Stage manager for more iPad models

Apple has finally managed to give his tablets an adequate window management: With Ipados 26 in the coming autumn, the time has come. At the same time, however, the group has also managed to get the previously unpopular Stage Manager function, which was significantly more limited to more devices. This is shown by the compatibility information On Apple’s website.

Jump to more devices-even standard IPAD

With iPados 18 you could only use Stage Manager on the fifth generation iPad Air, the iPad Pro 11 from the first generation, the iPad Pro 12.9 from the third generation and the iPad Pro with 13 inches and M4-SoC. With iPados 26, it can surprisingly be a standard IPAD from the 8th generation, in addition to the models mentioned for iOS 18, an iPad mini from the 5th generation and an iPad Air from the 3. Generation.

This shows that the window management by means of a stage manager is apparently not as big as a technical problem as Apple showed it – rather it was probably the case that the feature should delimit cheaper from more expensive (and more recent) devices. However, the group did not provide any specific information.

Better window than Stage Manager

However, the stage manager remains a crutch. As usual, it only allows a certain window arrangement and not the completely free distribution in window mode (“Windowed Apps”). Many users should therefore simply switch to this new mode. Otherwise, Apple had also made various conversions in the Stage Manager functions that come with IPADOS 26: The modes “Split View & Slide Over” disappear, the divided view can now also be done in window mode via a free window distribution.

As the reason for the stage manager compatibility of older devices, Apple software chief Craig Federighi referred to an interview that the new window system “much more efficiently” is working and the group was therefore able to give up the previous restriction to iPads with M chips. The question may be allowed why it took so long. Stage managers have been around for several years and window systems are now truly not rocket science.