iPad OS 15, a student’s top 4 features
With iPad OS 15, the iPad takes a long-awaited step in the right direction
Ever since the first introduction of the Apple Pencil alongside the iPad, Apple’s tablets have been an often seen companion in the lecture halls. The combination of ease of use, the ability to seamlessly take handwritten notes, and a sleek form factor give the iPad a lot of upside from a student’s perspective.
However, alongside the apparent upside, especially of the hardware in recent years, there have always been some aspects that prevent the iPad from becoming the absolute student device. Most important of all, iPad OS.
iPad OS has made small steps into becoming less of an adapted version of iOS and more of its own ever since its introduction in 2019.
Yet, only with this third major update to iPadOS, the software shows some significant advancements. While it is still far away from unlocking the full potential of the (newer) iPads, iPad OS brings some long-awaited changes to the iPad that make Apple’s tablets even better to use, especially for students. Here are my four favorites:
Three tiny dots
But why is the latest iteration of iPad OS a student’s dream?
There are a few reasons, but let’s start with one of the most simple changes.
Atop every most open app in iPadOS, there are now three little dots. When clicked on, these dots display a quick menu with the option to arrange the app in split-screen view or slide over. Furthermore, when choosing split screen, the app slide over to the left, exposing the home screen, allowing you to select any app to fill the other half of the screen.
While slide over and split-screen multitasking are nothing new to iPad users, the way to access them has gotten a lot more intuitive and easy with iPad OS 15.
While some users had hoped for even more and better multitasking options, the redesigned interface to access multitasking is a huge step in the right direction.
App Library and Widgets on the Home Screen
What has been available on iPhones for a year now is finally fully implemented in iPad OS 15, widgets, and the App Library.
It is a change that was needed because it provides much more usability than having either a ton of folders or a dictionary’s worth of pages with apps. Combined with the new three-dot user interface for more effortless multitasking, the App Library is productivity-boosting.
Not as productivity-boosting but especially more aesthetically pleasing are the widgets. The option to put widgets on the home screen does not provide an immense productivity boost, but they let you access information at a glance. Especially handy are the new, bigger widgets, which can provide quite a bit of actual useful information.
However, of course, you can also just put the excellent ITAP Apollo widget there and enjoy some nice snapshots from all over the world.
Focus Modes
While adding the Apollo widget won’t have any productivity-enhancing effect, the new focus modes will definitely have. Focus modes are basically do not disturb on steroids.
Rather than just blocking outcalls and messages, you can determine whose messages will get through and which apps can send you notifications in focus modes. You can set up numerous focus modes with different triggers like location (when you arrive at University) or during certain times.
Personally, I really enjoy this because it makes focusing on your tasks at University or at work much easier, and it is way harder to get distracted by incoming notifications.
Quick Notes
The last change I want to highlight is the quick notes feature. This one seems like it was specifically designed with students in mind. Swiping up from the lower right corner brings up a quick note from Apple notes.
You can use all the features also available to you in the regular notes app, and there is an option to quickly add the link to whatever you were researching when you opened the quick note.
I do not usually use apple notes for my note-taking, but I use it more often with quick notes. Of course, I still copy the quick note to my Notion when I find the time, but the quick note is by far the fastest way to put an idea to paper I have seen on iPad yet.
Too little?
While there are many more changes to iPadOS, many of them work in the background or do not impact me as a student that much. Some of these changes are the new options for FaceTime, like FaceTime links. However, those changes still leave the door open for the question, did Apple do too little? Are the changes enough?
In my opinion, iPadOS 15 is a step in the right direction. However, currently, the iPad lineup is extensive, not only in terms of price but also performance. Hence, there is a valid argument that the new iPadOS does not fully use the capacity the new M1 iPad Pros have.
I also wished for even more multitasking options and the support for Pro Apps on the iPad. Yet, I also understand that Apple does not want to create a two-tiered iPadOS depending on the chip’s performance.
So, all in all, I am very content with the new iPadOS, especially as a student. It provides many more minor changes that enhance my day-to-day student life.
As always, stay safe.
Raffael
