iPadOS 14 has a big problem that iOS 14 doesn't
iOS 14 widgets on iPad can only be used in a limited way
iPadOS 14 might be receiving Apple's new Widgets feature, but it currently can't use them outside of the existing Today view when in landscape mode.
This was discovered by MacRumors, who have been playing around with the newly released beta version of iPadOS. The fact it's still a beta could mean this is not representative of the final product, but it's at least the case for now.
- iPadOS 14 suddenly makes the iPad look a lot like a MacBook
- WWDC 2020 recap: The 5 biggest Apple announcements you missed
- How to download the iPadOS 14 beta
Not only are widgets limited to a horizontal view on iPads, but they also work only on the first homescreen page. Swipe to your second page and the widgets will disappear. And when you turn the iPad vertically, the widgets also go AWOL, leaving you with the same grid of apps you've been looking at since you unboxed the tablet.
You still get the Smart Stack, which moves widgets around depending on which ones iPadOS thinks you'll want to access at a given moment in time. These widgets are resize-able and can be categorized into different groups for different tasks, which would no doubt be very useful if you had more consistent access to them from your homescreen.
The iPadOS 14 beta has introduced other new features besides the widgets. This includes Apple Pencil handwriting recognition via Scribble, less intrusive notifications for voice and video calls, and more shared improvements with standard iOS 14 like the option to change your default email and browser apps and on-device dictation.
WWDC is still ongoing in its new online format, and people are still finding more and more little improvements in Apple's software since downloading the betas. Be sure to check back with Tom's Guide regularly to learn more.
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Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.