According to 9to5Mac, Apple is set to imminently release iPadOS 26.2, a point update that directly addresses a major user complaint. The update brings back the original, simple drag-and-drop gestures for opening apps in Split View and Slide Over, a system that was removed with the iPadOS 26 overhaul announced at WWDC25. That overhaul introduced a Mac-like windowing system with free resizing and traffic light controls, but it came at the cost of the intuitive, gesture-based multitasking that many iPad users relied on. While Apple partially restored Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1, it still required using the new window controls. Now, with 26.2, users can once again just drag an app from the dock to snap it into a split screen or a Slide Over panel, effectively blending the old simplicity with the new windowing framework.
The iPad’s Identity Crisis
Here’s the thing: Apple‘s been wrestling with the iPad’s purpose for years. Is it a simple consumption device, or a real computer replacement? iPadOS 26, with its full windowing system, was a hard shove toward the “computer” side. And for power users who craved that flexibility, it was a win. But for a huge chunk of the iPad audience? It was a confusing mess that broke their muscle memory. The author of the piece even admits they stopped using their iPad for work because of it. That’s a massive fail. When you make your core productivity features harder to use, you’ve messed up. This 26.2 fix isn’t just a minor tweak; it’s a quiet admission that the initial vision for iPadOS 26 was too extreme and alienated the base that loves the iPad for its simplicity.
Who Really Wins Here?
So who benefits from this correction? Basically, everyone. Casual users get their beloved, frictionless gestures back. Pro users still have the advanced windowing system when they need it—they just have more ways to invoke it. It’s a classic Apple move: offer power, but don’t force complexity. The real winner, though, is the idea of the iPad as a distinct platform. Making it “Mac-like” sounded good on a keynote slide, but in practice, it risked making the iPad just a bad, touchscreen Mac. This update pulls back from that brink. It says the iPad can have pro features without sacrificing its unique, tactile interaction model. That’s a crucial distinction, especially when you consider the competitive landscape against simpler tablets and full-fledged laptops.
The Unfinished Business
Now, it’s not a perfect return to form. The article notes you still can’t stack multiple apps in Slide Over like the old days. That’s a bummer for the real multitasking ninjas. It shows Apple is willing to compromise, but perhaps not fully revert. They’re keeping the new windowing architecture as the foundation, which probably makes long-term sense for developers. But it makes you wonder: what’s the endgame? Is the iPad destined to forever oscillate between simplicity and complexity with each update? This feels less like a final answer and more like another step in the endless calibration. Still, for a point-two release, this is a significant and welcome course correction. If your iPad felt less magical after the last big update, 26.2 might just restore the spark.
