BRIC Team reports: Technology Apps & Software The 8 Best New Features Added To iPadOS In 2026 (So Far) By José Adorno May 12, 2026 1:17 pm EST José Adorno/BGR While Apple is almost ready to introduce iPadOS 27, which should come with an all-new Siri and several upgrades to Apple Intelligence, iPadOS 26 has been one of the most notable software updates for iPad users to date. With it, Apple upgraded the multitasking experience by offering a new Window Tiling feature that lets users open many apps simultaneously, while later updates continued to improve the multitasking capabilities by re-adding Split View and Slide Over.
These are all features that further distinguish the iPad from the iPhone, while still relying on touch controls and the benefits of accessories like the Apple Pencil Pro, with hover, pressure, and other smart features. So far this year, with the release of the M5 iPad Pro, Apple has focused on more systemwide upgrades for iPad users, including tweaks to location tracking, Apple Music functions, and the rollout of more Mac-like features. For a deeper look at these and other updates released this year, check out this list of the best new features added to iPadOS in 2026, so far.
Background
Limit Precise Location José Adorno/BGR With iPadOS 26.3, Apple introduced a new privacy setting that lets you hide your exact location. At this moment, this feature is only available to Apple products with its own 5G modem, like the iPhone 16e, iPhone Air, iPhone 17e, iPad Air M4 and iPad Pro M5, as they feature the company's C1 and C1X chips. While more products are expected to get this feature, as all iPhone 18 models should get the company's future C2 modem, this extra privacy layer makes it harder for cell service providers to precisely identify where you are at any given time.
Key facts
- For a deeper look at these and other updates released this year, check out this list of the best new features added to iPadOS in 2026, so far.
- Limit Precise Location José Adorno/BGR With iPadOS 26.3, Apple introduced a new privacy setting that lets you hide your exact location.
- And you get all of that without interfering with apps that you intentionally share your location, like the Find My experience.
- Apple Music gets 4 new features José Adorno/BGR For Apple Music users, iPadOS 26.4 was full of new features.
What this means
For example, if you have an iPad Pro M5 with cellular connection and a compatible carrier — so far it includes A1 in Austria, YouSee in Denmark, Telekom in Germany, EE and BT in the United Kingdom, Boost Mobile in the U.S., and AIS and True in Thailand — you can add an extra privacy layer that instead of letting carriers identify exactly your address, they will only be able to identify your approximate neighborhood. And you get all of that without interfering with apps that you intentionally share your location, like the Find My experience. If you have one of the latest iPad models with a compatible carrier, you can change your location preferences by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options, and from there, you'll find the option to Limit Precise Location.
Apple Music gets 4 new features José Adorno/BGR For Apple Music users, iPadOS 26.4 was full of new features. The most important is focused on American users, which can now use Apple Intelligence to create playlists. With the Playlist Playground feature, you can ask the AI to create a list with the songs you like the most or that match your current vibe.
