The moment Apple announced iPadOS 26 at WWDC, I rushed to install the developer beta on my M4 iPad Pro. And for the first time in years, it felt like Apple was finally putting iPad users first. We got features we’ve been asking for since iPadOS split from iOS: a fresh new look, Mac-like windowing, a smarter Files app, and more.
But what surprised me wasn’t the iPad Pro experience. It was just how many iPads supported all of these features, including the iPad mini. After installing iPadOS 26 on the mini, I was blown away by how well it worked. And that got me thinking: if the iPad mini can handle this, what does that mean for the future of the iPhone?
Be sure to watch our most recent video, where I go in-depth on this topic. If we can have eight windows open on an iPad mini screen, why can’t we have two apps open on a Pro Max iPhone?
Windowed multitasking on iPad mini display
One of the last things that Apple mentioned about iPadOS 26 was the list of supported devices. I saw that the iPad mini was also on that list, but I surely thought it would be a watered-down version of iPadOS 26. For example, with iPadOS 18, the iPad mini was not able to use Stage Manager like the M-powered iPads. So I just assumed it wasn’t getting that windowing mode. But to my surprise, my $400 iPad mini got pretty much all the same new features that my $2000 iPad Pro got.
For years, Apple has resisted bringing true multitasking to the iPhone. The only form of “multitasking’ we’ve gotten is a picture-in-picture mode where we can have a video window floating on the screen. The argument has always been screen size and Apple saying that no one would want to multitask on that size screen. That argument was good 5 to 10 years ago, but the iPhone 16 Pro Max now has a 6.9-inch display, and the iPad mini is 8.3in. So they are not that different in size. To my surprise the iPad mini handles iPadOS 26 multitasking beautifully. The new windowing system allows apps to resize fluidly, with clever touch targets and flick gestures that make it usable even on a smaller canvas.
After using the new windowing system for a while, I began to think to myself, if it works on the iPad mini, it can work on the iPhone. Even a simple two-pane view (top/bottom or left/right) would dramatically change how people use the iPhone. Right now, if you need to get data from one app and move it to the other, it is tedious and has friction. If we could just get 2 apps running at once on iOS, it would be exponentially easier to multitask, even if its just for a few instances.
The A18 Pro is capable of a macOS-lite experience
Last year, Apple put the A17 Pro in the new iPad mini. The main reason is that they wanted it to have Apple Intelligence, and the A17 Pro is the oldest mobile chip to support it. That chip was the same chip in the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. And yet, iPadOS 26 supports a windowing system, external display mirroring, advanced multitasking, and desktop-like file management.
With all this, I would say it’s safe to assume that the newer A18 Pro chip that is in the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max should be able to handle the same experience that the older A17 Pro chip gives the iPad mini. I have also been recently playing with the Samsung Fold 7, which has shown me two things: that multitasking on a mobile device will benefit most people, and having a desktop-class OS built into your phone is a game-changer. I played with Samsung Dex over the last month, and I love the concept both in theory and in practice. Being able to just connect your phone to an external monitor and have a desktop experience is something that all phones (above a specific price point) should be able to do. So bringing the new windowing system to your iPhone when plugged into an external display is a feature Apple should seriously consider.
Apple operating system convergence
The last foreshadowing I am seeing is that there is a big ecosystem convergence happening, especially between the big three: iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This year, Apple introduced a new Liquid Glass UI redesign. But it was not just for iOS, it was for all things Apple. All of the different operating systems got this redesign and now have the most uniformity we have ever seen. Everything is starting to look the same, from the app icons to how the settings app looks to the menu bar on iPadOS, and even the traffic light window management buttons. However, the most important thing is how people and consumers use their devices. I know plenty of people who use their iPhone as their computer, maybe not in the traditional sit-down at a desk way, but they use their iPhone to run their entire lives, and it’s their main form of computing.
We will get to a point where we aren’t choosing products based on the software; it will be based on the type of hardware and screen size you need. So the natural next step for iOS is to allow for on-device multiasking but also give us a macOS or even iPadOS type of experience when plugged into a device. Would you use just an iPhone if you knew you could create a whole desk setup purely by plugging it into a display? I would.
Final take
The iPad mini is the only true tablet remaining. It does not have first-party keyboard accessories, it does not overpromise, and it was meant to be used with your finger or the Apple Pencil. But with Apple introducing iPadOS 26 to the iPad mini, it’s really begun to change how you view it. You can connect it to a monitor, connect a mouse and keyboard, and you are essentially running a macOS lite version.
Let me know what you think. Is the iPad mini experience a foreshadow into whats next for the iPhone? Let’s discuss below!
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