Apple confirms iPadOS 16 has been delayed

iPadOS 16 delay rumors have been confirmed by Apple. The tech giant will skip the release of iPadOS 16 in September and instead, go straight into iPadOS 16.1 later this year.

Since 2019, iPadOS updates have historically been co-released with iOS updates. However, that cadence has now been interrupted.

The company told TechCrunch, “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.”

Apple continued, stating, “This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.”

The reason for the delay

iPadOS 16 was revealed at a WWDC event earlier this summer, with its release expected this fall. However, iPadOS 16 will never make it to the public.

At its debut, iPadOS 16 brought the likes of Stage Manager (shown above on Mac), which allows you to improve workflow and better multitask.

Stage Manager has performed well on macOS but not so well on iPadOS. The iPadOS 16 delay could be because of this, as Apple works on solutions to beta user complaints.

iPadOS 16 delay, a blessing in disguise?

Judging by the segregated release dates for iPadOS 16.1 and iOS 16, plus Apple’s comments about the iPadOS 16 delay, it will be interesting to see if the company staggers releases more going forward.

Although Apple has yet to confirm this, it’ll be a welcome development to have a truly desegregated and dedicated iPadOS release schedule.

This will bring more timely iPad-focused feature updates to users of Apple’s iconic tablet.

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