Apple may release iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 simultaneously

iPad users may not have to wait until October for getting the iPadOS 17 update on their device. Apple is reportedly planning to release the new version of the operating system for its tablets, at the same time iOS 17 is released.

In case you aren't aware, Apple normally releases a new major version of iOS and iPadOS on the same day. This usually occurs sometime in mid-September. The company broke the tradition last year when it released iOS 16 in September 2022, followed by iPadOS 16 in October. That month-long delay came as a surprise to many users. While it was not officially announced by the company, reputable sources had confirmed that the delay in shipping the iPadOS update was largely due to the introduction of Stage Manager. The multitasking feature, which was also released for macOS 13 Ventura, was found to be particularly buggy in beta versions of iPadOS 16.

This was the reason why Apple had pushed back its release date, to allow its developers to sort out the issues related to Stage Manager. The release was met with ridicule from users, who criticized the company for making the feature exclusive to M1 iPads. Apple responded quickly to the complaints by adding support for Stage Manager in iPad Pro 3rd and 4th gen models.

Such issues shouldn't affect iPadOS 17. According to reports from users, beta versions of the new software have offered a much better experience than its predecessor did. Apple is bringing the Health app to iPad. The new version of the operating system will allow users to open PDFs natively, and edit text fields in documents, which can be useful for filling up forms. The Notes app can be used to annotate PDFs. Stage Manager, Spotlight and the Freeform app are also gaining some quality-of-life improvements.

Apple recently released the eighth beta version of iPadOS 17, iOS 17 and watchOS 10. The new versions were released in quick succession to the 6th and 7th beta versions of its iPhone and iPad software without any major hiccups. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple is considering the eight beta version of iOS 17 as the final build, i.e. the one which will be released to the stable channel. The Cupertino company is also planning to release iPadOS 17 simultaneously.

Both versions of the operating systems are expected to be launched on September 12th, during the iPhone 15 series launch event. That said, Apple is not expected to release any new iPads during the event. We can however expect the Apple Watch Series 9 to debut along with the second-gen Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple will likely roll out iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to users a week after they are announced, i.e. sometime between September 12th and 20th. The release would coincide with the availability of the new iPhone 15 lineup, which is said to start shipping around a week after the launch date, i.e. it may be available from September 19th. Rumors indicate that Apple will refresh its iPad lineup next year, with a major focus on OLED screens. Meanwhile, the company is said to be prepping its first M3 Macs, which could be announced in October.

Source