Apple iPadOs 16 Release Delayed, Will No Longer Arrive Alongside iOS 16

Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple is planning to delay the launch of the stable version of iPadOS 16 by a month. Now, the iPhone maker has confirmed that iPadOS 16 will ship after the release of iOS 16.

Apple said in a statement to 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. This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.”

Also Read: Apple iPadOS 16 Update Features List, Release Date, Supported Devices

This means that iPadOS 16 will no longer arrive as expected in fall. Instead, the company will be releasing iPadOS 16.1. The report speculates that Apple could roll out two versions of iPadOS 16.1, veering away from how the company usually releases updates. iPadOS will not be linked with the iOS release timeline, thus giving Apple the freedom to follow a completely independent schedule.

iPadOS 16 was announced at Apple’s WWDC 2022 event in June. It offers various features such as an iCloud Shared Photo Library, redesigned game center dashboard, redesigned home app, and FaceTime improvements, among others.

One of the main attractions of the OS is Stage Manager, which facilitates multitasking by allowing users to easily switch between apps. However, developers noted that this feature was riddled with bugs. Rumours suggest that Apple will require more time to resolve these issues, resulting in a delay in the rollout of iPadOS 16.

Meanwhile, Apple has released the iPadOS 16.1 beta to developers. iOS 16.0 beta 7 bears build number 20A5356a, whereas iPadOS 16.1 beta 1 has build number as 20B5027f.