iPadOS 16 has been delayed. No longer launching with iOS 16

Until a few years ago, the iPhone and iPad ran the same operating system: iOS. In an attempt to develop new, dedicated tablet capabilities, Apple separated the two product categories, offering iPadOS for tablets, but the two operating systems were still pretty much connected. Now, for the first time since the launch of these product categories, iPadOS 16 will no longer be released simultaneously with iOS 16, but will debut on the market later.

Apple tablets will get iPadOS 16 late this year

This year, iPadOS will receive one of the biggest upgrades it has received since its debut. It’s the integration of a new multi-tasking interface, Stage Manager, which will also be used on macOS. This makes iPadOS something of a bridge between mobile and desktop operating systems. However, this also seems to mean that some features won’t be ready simultaneously with iOS 16, hence the delayed release,

Apple says iPadOS 16 will debut out of the box with version 16.1, so we’ll probably get iOS 16.1 on phones around the same time. This will also be released in 2022, but a little later, probably alongside a new series of iPad Pro tablets and the new iPad 10, which is rumoured to get a new form factor closer to that of the higher-end tablets.

“This is a more special year for iPadOS. As a standalone platform with features built specifically for the iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on a dedicated iPadOS schedule. This fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, straight to version 16.1, as a free software update.”, said Apple representatives.

There is already an iPadOS 16.1 beta available for testing, for those participating in the program. The launch event for the new iPad tablets is rumored to be scheduled for October, and the new operating system could be released around the same time. The iPhone 14 series launches on September 7, and iOS 16 is expected to debut a few days later.