As many Apple users may already know, there is a brand new OS update coming to both the iPhones as well as the iPads. Everyone was able to tune in to the WWDC event, which is Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference, and get a sneak peak at what to expect from this new iOS and iPadOS 17 update.
Although the OS 17 update has already been announced, you won’t be able to get your hands on or download this official update till later this year, in September. However, the beta version of the update will be made available to the public to download in July sometime so you can give it a try a little earlier. Since the update will still be in its beta stage, it will probably be buggy, so it would be a good idea to make sure your device is safely backed up before you proceed to download it.
This article is for those who missed this event or those who just want a quick rundown of some of the most exciting new features that are coming to the iPadOS 17 update.
Which iPads are compatible with the new OS update
When it comes to which iPads will be compatible with the new iPadOS 17 update, it is a little bit more complicated than with the iPhones. So, to make it a little bit easier for you, below is a list of all of the different iPads that will be compatible with the latest Apple iPadOS 17 update.
- iPad: Sixth-gen and newer
- iPad Mini: Fifth-gen and newer
- iPad Air: Third-gen and newer
- iPad Pro: Second-gen and newer
The Best iPadOS 17 Features
The iPadOS 17 will have a lot of the same features that you will see in the iOS 17 update for the iPhones, but here are some of the more exclusive iPad specific updates that iPad users can look forward to trying out.
iPadOS 17 New Lock Screen
If you have seen how Google’s new Pixel Tablet is able to change from a standard tablet to a smart display then you may already have an idea of what Apple was thinking with their new Lock Screen design as they are quite similar. With the new iPadOS 17, you’ll finally be able to customise a lot more on your lock screen from getting new wallpapers to Live Photo wallpapers, as well as being able to add Live Activities so that you are able to monitor certain events, such as timers, scores of a specific game and even the status of your food delivery.
All of these features allow you to see and get information on things that you may need without even going past your lock screen of your iPad. iPadOS 17 takes this one step further and have also added interactive widgets to the iPads lock screen so that you are able to do even more without needing to unlock your screen and then go and launch the app.
Better AutoFill for PDFs
If you are someone who tends to be working in or with PDFs quite often, then you’ll be happy to hear that Apple has focused on making it a lot easier to input information for both iPadOS 17 as well as iOS 17. Apple has been able to do this by using machine learning in order to identify the fields in a PDF so that you are able to add details a lot faster. Changes were also made to the Notes app, to enhance your experience with PDF, as you’re now able to organise, read, annotate and even collaborate in PDFs as well.
Updated Safari
The Safari app is getting a few changes to it as well, both for the iOS 17 on iPhones but also in iPadOS 17. One of the biggest changes that you’ll experience with Safari is that you’ll now be able to create work, personal files and more to keep your internet browsing separate so that you’ll be able to have your history, cookies, Tab Groups and Favourites in their own specific groups.
Then for those that may use Apple’s Private Browsing feature, you’ll be pleased to know that you won’t need to always close all your tabs completely when you step away from your device, as now you have the ability to lock these tabs with Face ID or Touch ID.
Another new feature that you’ll be getting with the new OS update is the ability to actually create a group of people to share certain accounts with that can include specific passwords and passkeys that you have saved with Safari. Once you’ve created a group of people, you’ll be able to remove someone from said group whenever you’d like and the passwords will always be up to date. Then finally, when you get a one-time verification code or password that has been sent to your mail, it will automatically be filled into your Safari tab, so that you don’t have to go deep diving into your email looking for it.
Changes to Stage Manager
The Stage Manager app that you may be familiar with already from iOS 16, is also going to be getting a few new updates. Firstly, Apple has now made it more flexible when it comes to moving and resizing windows in order to customise your app layout in exactly the way that you may want them to be. Another change that this app has gotten is that it now supports built-in cameras on external displays.
iPadOS 17 Freeform
Freeform was debuted by Apple last year and is basically a collaborative whiteboard app, and with the new OS update, it will be getting a few new tools. These new tools are not only going to be available on the iPadOS 17 but on all Apple platforms like iOS17 as well. The new tools that you’ll be getting with this update include: a watercolour brush, calligraphy pen, highlighter, variable-width pen and finally a ruler. You’ll also find that you can now draw any sort of shae and the new software will then perfect it for you.
Not only is this app getting new tools but you’ll also be getting a new feature, called Follow Along, and what this new feature is able to do is actually track the areas of the whiteboard that your collaborators may be working on.
Final Words
So, there you have some of the new features that you’ll be getting with the iPadOS 17 update. These aren’t all of the features as there are many more, many of which will be similar if not exactly the same as some of the features that the iOS 17 update will have. So, do you think you’ll be able to wait till September for this update, or will you cave in and download the beta version.
