Apple releases the first iPadOS 16.1 beta, confirms delayed launch

Apple recently launched the iPadOS 16.1 beta for developers. The beta is officially listed on Apple's website as iPadOS 16 beta 7. This update brings some improvements to the Stage Manager feature and fixes various bugs.

iPadOS 16 was launched alongside iOS 16 and macOS 13 Ventura, at the Apple World Wide Developers' Conference, in June 2022.

The beta OS was also launched on the same date. Since then, iPadOS 16 beta has gone through several changes. It introduced an important feature, the Stage Manager. Stage Manager was supposed to completely change the multitasking experience for Apple users. This feature was introduced on macOS 13 Ventura and iPadOS 16.

Only iPad Pro models with Apple's silicon M1 chips supported the Stage Manager feature. iPad Mini, iPad Air, and the base variant iPad users could not get their hands on this feature, which left them unsatisfied. There were also several bugs in the feature, with many users complaining that it took up a lot of screen space.

In an article earlier this month, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman stated that Apple might delay iPadOS 16's launch. An Apple insider supposedly broke this news. It was all just a rumor till now.

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Apple releases the first iPadOS 16.1 beta, confirms delayed launch

Apple just launched its first iPadOS 16.1 beta, only for developers. Apple has also finally confirmed that the iPadOS 16 launch will get delayed, proving Gurman's rumors correct. In a statement to the popular tech media TechCrunch, Apple mentioned,

"This is an especially big year for iPadOS. As its own platform with features specifically designed for iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update."

This delay will give Apple more time to work on the Stage Manager feature and other improvements. Apple is also expected to launch an entry-level iPad 10, and iPad Pro M2 at the iPad launch event this fall. So, it would make more sense for the upcoming iPadOS to launch with the upcoming iPad models. Apple might follow this chronology for the upcoming iPadOS updates.

It looks like Apple will be skipping iPadOS 16.0, and directly release the 16.1 version in October. The current build number for iPadOS 16.1 beta 1 is 20B5027f. The iPadOS 16.1 beta update adds some changes to the Stage Manager feature and some common troubleshooting.

Developer James Thomson pointed out that this delay between iOS and iPadOS launches is going to be bad news for developers who release universal apps against iOS/iPadOS APIs. The iPadOS 16.1 release delay will also push it closer to the macOS 13 Ventura launch event.

Currently, both Apple and its fans are looking forward to the iPhone 14 launch event in September. In that event, Apple will launch its latest iPhone 14, 14 Max, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max. Apple will also launch the Apple Watch Series 8 and hopefully an Apple Watch SE. iOS 16 and WatchOS 9 stable versions will also be released on that day.