What's New in iPadOS 15?

Apple has announced several new features coming to iPadOS 15 in the fall, including widgets and improved productivity tools.

During the opening keynote for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2021, the company unveiled several new features for iPadOS 15, which it says should help boost productivity on the tablet computer.

Widgets and App Library

First up on the update list is the introduction of widget support. Widgets have become an integral part of smart devices like iPhones and tablets, and being able to make use of widgets on iPadOS 15 will make it even easier to keep up with all the info you need at your fingertips. Additionally, Apple has changed how widgets work on the iPad, itself, which should allow users to take advantage of larger widgets on the tablet.

The App Library also is making the jump to the iPad with iPadOS 15, which should make it easier for users to organize their apps and content on the iPad. And Apple revealed that you’ll also be able to hide entire pages of your home screen, to make consolidating your pages simpler.

Multitasking

One of the biggest features coming with iPadOS 15 is the introduction of Multitasking. With this new option, users can easily move apps side by side, allowing them to work within multiple apps at the same time. The company also introduced a new dock called "the shelf," which allows you to save multiple pages and side-by-side views at a time, allowing for easy switching.

While Multitasking includes multiple buttons to set up how you want to use it, you can also simply drag and drop one app on top of another from the recent apps menu to create a Multitask window.

Quick Notes and Translate

Continuing on the productivity push, Apple also is introducing Quick Notes with iPadOS 15, allowing users to take notes quicker than ever. You can create notes on Mac or iPadOS with a swipe up from the corner, and you can always access and edit them later.

In addition, Auto translate is making the leap to iPadOS 15. It will detect the language that someone is speaking, and then automatically start translating it. You don't need to press any buttons. Additionally, the new system will allow for system-wide translation of text.

Swift Playgrounds

Finally, Apple is making its learn-to-code app even better by allowing users to build apps directly on the iPad. It also will work with Xcode on Mac, and will feature better code completion and the ability to submit your app directly to the App Store when you’re finished developing it.

See all the coverage of WWDC 2021 here.