PSA: iPadOS 26 Drops Classic Split View & Slide Over Multitasking

Prime Highlights

Apple allegedly removes long-standing Split View and Slide Over multitasking in future update.
Users will have to switch to new Stage Manager interface, as traditional multitasking approaches are gradually dropped.

Key Facts

iPadOS 26 (fall 2025 expected) will end Split View and Slide Over choices.
Stage Manager will be the lone formally supported multitasking interface.
This is a significant change in iPad productivity workflows, particularly for non-Pro iPad users.

Key Background

The History of iPad Multitasking

iPad multitasking started with full-screen app switching, but that evolved when Slide Over (iPadOS 1.3 in 2015) and Split View (with iPadOS 13 in 2019) were added. These introduced flexible workspaces: Slide Over for easy access to compact apps, and Split View for using two applications side-by-side.

Apple introduced Stage Manager in 2022 with iPadOS 16, designed for M1 and subsequent chip iPads. Stage Manager approximates macOS windowing with floating, resizable windows and app stacks—bringing multitasking to a desktop-style level.

Why Apple Is Phasing Out the Classics

Apple’s motivation seems to be twofold: one, minimize fragmentation—Split View and Slide Over remained alongside Stage Manager—and two, ease the user interface and development burden surrounding multitasking capabilities. A single system scaling effortlessly between iPads and external monitors fits with Apple’s efforts to converge desktop and tablet experiences.

Mixed User Adoption

Stage Manager has been reviewed mixed: hailed for its potential and condemned as overly complicated. Eager multitaskers appreciate its abilities, but numerous users—especially on entry level or non Pro iPads—have not embraced it. Performance constraints and a more challenging learning curve have held it back.

What Users Might Lose

Original Slide Over and Split View provided convenience: light windows for a quick check or two-app split screens. With Stage Manager as the sole alternative, users might find it difficult at first without those fast-fix utilities. Apple will probably include tutorials and updated support material, but changing will take time.

The Road Ahead

Regardless of pushback, Apple will rely on Stage Manager enhancements—incorporating performance enhancements and streamlining window controls—to position it as a more viable option. Third-party demonstrations and criticisms throughout beta testing will play the most important part in consumer acceptance. By fall 2025 official release, Stage Manager might be established as the new foundation for iPad multitasking, embodying Apple’s intention to erase the distinction between its tablet and desktop environments.