iPadOS 26: rumored features, supported devices and all the latest news
Apple is expected to unveil iPadOS 19 during its big WWDC 2025 event. Based on unofficial reports, we could see the biggest overhaul yet to the operating system powering the best iPads.
One of the most interesting things we've heard is that iPadOS 19 will actually be called iPadOS 26, which is a naming convention Apple will use for all its operating systems. We've also heard the new iPadOS will function more like macOS, which could make iPads feel more like the best MacBooks.
Keeping in mind that Apple hasn't yet officially announced iPadOS 26, here is everything we've heard, according to rumors and reports.
Apple hasn't officially announced iPadOS 26 or its release date. Based on prior release dates, we can make an educated guess on when the new iPad operating system could launch.
Unless there's a break from tradition, iPadOS 26 is expected to be released sometime in September. The earliest we've ever seen a new iPadOS was on September 12 (in 2022) and the latest was September 24 (in 2019). Generally, we see the operating system launch in mid-September.
The iPadOS 26 developer beta should launch shortly after WWDC and we would expect a public beta by July.
According to a report from MacWorld, Apple will reportedly stop supporting the 7th-gen iPad. If true, then these are the iPads that could support iPadOS 19:
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
In short, iPadOS 26 should support iPads released from 2018 onward.
Apple will reportedly give the interface of its operating systems a big visual overhaul. That report comes from Bloomberg reporter and Apple tipster Mark Gurman, who previously wrote that Apple was planning to unify the look of its iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems.
Gurman claims the new look comes from visionOS, the software that powers the Apple Vision Pro headset. If true, this could mean rounded icons and translucent menus. Apps, windows and system buttons are also set for the new look, which is code-named Solarium based on Gurman's reporting.
While iOS, iPadOS and macOS were the initial platforms set to get an interface revamp, it appears now that all of Apple's software will be ringing in the changes at WWDC 2025. Gurman now reports that watchOS and tvOS are due for an overhaul, too.
iPadOS works great when you're using Apple's slates as a regular tablet. However, if you're trying to use one as a MacBook replacement, you'll find that the operating system isn't quite as reliable. However, if reports are true, iPadOS 26 could be 'more like macOS,' according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In a Power On newsletter, Gurman said that iPadOS 26 is one of several major overhauls Apple is planning this year across its ecosystem of products. With iPadOS 26, Apple is revamping the software to make the design of its operating system catalogue more consistent.
"I'm told that this year's upgrade will focus on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac," Gurman wrote. "It's been a long time coming, with iPad power users pleading with Apple to make the tablet more powerful."
While Gurman didn't detail what these improvements will look like, it's a step in the right direction. Apple has made some improvements to iPadOS over the years, like keyboard and mouse support, or the ability to format external drives from your tablet. Despite these updates, iPads still aren't as productivity-friendly as MacBooks, despite both packing M-series processors.
"For years, users have said that it feels like the hardware capabilities of the iPad are well ahead of its software," Gurman wrote. "That could soon be changing."
Apple Intelligence has been a major focus for the past year, but surprisingly, we haven't heard much about new features being announced at WWDC. That being the case, Apple hasn't abandoned its AI efforts and should announce some noteworthy updates, even if said updates are more fine-tuning instead of brand-new features.
We could see some Apple Intelligence features Apple promised last year that haven't arrived yet. This includes a redesigned Siri that is supposed to better understand what's on your screen and take actions based on what's there, such as creating a calendar entry when you get an email about an appointment. The digital assistant should also provide more personalized and proactive suggestions.
Regarding new features, rumors suggest some additions to the Apple Intelligence toolkit. This reportedly includes an AI-based health coaching tool that can collect all the fitness and health data stored on your Apple devices to formulate advice on improving your health, for example. We've also heard that Apple will make it easier for developers to incorporate Apple Intelligence features into apps.
Thanks to the M-series chip powering the latest iPads, Apple tablets have become quite capable game machines. Gaming on iPads could become a lot smoother as Apple could include a major upgrade for gaming across its family of devices.
