more apps on one screen should mean less swiping, and maybe less hunting around for the one you need.
Desktop Safari Browser
In iPadOS, Apple upgraded the Safari browser so that it performs much more like the browser on your laptop. This means you will no longer see the mobile version of webpages like YouTube or Google Docs. It’s not perfect, but if you or your students are feeling hamstrung by the lack of features in some of Google’s iPad apps, you can get the full web experience when you use Safari, and you won’t have to request the desktop version because you get that by default. Live collaboration, Add-ons, and just about everything else works just as it should. There is also a download manager that makes downloading video and audio from the web quick and easy!
Use a Mouse With Your iPad
If you’ve ever longed for mouse support on the iPad, then the time has finally come. Apple included it as an accessibility feature for those who have difficulty interacting with a touch screen. It allows you to connect a Bluetooth or USB mouse to control a cursor and navigate your iPad hands-free. It is also great for making instructional videos when students can’t see where you are tapping on the screen.
To get started, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > and turn on Assistive Touch. Then go to Devices and configure your mouse to work the way you want. You can assign different actions to each button on your mouse. The cursor size, speed and color can also be adjusted to your liking.
To get started, go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > and turn on Assistive Touch. Then go to Devices and configure your mouse to work the way you want. You can assign different actions to each button on your mouse. The cursor size, speed and color can also be adjusted to your liking.
New Screenshot Tool
There is a new screenshot tool in iPadOS that includes some new markup tools, as well as the ability to take a scrolling screenshot of a webpage. Simply invoke the screenshot tool by pressing and holding the home button and the power button, then tap the thumbnail in the corner to get started. You can save a screenshot as an image, or as a PDF by tapping Done in the top left-hand corner.
New Multitasking Options
You can now add multiple apps to Slide Over by dragging and dropping an app from the dock onto an existing Slide Over app. You can switch between these apps the same way you do on your iPhone by swiping up from the home indicator at the bottom of the stack. For even more flexibility, power users will be glad to hear that you can also open more than one instance of the same app. This means you can have Notes and Safari open in Split View in one window, and have Notes and YouTube open in another window. With practice, this can make you more productive than ever on an iPad.
Dark Mode
Are you ready to take a trip to the dark side? Turn on dark mode in Settings > Display and Brightness to make the switch, or do what I do and have it turn on and off automatically at sunset and sunrise. Not apps support dark mode yet, but an increasing number do and this can make it easier on your eyes when you are catching up on school emails on your iPad at night.
QuickType Keyboard
Remember when you used to be able to split your iPad keyboard in two for thumb-typing mastery? That feature is no longer there, but if you pinch the iPadOS keyboard with two fingers you can shrinking it down to an iPhone-sized keyboard and use swipe-to-type to enter your text. You can drag the smaller keyboard anywhere on the screen. This is perfect for quick text adjustments or for times when you don’t want the iPad keyboard to cover important areas of the screen. Bonus tip: You can use QuickType on your iPhone with iOS 13.
That’s NOT all folks!
These are a few of the features that I have been enjoying from iPadOS when I was using the public beta this summer. If you are interested in finding out about the rest of the iPadOS features, make sure you check out Apple’s website for the full coverage. iPadOS can be installed on an iPad Air 2 or newer.
Jonathan Wylie
Digital Learning Consultant
Grant Wood AEA
Digital Learning Consultant
Grant Wood AEA
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