It won’t be long before Apple unveils the latest version of iPadOS to the world. Here’s everything we know so far about potential release dates, new features, and models that will be able to run the software. That’s all you need to know about iPadOS 17.
iPadOS 17 release date: When will iPadOS 17 be released?
There’s no official date from Apple yet, but it does have a pretty reliable history of releasing software releases around the same time each year, as you can see from the dates below.
- iPadOS 16: October 24, 2022
- iPadOS 15: September 20, 2021
- iPad OS 14: September 16, 2020
- iPadOS 13: September 24, 2019
With the exception of the latest release, which was thought to be delayed to tweak some features, Apple always introduces a new iteration of iPadOS in the second half of September. We think that’s the most likely time we’ll see iPadOS 17 unless Apple has now decided to plan things separately from iOS 17 like it did with the 16 releases. In any case, it will be in the fall.
In preparation for the full release, Apple will also make beta versions of the operating system available to those in the Apple Beta Software program. This includes several iterations, and we expect it to look like this:
- June 5, 2023: iPadOS 17 is announced at WWDC and the first developer beta is released.
- July 2023: Apple releases the first public beta of iPadOS 17.
- June to September 2023: A series of additional developer and public betas appear.
- September/October 2023: The final public version of iPadOS 17 has been released.
To see the history of each version so far, you can read our guide to all iOS and iPadOS versions.
iPadOS 17 compatibility: Which iPads will run iPadOS 17?
Apple generally does a great job of keeping older iPads up to date in terms of the software versions they run. When iPadOS 16 arrived, only a few older iPads running iPadOS 15 couldn’t make the transition. We don’t yet know if that will be the case in 2023, but it could be the last gasp for a few devices that are now quite long in the tooth.
The main culprits for the elimination are probably the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1st generation) whose A9X processors are starting a bit now since they were first introduced in 2015. There’s also the iPad (5th generation) which runs on an even slower A9 processor.
Just above those are the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which sports an A10X, as does the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd Gen) and iPad (6th Gen) with its A10, but hopefully they could upgrade to iPadOS 17 this time around.
This would leave the following on the compatibility list for iPadOS 17:
- iPad Pro 12.9 (5th generation)
- iPad Pro 11 (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9 (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 11 (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9 (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11 (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9 (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5
- iPad (9th generation)
- iPad (8th generation)
- iPad (7th generation)
- iPad (6th generation)
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad Air (4th generation)
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
What new features will we see in iPadOS 17?
There has been a definite lack of substantial rumors when it comes to iPadOS 17. This could suggest that Apple intends to make it a performance-enhancing iteration rather than rolling out too many new features or that most features will also be available for iOS. However, we expect to find a few things when we first launch the new software on our iPads.
Third-party app stores
The EU has been on Apple’s grill for a while now. We’ve all heard of the iPhone’s move from Lighting ports to USB-C seemingly imminent, after the political bloc created laws to mandate the use of the standard in its region. We’ve even seen leaked photos that claim to show an iPhone 15 sporting a USB-C port for the first time. But there’s also another set of laws in place, called the Digital Markets Act, that forces Apple to open up its devices to third-party app stores.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported the story, saying it’s likely we’ll see Apple introduce third-party app stores and the ability to sideload apps in iPadOS 17. These features have been available on Android for years, but this would be a huge departure from the “walled garden” approach that Apple has taken since the introduction of the first iPhone.
Whether Apple users want to take advantage of these new markets remains unclear, but at least they will now have a choice. Or at least they will be in some countries – chances are sideloading will only be available for iPhone users in Europe.
Custom lock screens
When iOS 16 was dropped, it came with a revamped lock screen where you could use widgets, dynamic images, and new fonts and colors to make the device much more customizable than ever. Unfortunately, the same capabilities didn’t make their way into iPadOS 16, but there are rumors that the new lock screen customization is coming to tablets in iPadOS 17.
For an overview of what this feature can do on iPhone, check out our guide to customizing your lock screen in iOS 16.
Third-party browsers without WebKit
Another potential effect of the EU Digital Markets Act is to allow third-party browsers such as Chrome and Firefox to use their own engines, rather than the Apple WebKit variant the company currently requires. This would see other browsers behave more like their web versions, instantly boosting their capabilities. We’d like to see this because it would also inspire Apple to up its game with Safari.
New control center
We’ve seen some rumors that iOS 17 might come with an updated version of Control Center. As is often the case, this suggests we could see a similar endeavor on iPadOS 17. There aren’t any solid details on what the redesign would do, but we’d be very happy to see this underdeveloped part of the system receive some love.
That’s all we’ve found so far, but obviously we’ll keep updating this article as new information comes to light, so be sure to check back. In the meantime, take a look at our iPad buying guide to see if you can score a good deal on a new iPad that will house iPadOS 17 when it arrives.
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