In a recent report, Bloomberg revealed Apple is working on a standalone multi-platform app for games. This new addition looks to be replacing the current Game Center service, which was originally added back in 2010 as part of iOS 4.1. For the most part, it looks like the new app will offer similar functions, allowing players to connect with friends, track achievements and more.
This new addition for gaming might not be the most drastic change, but it sounds like a quality-of-life improvement that gamers will appreciate.
WWDC is almost here, so we'll hopefully see if all the iPadOS 26 rumors are legit. If so, we could see some substantial improvements that could make iPads more user-friendly. This is especially true if iPadOS can function more like macOS if you want to use Apple's tablets for work. Potential new Apple Intelligence features could also be beneficial.
We'll update this page with the latest iPadOS 26 reports and rumors, so stay tuned for more!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The only ‘Made in America' smartphone maker has a message for Apple about manufacturing in the Trump tariff era
Todd Weaver has an important message for Apple as it faces growing demands by President Donald Trump to reshore some of its smartphone production: Don't listen to the conventional wisdom. Experts have long said that manufacturing iPhones in the U.S., rather than Asia, as Apple does, would be logistically impossible and ridiculously expensive. But Weaver argues companies can indeed do it successfully, and at a similar or only slightly higher cost—if given several years to navigate the inevitable complications. Weaver should know: His startup, Purism, is among the few, if not the only business, that assembles smartphones in the U.S. In fact, the U.S. pedigree is the main selling point of his company's Made in America device, the Liberty Phone. 'It is challenging to do this in the U.S.,' Weaver acknowledges. 'It's probably the reason I'm the only one.' And yet, he says his company has managed to make it work and has been profitable for the last two years—a real world example of what's possible on a hot-button topic in which political talking points and vested interests often dominate the debate. President Donald Trump recently put U.S. smartphone production in the spotlight as part of his global trade war. On May 23, he used social network Truth Social to publicly attack Apple for importing iPhones into the U.S., rather than making them domestically, and then threatened the company with a 25% tariff if it continued to do so. Whether any of the import taxes will become permanent is unclear given Trump's whiplash decision-making and court challenges by third parties. Still, Apple has long assembled its iPhones overseas, mainly in China, and has resisted relocating any of that production to the U.S. In April, when Trump announced his tariffs, Apple went so far as to shift the sourcing of most U.S.-bound iPhones to India, which faced lower import taxes. U.S. assembly was never publicly mentioned as a possibility. In the past, Apple CEO Cook explained the reluctance by saying the abundance of skilled labor and top-notch suppliers overseas would be difficult to reproduce at home. Weaver's company, of course, is no Apple, which has sold more than 2 billion iPhones globally since introducing the first models in 2007. The devices unleashed a new era in the tech industry in which mobile devices became the prime focus. Purism, in contrast, has sold just tens of thousands of phones since debuting its first model in 2018, according to Weaver. And the company is barely-known outside the world of tech nerds. Its Liberty Phone, manufactured near San Diego, comes with U.S.-made electronics installed on a metal chassis from China. It retails for $1,999. Another phone, the Librem 5, is mostly the same design, except it's made in China with Chinese parts, and costs $799. The company also produces tablet computers, laptops, and servers. Purism pitches its Made in America device as more secure and privacy friendly than those from major manufactures like Apple. Because all the critical parts and assembly are domestic, it's easy to verify that they haven't been tampered with by a foreign adversary that wants to snoop or stuff them with explosives. The phones also run on a Linux-based open source operating system. Anyone with technical know-how who is worried about the security can review the code—unlike with more popular phones, which come with operating systems that can't be easily inspected. Additionally, Purism's phones come with three kill switches that lets users physically disconnect their device from cell service, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with its microphone and camera. When turned on, the switches sever the electrical circuit to the features they control and make it impossible for them to be accessed by hackers, Weaver said. Toggling on Airplane Mode, as users often do on more mainstream phones, is less secure, he said, because it's a purely software feature that doesn't cut power to the device's chips. Customers who are especially security conscious can pay extra to have their devices shipped with 'tamper evident tape' on the packaging, among other options, to flag any monkey business during transit. Purism's biggest customers are government agencies, many of which require high security, and individual consumers. The company's clients, Weaver said, include the FBI and the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Weaver said the cost of manufacturing the Purism's two phones is largely the same, despite one being made overseas and the other domestically. The phone that's made in China costs around $600 for parts, manufacturing, and assembly while the U.S.-made one comes in at $650. 'Producing goods in China vs. the U.S. is the same plus or minus 10%,' said Weaver, based mostly on automation. The difference between what Purism charges customers for its two phones is partly due to the higher profit margin the company collects for its U.S.