54 MACWORLD AUGUST 2021
iOSCENTRAL i PADOS 15 AN IMPROVEMENTsystem handles multiple apps, but rather
makes them easier to discover and easier
to use. Assuming the old gestures still
work, iPad Pro users will likely access their
apps the old way and avoid the
Multitasking menu altogether.
A SUPPORTING PLAYER,
NOT THE STAR
Apple appeared to throw a bone to Pro
users with the ability to build apps in
iPadOS 15, but even that is watered
down. Rather than take advantage of the
chip and RAM in the iPad Pro and
release a tablet-friendly version of
Xcode, Apple instead added new
features to Swift Playgrounds, its learn-
to-code app. Apple says developers will
have access to a “full library of UI
components” and will be able to submit
apps directly to the App Store, but most
veteran app developers, even those who
write in Swift, will likely stick to
Xcode on the Mac.
And then there’s Universal
Control, which is probably the
coolest feature unveiled at
WWDC. While technically a Mac
feature, it works best when used
with an iPad to drag and drop
content between devices and
work as if they were a multiple-
monitor setup. While technically
available to most iPads running
iOS 15 (Pad Air 3rd generation and later,
iPad 6th gen and later, and iPad mini 5th
gen and later), it’s very much a pro
feature and will no doubt make workflow
easier for people who use both a Mac
and an iPad.
But even if Universal Control were
relegated to the iPad Pro, it still treats the
tablet as something of a companion
device. iPadOS 15 could have brought true
external monitor support, a desktop mode
for the Magic Keyboard, better file
management, pro apps—anything to take
advantage of the new iPad Pro’s high-end
features and processor. Instead, we got a
bunch of iOS 14 features.
The timing was perfect for the iPad
Pro’s coming-out party, but instead, we’re
left wondering who exactly that gorgeous
machine is made for. And sadly, I feel like
we’ll be asking the same question this time
next year when iPadOS 16 arrives. ■There’s a benefit to buying a higher-end iMac. With the
iPad, not so much.