Apple is releasing iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura on October 24, the company confirmed on Tuesday amidst a slew of other announcements. IPadOS 16 includes Stage Manager, which offers easier multitasking and switching between apps. The feature was previously only compatible with the M1-powered iPad Air and the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models released last year, but will also be coming to third- and fourth-generation iPad Pro models.
Stage Manager automatically organizes apps and windows, allowing users to drag and drop windows from the side or open apps from the Dock to create groups of apps. The window of the app users are working on is displayed in the center, and other open apps and windows are arranged on the left-hand side in order of recency.
The feature also works with macOS Ventura to create a kind of sidebar where the rest of your open apps sit. The windows are organized by stacks, and your messy desktop files disappear into the ether. When windows are minimized, they move over to that left side bar, rather than the tool bar.
MacOS Ventura also comes with a feature called Continuity Camera, which allows your to use your iPhone as a webcam when you download Ventura on your macOS and iOS 16 on a compatible device.
Apple also announced today that its new M2 iPad Pro will launch on October 26. The iPad Pro is getting a spec refresh revolving around an upgrade for the M1 to an M2 chip. The new chip includes eight CPU cores, with a performance bump of around 15%. The GPU is 10 cores, with a stated 35% performance boost, according to Apple.
The company also announced a new new version of its entry-level iPad that Apple simply calls “the iPad.” It’s a dramatic refresh as Apple is swapping the familiar design with rounded edges and a home button. Instead, the iPad now looks more like the iPad Air and iPad Pro. The device starts at $449, which is more expensive than the previous version, which was priced at $329.
In addition, Apple announced the newest Apple TV 4K today, which features a lower price and more storage. The new Apple TV 4K will be available to purchase on November 4 and will come with an updated Siri remote with a USB-C port for charging. Apple also notes that the A15 Bionic chip delivers up to 50% more CPU performance. The new Apple TV 4K also has HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support for better video quality.