-made device. People who want stronger security are often willing to pay extra for it, Weaver said. It also covers the extra overhead from some customers wanting to verify that Purism's supply chain is secure and the small additional cost of U.S. manufacturing. Purism's assembly line is in Carlsbad, Calif., where up to a dozen workers put together devices. The area is home to a pool of skilled labor thanks to the local defense industry and manufacturing for other mobile carriers. That relatively modest assembly line is a major contrast to the factories that make iPhones, operated by contract manufacturers, mostly in China. Those facilities can be the size of several football fields and employ over 100,000 people who work around-the-clock shifts. Weaver said the U.S. is at a huge disadvantage to China when it comes to skilled workers, who make up a significant part of the workforce in smartphone factories. The only way to reverse the shortage and lay the groundwork for companies to reshore their production is to encourage more people to learn skills that are useful in the manufacturing process, he said. 'If you go over to China you can find buildings and buildings of thousands of electronics engineers. If you look here, you can find maybe five total,' Weaver said. Apple, for example, would risk a catastrophe if it suddenly, in 2026, needed to ramp up staffing in the U.S. to produce millions of iPhones, he said. Training enough people for such a massive undertaking would take years. Weaver said Purism, founded in 2014, took several years to develop its domestic supply chain. The company's small size means it only needs limited quantities of components, which makes it impossible to achieve the economies of scale that come from producing huge numbers of devices. Manufacturing in the U.S. also comes with higher labor costs than in China. But with the help of automation, those extra costs can be kept to a minimum by reserving human labor for tasks performed after production is complete, such as soldering, assembly, repairs, and testing. Apple, on the other hand, would need vast amounts of components to keep its assembly line humming. While the company would likely be able to cut deals with domestic suppliers for most iPhone parts, some, such as high-quality cameras, may be impossible to quickly source in the U.S. and it would therefore have to import them, Weaver said. One analyst has said iPhones could end up costing $3,500 if made in the U.S., to account for the extra costs and hassles. Weaver agrees that it would cost Apple substantially more to produce iPhones in the U.S., if it had to move production quickly. But given enough time, Apple could substantially reduce the cost after developing a new supply chain, finding enough workers, and by relying on extensive automation. For Apple, opening a domestic manufacturing plant would therefore need to be a years' long process, Weaver said. That's why he criticized Trump's tariffs for taking effect almost immediately. Yes, many of those tariffs have since been delayed. But the takeaway for businesses is that they can't plan ahead. And yet, that's exactly what's required for something as complex as shifting manufacturing to the U.S. Trump's tariffs would be far more effective if phased in over many years, Weaver said. In that scenario, companies would have a clear and increasing incentive to reshore production—without being punished right off the bat. Weaver argues his U.S. manufacturing effort is already paying off and that it will gain momentum over time. He hopes the recent scandal involving U.S. officials using the chat app Signal to discuss a military strike against Yemen, and then accidentally inviting a journalist to join them, will help lift sales by encouraging the federal government to focus more on security. Weaver wouldn't get into the specifics of Purism's financials other than to say it has millions in annual revenue and turned profitable in 2023. The Liberty Phone is its biggest seller. Wayne Lam, an analyst with market research firm TechInsights, gave a mixed take on Purism's prospect. In an email, he said: 'They can be a successful niche player, but the odds of success are lower thanks to the bigger brands. They won't be able to compete in the consumer market but government/enterprise/military are all niche markets they can address.' To fund the expansion of his business, Weaver is trying to raise additional investment after taking in $16 million in funding over the years. Some of that money would go to fixing a shortcoming with his phones. Because they don't use Apple's iOS or Google's Android operating systems, they are incompatible with many of the most popular mobile apps like Uber. To get such apps work on its devices, Purism must make technical tweaks for each one. Purism can at least claim one small advantage over the giant companies that dominate the smartphone industry. If Trump's tariffs become permanent, it won't feel much impact from its U.S.-made phone, while the big players and their foreign-made devices could be hammered. This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
watchOS 26 — all the rumored upgrades coming to Apple Watch
