Apple has finally made the iPad feel more like a Mac, unveiling significant changes to iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025. The update brings a desktop-like multitasking system with overlapping windows, a visible menu bar, and better background task management. This long-awaited update brings iPad closer to the Mac experience.
But according to Apple executives, the journey to this point wasn’t simple.
In an interview with Ars Technica, Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, explained that while the new interface may seem obvious now, there were solid reasons for the delay. Early iPads simply didn’t have the processing power, memory, or responsiveness needed to support true multitasking. These hardware constraints dictated how iPadOS was designed for many years.
Federighi remarked, When you touch the screen and it doesn’t respond right away, it breaks the experience.
In addition to hardware limitations, iPad and iPhone apps weren’t designed to resize or adapt to different screen sizes like desktop apps, complicating the push for more flexibility. Both the hardware and software needed to evolve before multitasking could be fully realized.
As Apple’s newer chips powered the iPad Pro and accessories like trackpads and keyboards gained popularity, the company started shifting its focus. Federighi mentioned, The stars kind of aligned
to enable iPads to perform more like Macs while still retaining their distinct identity.
This isn’t Apple’s first attempt at improving multitasking. Stage Manager, introduced in iPadOS 16, was a step in the right direction but had limitations. It only worked on newer iPads and faced performance issues that delayed its rollout. Apple acknowledged that they didn’t want to offer a watered-down version of Stage Manager for older devices, so they opted for a new strategy: delivering a full multitasking experience where possible, and a modified version elsewhere.
Thanks to significant improvements in how iPadOS handles windows and background tasks, the new multitasking system in iPadOS 26 works across a broader range of devices, though high-end models will still offer better performance.
However, Apple maintains that iPads and Macs are designed for different use cases. That means no touchscreens for Macs, and some Mac features remain out of reach for iPad users. Federighi concluded, Where it makes sense, use a converged design, but where it doesn’t, iPad’s gonna be iPad.
While some limitations persist, iPadOS 26 appears to be a step in the right direction, offering more power for users without alienating those who prefer the simplicity of the traditional tablet experience.
Personally, I think iPadOS 26 has been a game-changer for mobile users like myself. I’ve been trying out my 11” M4 iPad Pro for my day-to-day job, which I attempted last year but failed at. So far, it’s been great. While I expect to hit a few roadblocks, learning to navigate them and develop new workflows is part of the fun. Hopefully, as iPadOS 26 leaves beta and becomes more stable, my iPad will truly deserve the title of computer.