iPadOS 18 finally adds a Calculator app to iPad, and it only took 14 years

Summary

• iPadOS 18 lacks advanced multitasking features, focusing on basics like a Calculator app 14 years late.
• New features in iOS 18 will also be available in iPadOS 18 for the first time, eliminating the year-long delay of past releases.
• Redesigned tab bar in iPadOS is inspired by visionOS, with developments open to third-party developers.

Apple officially debuted iPadOS 18 at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, but iPad fans looking for advanced multitasking features will be underwhelmed. We didn't get updates to Stage Manager, much less a true desktop-class multitasking environment like macOS. Instead, Apple focused on the basics, adding a Calculator app a whopping 14 years after the original iPad was released. All the new features coming to iOS 18 will also come to iPadOS 18, which is a first. Often, iPadOS lags a year behind iOS when it comes to adding OS-level features, like new Home Screen arrangements and a customizable Control Center.

iPadOS 18 also brings a redesigned tab bar that reflects many of the UI elements found within visionOS. Apple has said that iPadOS served as the foundation for the first version of visionOS, so it only makes sense that the new developments are now coming to iPadOS 18. Luckily, these aren't exclusive to Apple apps, and can be implemented by third-party app developers as well.

Everything Apple announced in iPadOS 18

The new Calculator app isn't just your average calculator app

While we might quip at the idea that Apple is only now adding a Calculator app to iPadOS, it's a fairly robust application. It uses a feature called Math Notes, which lets you write down a math problem on your iPad with the Apple Pencil. Then, the Calculator app will solve it — in an instant. The pre-recorded demos show the Calculator app showing somewhat complex problems while using Math Notes in the Calculator app. However, it's worth noting that third-party apps have offered similar functionality on the iPad for years.

Handwriting with Apple Pencil is a big part of iPadOS 18, and that extends beyond Math Notes in the Calculator app. There's also a Smart Script feature that will use machine learning to improve your handwriting in the Apple Notes app. It seems to be a great addition for people who have bad handwriting, or want to save time while making great digital notes on their iPad. Sticking with Notes, Apple is adding collapsible sections to notes, making it easier to keep organized. Editing text is simpler, too. You can edit written text the same way you would typed text with the Apple Pencil, including adding spaces or scribbling out words.

As mentioned earlier, the iPadOS 18 update this year includes all the improvements that are coming to the best iPhones with iOS 18. That's crucial, because iOS 18 has been billed as the biggest iOS update in history. A fully-customizable Home Screen is coming to the iPad, letting you place icons and widgets anywhere. The app icons' color can be customizable, too, matching the light or dark theme of your system's settings. Additionally, you can lock or hide apps to increase privacy.

Game Mode, the macOS Sonoma feature that helps improve gaming performance, is coming to iPadOS 18. This is key now that iPads can run desktop-class gaming titles. Previously, it was possible to run Resident Evil: Village on an iPad. More recently, Assasins' Creed Mirage became available on iPads that meet certain hardware requirements. With Game Mode, performance will be top-notch on your iPad.

In simple terms, Game Mode limits all background activity to devote as many resources as possible to running your game. It'll improve performance across the board, and will be particularly helpful for the new class of AAA games available on iPadOS 18.

Safari has a new Reader mode that will make it easier to browse websites without the distractions. Apple is using machine learning to identify the important parts of a website to present them in a new Highlights view. Users can browse a webpage as normal or choose Safari's new Reader or Highlights views in iPadOS 18.

The last big iPadOS 18 feature is enhanced screen sharing support in SharePlay. Now, users can share their screens and annotate its content to direct users' attention to exactly where it belongs. It'll make the iPad a true video-conferencing companion with SharePlay and FaceTime.

The first iPadOS 18 developer beta is available starting today, though we caution against users installing it on their primary devices. A public beta will likely become available next month, with widespread availability in the fall. Oh, and iPadOS 18 will include lots of AI through the "Apple Intelligence" suite, which you can read all about below.