Apple to Skip iPadOS 16, Release iPadOS 16.1 "Late"

24 AUGUST 2022 - The route for Apple’s beta software parade has taken an odd turn. On Tuesday, reports from MacRumors say, members of Apple’s developer program got access to the seventh beta of iOS 16, the seventh beta of watchOS 9, the seventh beta of tvOS 16, and the first beta of iPadOS 16.1.

Huh?

In a statement issued to TechCrunch, the Cupertino-company said:

This is an especially big year for iPadOS. As its own platform with features specifically designed for iPad, we have the flexibility to deliver iPadOS on its own schedule. This Fall, iPadOS will ship after iOS, as version 16.1 in a free software update.

You know - when the rumor hit a few weeks ago that Apple was delaying the release of iPadOS 16, I argued (in a sort of snarky way) that you couldn’t say Apple was delaying the release. That was because all they’d said was it would be out “this fall.” Pushing from September to October (what was the rumored delay) meant pushing it from the fall to the fall. Technically, I guess that’s still true. Then again, Apple said the public would get iPadOS 16 in the fall, which it will not. Points to the rumor crew, I guess.