YOUR iPAD MAC
Although it wasn’t directly mentioned at WWDC20, anyone who uses a Mac will recognise that some of the new features added to iPadOS are direct lifts – like the sidebars. These have been added to Photos, Notes, Files and Music to let you navigate between sections of the apps quicker and perform drag‑and‑drop actions more easily. With the sidebars, many of your iPad apps more closely resemble their Mac counterparts, especially the Music app, which you can now go fullscreen in and display live lyrics for that ultimate karaoke experience.
Apple has also consolidated many of the functions of your iPad apps into a single drop-down interface. Instead of peppering the main screen with options, many of the functions have been moved to menus that are accessible by pressing, holding and dragging on one of a handful of icons still present.
BETTER SEARCHES
Another aspect of iPadOS that has been saved from fullscreen hell is the search facility. Like Spotlight on your Mac, the search facility can be accessed from anywhere and exists as a single bar on the screen, making it easy to find what you need without feeling like you’ve left the app you were working on. And it’s completely universal, so you can use it to find photos, files and contacts. You can even use it to start a web search – just start typing a few letters and the search will take you straight to Safari.
The new search system in iOS 14 works exactly like Spotlight on your Mac and you can even use it for web searches.
GET SCRIBBLING
Apple Pencil, Apple’s ultra-stylish stylus, will have more of an impact in iPadOS 14, making handwriting as powerful as typed text. At the forefront of this is Scribble, a new system that lets you write into any text field (including Safari’s search/URL field), after which it will be converted into typed text. You can also draw shapes and then, by pausing with the Apple Pencil after you have finished, get your rough drawing converted into that ideal shape. Smart tools also let you tap to select handwritten words and use the Markup tools to change the colour or copy and paste your handwritten text into other apps, after which it will be converted into typed text. Essentially, you can use Apple Pencil for everything now on iPad, which could be that extra fraction of incentive you need to grab one. The big iOS 14 update will be rolled out this Spring, so start getting excited.