48 MACWORLD DECEMBER 2019
iOSCENTRAL SAFARI ON iPADOS 13version of Google Docs now works fine on
Safari on iPadOS, there’s probably no
more reason to worry about Google’s
feet-dragging if you’re an iPad user
working in an industry that relies heavily
on Google’s word processing app.
Keep in mind that you won’t be getting
exactly the same experience you’ll get on
a desktop compuer. Safari on iPadOS still
doesn’t support Adobe Flash, for instance,
likely owing to the same concerns (go.
macworld.com/cncn) Steve Jobs voiced
almost a decade ago—and that’s highly
unlikely to change.
FINALLY, A DOWNLOAD
MANAGER
Making Safari on iPad look like its Mac
counterpart is one thing, but making it act
like it is equally impressive. iPadOS mainly
accomplishes this with the help of a new
Download Manager, which you’ll find on
the new Safari toolbar in the form of an
icon that looks like a downward-facing
arrow within a circle.
It’s basically a twin of its macOS
counterpart. You can click on the icon to
see a list of your current downloads, and
you can cancel downloads in progress by
clicking the “X” icon next to them. If you
want to resume them later, you can press
the refresh icon that replaces the X. If you
want to see the files in the Downloads
folder, just press the magnifying glass icon
But of course Apple would have a file with
dad jokes—and with revisions, no less!next to the file’s name.
By default, pressing that icon takes you
to the Downloads section of iCloud Drive,
but—wonder of wonders—it’s now
possible to change the preferred folder for
downloads by venturing into Settings →
Safari and then selecting Downloads. From
here you’ll see an option to save the files
on your iPad or to create a special folder
with a name and location of your choosing.
If you visit that folder through the Files
app, you’ll easily be able to share
downloaded files with friends or with
colleagues on a shared network. Along
with iPadOS’s new support for USB thumb
drives, the new Desktop Manager goes a
long way toward transforming the iPad into
a productivity beast.