Apple announces iPadOS 18 with calculator and customizable home screen – iPad

Apple has given us the first image of iPadOS 18during the WWDC 2024 keynote, as in previous years, the updated version will be available in the fall, with the beta available to developers starting today, while the public beta will follow in July.

iPadOS 18 includes its own calculator, meaning iPad users will no longer need to resort to third-party apps, which are often filled with ads and rarely optimized for the iPad’s dimensions, all to perform simple mathematical calculations.

The new calculator also works with Apple Pencil, so one can write the actions they want on the screen and the app will show the result. Meanwhile, Apple introduced Smart Script, which improves the appearance of handwritten text, taking advantage of machine learning capabilities. It also has the ability to reproduce the user’s handwriting, perform spell checking, and convert written text to handwriting.

The upcoming software update will also include some new iOS 18 features, including new ways to customize the Home screen, as well as a dedicated Control Center. It also adds a customizable “floating” tab that makes it easier to switch between different apps.

These developments come a month after Apple renewed the iPad series, with several new proposals, including the iPad Pro with an M4 processor and the iPad Air with an M2 processor. For the first time, the top Pro models feature OLED displays, while the iPad Air comes in two sizes, 11-inch and 13-inch.