iPadOS 16.1, which is slated for release in October, has a new feature called Stage Manager for multitasking. Originally, Apple announced that Stage Manager would work only on M1-based iPads, but according to a report by Engadget, Apple added older iPad Pros that use A12X and A12Z chips to the Stage Manager support list in the latest iPadOS 16.1 beta that was released on Tuesday.
However, Stage Manager on these older iPad Pros will not work with an external display. In fact, Apple has removed Stage Manager external display support for M1 iPads, too, but the company says it will be reinstated in a software update.
Engadget received the following statement from Apple:
We introduced Stage Manager as a whole new way to multitask with overlapping, resizable windows on both the iPad display and a separate external display, with the ability to run up to eight live apps on screen at once. Delivering this multi-display support is only possible with the full power of M1-based iPads. Customers with iPad Pro 3rd and 4th generation have expressed strong interest in being able to experience Stage Manager on their iPads. In response, our teams have worked hard to find a way to deliver a single-screen version for these systems, with support for up to four live apps on the iPad screen at once.
External display support for Stage Manager on M1 iPads will be available in a software update later this year.
Apple released the A12Z iPad Pro in 2020 and the A12X iPad Pro in 2018.
Apple delayed the release of iPadOS 16 until October while it continues to work on the update. Along with Stage Manager, iPadOS 16.1 will bring several new features, including a Weather app, iMessage editing, and an all-new Home app. To try out the iOS 16.1 beta on your tablet, you can sign up for the iPadOS 16 public beta program.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.