M3 iPad Air running iPadOS 26 Developer Beta. Prakhar Khanna/ZDNETI was intrigued and curious to try iPadOS 26 when Apple first announced it at WWDC 2025 last month. For the longest time, the iPad has been something I’ve wanted to add to my workflow but couldn’t due to its rigid operating system — one that doesn’t necessarily complement the iPad’s flexible hardware. It seems Apple was aware of this, too since iPadOS 26 attempts to bridges the longstanding gaps between the Apple tablet and a computer. I would love to finally use my M3 iPad Air to its full potential. Also: ZDNET’s WWDC 2025 recap with Sabrina Ortiz and Jason HinerI recently installed the first developer beta on my 13-inch M3 iPad Air to see if I could use it for my usual productivity workflow. The new multitasking system, better support for mouse or trackpad, an improved file management system, and subtle additions to the UI tell me yes. And within hours of usage, I could sense that iPadOS 26 is the update I’ve been waiting years for. (Note: Since I’m testing on the developer beta of iPadOS, this is more of a first-hand demonstration of its latest features, and not a review or testimonial. The experience using the software will likely undergo several more changes before it’s ready for the public.)Multitasking on the iPad gets a meaningful boost More