Apple finally turned the iPad into a full-fledged multitasking machine with iPadOS 26. The update brings proper windowing, an improved file manager, and a macOS-style menu bar features which users wanted for years. Given that iPads started using the same chips as Macs back in 2021, many wondered why it took so long. Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi now has an answer.
Touch Responsiveness Took Priority
The delay wasn’t just about software decisions. Federighi says the iPad’s touch-first interface demanded immediate responsiveness. Unlike a Mac, where users interact indirectly with a pointer, the iPad needs to respond the instant a user touches the screen. Any delay breaks the experience.
As reported by Ars Technica, Federighi explained, “It is a foundational requirement that if you touch the screen and start to move something, that it responds. Otherwise, the entire interaction model is broken—it’s a psychic break with your contract with the device.”
Older iPads also lacked the memory, processing power, and dynamic app designs needed for full multitasking. Most apps were coded for static screen sizes, not resizable windows. This made a Mac-like experience technically impractical for years.
Stage Manager Set the Stage But Fell Short
When Apple introduced Stage Manager with iPadOS 16, it aimed to bring a more flexible interface. But it came with steep hardware requirements and major limitations. It didn’t support many older iPads and lacked the polish users expected. That created fragmentation and frustration.
“We didn’t want to say, ‘You get Stage Manager, but you get Stage Manager-lite,’” Federighi told Ars. That design decision limited its reach. iPadOS 26 changes that. Apple rebuilt the windowing system and background task management to run more efficiently—even on older devices. While there are still performance caps on low-end models, full windowing now works across a broader range of iPads.
According to Federighi, iPadOS 26 isn’t just a tweak. “We re-architected our windowing system and we re-architected the way that we manage background tasks… that enabled us to squeeze more out of other devices.”
Stage Manager still exists as an optional mode, but the new windowing system is now the default for multitasking. For users who prefer the traditional iPad experience, both multitasking modes can be turned off.
iPad Will Still Be iPad
Even with this update, Apple draws a line between the Mac and the iPad. The iPad remains a distinct product. Some Mac features, such as always-on background agents, still won’t make their way to iPadOS. Touch support won’t be coming to the Mac either.
“But where it makes sense, use a converged design… where it doesn’t make sense, iPad’s gonna be iPad,” Federighi said.
Apple’s goal now seems clear: build on the iPad’s strengths without copying the Mac outright. With iPadOS 26, Apple moves closer to closing that gap on its own terms.