Apple Reimagines iPad Multitasking with iPadOS 26
With the advent of iPadOS 26, Apple is charting a new course for multitasking on the iPad. According to MacRumors and corroborated by 9to5Mac, the long-standing Split View and Slide Over features are being retired in favor of a more flexible, Mac-inspired window management system. This change represents a pivotal shift for Apple enthusiasts who have closely tracked the evolution—and ongoing criticisms—of iPadOS multitasking.
What’s Gone—and What’s Next
Split View and Slide Over, foundational to iPad productivity since their introduction, enabled users to arrange two apps side by side or to pull an app overlay from the screen's edge, respectively. Both have been replaced by a new system allowing for multiple resizable app windows, layered and rearranged freely across the iPad’s display. As detailed by MacRumors, this system draws direct inspiration from desktop macOS, including features such as tiling options (two to four apps side-by-side), persistent window positions after restarts, and an Exposé-style gesture for quick overviews of all open apps.
Window controls now reflect the familiar Mac "traffic-light" interface, providing streamlined resizing and closing functions. Additionally, iPad apps gain Mac-like menu bars and support for background execution of system-intensive tasks—a move designed to appeal directly to power users frustrated by previous workflow limitations.
Compatibility and Device Limits
All iPad models capable of running iPadOS 26 can use the new multitasking windowing system, though concurrency is hardware-dependent. As reported by AppleInsider Forums, older iPads may be limited to four active app windows, while newer models permit more. This universal rollout marks a departure from features like Stage Manager, which originally required high-end hardware.
Community Response and Strategic Implications
Feedback from early beta users and commentators, including prominent voices like Federico Viticci and Jason Snell, reflects a mixed reception. Many users welcome the move toward a more desktop-like interface, addressing long-standing community calls for a truly pro-class iPad workflow. Others lament the loss of Slide Over's unique convenience, emphasizing that some multitasking behaviors are not fully replicated in the new regime (9to5Mac).
Apple executives, including Craig Federighi, have alluded to the increased demand for advanced multitasking during WWDC 2025 but have not issued official statements regarding the removals. Analysts interpret this update as part of Apple’s broader effort to blur the functional lines between iPads and Macs. This alignment has been observed in earlier releases, such as Stage Manager in iPadOS 16, but iPadOS 26 expands this strategy further, positioning the iPad ever closer to a full desktop-replacement contender.
Industry and Competitive Context
The iPad’s new windowing system arrives as competing tablets increasingly incorporate desktop-class features. By granting all compatible iPads access to professional multitasking workflows, Apple appears to be responding to both user demand and competitive pressures from devices like Microsoft’s Surface line.
The Road Ahead
The iPadOS 26 beta began rolling out in June 2025, with a full release expected in the fall. As confirmed by both MacRumors and 9to5Mac, the update is free for all eligible devices. Initial user sentiment suggests ongoing debates about the merits—and tradeoffs—of abandoning older multitasking paradigms. For Apple enthusiasts, iPadOS 26 offers both a promise: unprecedented flexibility, with the nostalgia of Split View and Slide Over relegated to Apple history.