Apple's annual WWDC 2025 conference is officially set for June 9th, which means new Apple Watch features are likely just around the corner. WWDC is when we get our first official look at Cupertino's latest software, not just for Apple Watch, but for iPhone, iPad, iMac and more. Last year's watchOS 11 release introduced loads of useful features. Several of my favorites include on-wrist translations, access to Apple's Check In safety tool, a global tide-tracking app and the ability to pause and adjust your fitness rings. Apple also added a new Vitals app to streamline health monitoring tools into one handy dashboard. The big news is that Apple wants to unify your experience across all of the company's operating systems including the Apple Watch as well as renaming the watchOS to a year-based system. Instead of watchOS 12, we should be getting watchOS 26. So, what cool new functions and apps does Cupertino have in store for this year's watchOS release? Rumors and leaks are light as of now, but we do have some insights. Read on for everything we know about watchOS 26 so far. With WWDC set for June 9th, there's a good chance that Apple will release a developer beta of the operating system available that same day, with a public beta likely to follow sometime in July. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Ultimately, the stage-ready version of watchOS 26 is likely to arrive in September, potentially alongside the brand's new line of smartwatches which could include and Apple Watch SE 3, Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11. Rumors and leaks regarding watchOS 26 are minimal but that doesn't mean we're entirely in the dark when it comes to possible new features. Based on last year's watchOS 11 release and all the rumors about the next-gen Apple Watch models expected in 2025, here's what we can glean: It's been rumored that Apple will announce a big design change for iOS, macOS and iPadOS which could makes its way to other Apple software including watchOS. A report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg claims that the design, inspired by visionOS, will unify the look and feel of all of Apple's platforms. So using say the phone app on your iPhone should look and feel the same on your Apple Watch. The changes have been referred to as "most dramatic overhaul" in Apple's history. Alongside the change, we would get the year-based naming system with watchOS 26 joining iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, for example. Currently, the various OSes all have different version numbers — iOS 18, macOS 15 and watchOS 12, to name a few. Under the new system, you wouldn't have to remember what version number a particular OS was on — you'd just have to refer to the year. Rumors strongly suggest that Apple will introduce some sort of blood pressure monitoring tool in the next generation of Apple Watches with possible hypertension detection warnings. On the software side, support for such features could potentially be added to the existing Vitals app or within a new standalone app. However, due to hardware needs, it seems unlikely that current Apple Watch models will gain either of these new medical monitoring tools via a watchOS 26 upgrade. Then again, Apple did retroactively add sleep apnea detection to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Series 9 when the feature was announced for the Apple Watch Series 10. So, never say never. watchOS 11 introduced a new Training Load metric to the Fitness app to help users better understand how the intensity of their workouts impacts their overall training progress. Not only is it simple to use but it's also surprisingly insightful, particularly for the average user (rather than hardcore athletes, who may prefer something even more in-depth). With the release of watchOS 26, additional workout and/or recovery metrics could be coming. For example, Apple is one of the only major smartwatch makers that doesn't provide users with a daily energy score. Samsung, Google and Garmin all do. Often based on a combination of sleep quality data, overall holistic trends, and recent workouts, this score — generally on a scale from one to 100 — can be quite useful when planning one's day. The Apple Watch Fitness app is also severely lacking when it comes to workout recovery insights and native stress-tracking tools. No word on whether watchOS 26 will introduce either but here's hoping. There aren't many Apple Intelligence features currently supported by the Apple Watch. One is AI-generated message summaries, which works pretty well in our testing but also requires users to have one of the latest iPhone models running iOS 18.1 or later. watchOS 11 introduced a new Photos watch face experience that uses machine learning to suggest the best images for your background and even automatically arranges the watch face to complement the selected image. With watchOS 26, expect more AI-assisted features, similar to this, integrated within native apps. watchOS 26 could also potentially bring some bigger Apple Intelligence features to the Apple Watch. However, older models, even those that support watchOS 26 may miss out on these AI bells and whistles due to a lack of processing power. Even so, I'm hoping watchOS 26 introduced at least one marquee AI enhancement worth writing home about. That could come in the form of an overhauled Siri experience, something that Apple users (myself included) have no doubt been clamoring for. In fact, it was supposed to be a pillar of Apple's initial AI rollout last year but has since been delayed. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this but in its current iteration, Siri's track record for accuracy isn't stellar. Unfortunately, Siri 2.0 sounds like it still needs some serious work. That said, a recent report from the Isreal-based The Verifer (and first spotted by Mac Rumors) suggests that if Apple Intelligence features do show up in an Apple Watch this year, it may be only the Ultra series that supports them, and possibly just the next-gen Ultra 3. That same report also hints at watchOS undergoing a visual redesign with an emphasis on 'floating' elements and bold typefaces similar to visionOS. Apple is pretty good about maintaining software support for older Apple Watch models. For example, 2020's Apple Watch 6 works with the latest watchOS 11 release. With the launch of watchOS 26, it seems likely all Apple Watch Series 7 models and newer will be eligible for the update. This list also likely includes the current Apple Watch SE (2022) and both Apple Watch Ultra models.
Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
AI Daily: WWDC to focus on redesigns as Apple lags in AI
Catch up on the top artificial intelligence news and commentary by Wall Street analysts on publicly traded companies in the space with this daily recap compiled by The Fly: Confident Investing Starts Here: SIDELINED ON AI: Apple's (AAPL) upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference will do little to assuage fears that the iPhone maker is a laggard in AI, Blomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Instead, the event will focus on design and productivity enhancements for its long-established operating system franchises. The company's keynote address will introduce redesigned software interfaces for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch, in addition to more minor tweaks to the Vision Pro headset. As part of the end-to-end overhaul, the company is also making a sweeping change to its software branding, which will shift from version numbers to a year-based system. That means Apple will introduce iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, visionOS 26, macOS 26 and watchOS 26 – named for 2026. Internally, the operating systems are known as Luck, Charisma, Discovery, Cheer and Nepali, respectively, the author notes. The AI changes will be surprisingly minor and are 'unlikely to impress' industry watchers, especially considering the rapid pace of innovation by Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google, Meta Platforms (META), Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI, the publication adds. Apple's upcoming conference is expected to demonstrate how far behind the company is in the AI sector, Dan Gallagher of The Wall Street Journal reports. The Apple Intelligence service introduced at last year's conference is still being worked on and the Siri digital assistant is waiting for a previously announced AI makeover. Additionally, on top of its issues with AI, Apple is facing significant problems with tariffs threatening its profit margin and U.S. President Donald Trump pressuring the company to undo its two-decade-old business model of exclusively producing overseas. ROBOTAXI ROAD TESTING: (PONY) is ramping up its Robotaxi mass production and commercialization efforts with the launch of public road testing for its seventh-generation Robotaxis in China. The vehicles now testing on roads in the southern Chinese megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen are based on Guangzhou Auto's second-generation Aion V model and equipped with most advanced autonomous driving system, unveiled just over a month ago at the Shanghai Auto Show. recently obtained regulatory permit to conduct these road tests for its seventh generation Robotaxi jointly developed with GAC, marking a significant transition from laboratory and closed-track validation into real-world traffic environments. UNTETHER AI ACQUISITION: Untether AI, a developer of AI inference chips marketed as faster and more energy-efficient than rival products for edge environments and enterprise data centers, announced that it has entered into a transaction with AMD (AMD). 'As a result of the transaction, Untether AI will no longer be supplying or supporting our speedAI products and imAIgine Software Development Kit. While today marks the end of Untether AI's journey, we are proud of the pioneering research that underpinned our work in advancing state-of-the-art AI chip technology. We are grateful for the dedication of our team and the support of our customers, partners, and investors. We look forward to the contributions our world-class team will make with AMD.' AI EFFORTS: Wells Fargo raised the firm's price target on Shopify (SHOP) to $125 from $107 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. While not typically perceived as an AI play, the firm believes Shopify's AI efforts are differentiated and can serve as another important growth and efficiency driver for years to come.
