The iPad version of Apple’s Stage Manager

Apple launched Stage Manager for iPadOS during the WWDC 2022 Keynote as a new approach for people to multitask and get things done. And, in classic Apple manner, this new function managed to absolutely outperform everyone’s expectations.

This includes my own.

To put it frankly, I don’t think that’s a good idea. We weren’t looking for multitasking like this.

What we had anticipated
Since Apple patent no. 11,320,869 leaked on the web with the accompanying graphic, we (the Apple community) had been anticipating some type of multitasking functionality on the iPad.

As I already said in macOS On iPad Pro? This graphic clearly depicts a regular macOS-style desktop replete with normal macOS-style windows and menu bar in It’s Complicated.

This macOS “mode” may be started by merely connecting a Magic Keyboard with Trackpad to the iPad, according to the patent. Once you’ve done that, you’re done! You’ve got macOS-style programs running on an iPad Pro with the M1 processor!

However, as I said in my previous piece, we still have the issue of what happens to those programs when the keyboard is turned off. Not to mention the fact that there is an elephant in the room: Is this a set of macOS programs… or something else entirely?

We may create separate sets of applications for certain activities or projects using Stage Manager. We may also rearrange, resize, and overlay them in various arrangements.

These aren’t your normal Mac OS windows, either. When you move the top window to one side, the lower window will shift to the opposite side and remain visible. There are no standard window title bars either.

We can also use Stage Manager to connect an external monitor that does more than just replicate what’s on the iPad’s screen.

MacOS Windows was not what we expected. We were hoping for a Mac menubar.