How iOS and iPadOS Are Different

Both iPhone and iPad until really recently shared the same operating system: iOS. But it is clear that both are totally different teams so it was decided to differentiate them at the software level. That is why Apple introduced iPadOS to differentiate the main productivity options that can be made with this product. Thus, the concept that the iPad is an iPhone with a larger screen disappeared. In this article we will tell you the main differences between iOS and iPadOS.

Display interface

If we stop to visualize the aesthetics of both operating systems we see clear differences. One of them is on the main screen where all the application icons are located. The main difference is in the lower part where there is a kind of Dock with the icons of the applications that you want. The most logical thing is to customize it with those apps that you use most frequently on a day-to-day basis. Also on the right side of the dock are those applications that you have used most frequently and that you have recently closed. This can be said to be one of the most obvious applications, and rightly so since having such a large Dock on an iPhone is pointless. Similarly, in iOS, four applications remain at the bottom that will always be there even if the page is changed.

How iOS and iPadOS Are Different

Widgets also have a totally different concept very similar to what is found in macOS and not iOS. With a simple swipe to the right, the widgets will appear on the first application screen. But in no case can they be edited to embed them in other successive pages. They remain as a simple route of information, as in iOS that are in a completely separate window in the case of iOS 13, or embedded in the application screen itself from iOS 14. This makes the widgets much more productive on iOS something that cannot be enjoyed on iPadOS.

Splitview function

Something that does not include iOS yet but is quite desired is the possibility of having a screen split in two. In this way you can work with two applications at the same time, one on the right side and the other on the left. This is something that is not included in iOS and that is exclusive to iPadOS probably due to the size of the screen. As in the previous case, this is something that is also present in macOS.

Split View

In addition to the possibility of having a screen literally split in two, you can also access a third window with a floating window. This will appear when you swipe left from the far right of the screen. In this way, productivity will continue to add up by having a total of three screens with which you can work and collect information. Obviously this is also due to the large size of the screen that allows you to have all these functionalities.

Available applications

ipados ios

Another major difference that may exist between the two operating systems is the applications that can be integrated. The great absent in iPadOS, but that if it is present in iOS, is the Weather app, something that is still not fully understood. There are also differences between many other professional applications such as Photoshop, which is very well integrated with iPadOS but cannot be installed on an iPhone as it is not developed for your operating system. This will continue to happen in the future since both operating systems must be differentiated as each one has specific tools for their development.