Could the iPad Get a Mac Menu Bar in iPadOS 19?
Credit: Daniel Romero
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With iOS 19 expected to get the biggest overhaul we’ve seen since 2013, there’s little doubt that iPadOS 19 will inherit the same design changes. However, if recent rumors are accurate, the next major release of Apple’s iPad operating system could get more than just a fresh coat of paint.
Earlier this month, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said that Apple plans to make iPadOS 19 “more like a Mac,” focusing on “productivity, multitasking, and app window management.” While Gurman didn’t offer too many details on what that might mean, he was clear about one thing: Apple isn’t planning to port macOS to the iPad anytime soon, so this will still be iPadOS through and through — just with a few more Mac-like trimmings.
The iPad began its life 15 years ago as a very single-minded device. The multitasking features we know today were a slow rollout that began in 2015 and took seven years of minor updates. We got Split Screen mode and picture-in-picture in iOS 9, a Mac-like Dock, enhanced app switcher, and drag-and-drop in iOS 11, support for opening multiple windows for a single app in iPadOS 13, a shelf for managing those windows in iPadOS 15, and Stage Manager in iPadOS 16.
Now, there’s a report that iPadOS 19 could add another Mac-like feature, complementing the Dock from 2019 with a Menu Bar. That’s according to leaker Majin Bu (who now has a blog):
One of the most exciting changes will benefit those using the iPad with a Magic Keyboard. When connected, the interface will adapt to show a menu bar at the top, just like on macOS, turning the iPad into a much more laptop-like experience.
If the report is accurate, the menu bar will only appear when a Magic Keyboard is attached. That seems like an odd move, but it could be part of a larger feature set, as Majin Bu adds that iPadOS 19 will also add a new “Stage Manager 2.0” enhanced multitasking mode to “make managing apps and windows smoother and more productive than ever.”
While this report sounds plausible on one side, the dependence on the Magic Keyboard makes us a bit skeptical. Treating the iPad as a device that changes modes based on whether you’re using a keyboard would be a new approach for Apple and risks creating a more complex hybrid user experience that would be the opposite of the simplicity Apple typically strives for. At that point, Apple might as well give in to those who want the iPad to be able to dual-boot into macOS.
Majin Bu also doesn’t have a firmly established track record for such things — they’ve been wrong as often as they’ve been right, and many of their hits are often just doubling down on leaks and rumors that have already been shared by others. For instance, Majin Bu correctly predicted the name of the iPhone 16e, but only a few weeks after another leaker, Fixed Focus Digital said the same. On the flip side, Majin Bu was alone in predicting the next-generation iPhone SE would get the Dynamic Island — a very plausible idea that never materialized.
Majin Bu also suggests that Apple will extend this enhanced experience to the iPhone by adding “a Stage Manager-like interface” when a USB-C iPhone is connected to an external display. This would allow users to treat an external display as a second screen rather than merely mirroring what’s being shown on the iPhone. We’d suggest taking this one with an even healthier dose of salt, as it feels even more un-Apple-like.
This latest idea seems to follow the concept of Samsung’s DeX desktop computing mode, which has been around for a few years on Samsung’s devices as a way to switch a tablet or even a smartphone into a desktop computing experience. Google is also adding something similar in this year’s release of Android 16. However, Apple already offers a desktop computing experience: it’s called the Mac.
Majin Bu believes this is about creating a more “seamless ecosystem” by blurring the lines between devices, having “iPads actings like Macs, and iPhones gaining desktop-adjacent features.” However, that’s not Apple’s style; it prefers having each device fit into a relatively distinct niche, as it helps users better understand who each device is for. It also doesn’t hurt that it encourages customers to buy multiple products when their needs overlap.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
