iPad Pro at 10: iPadOS 26 + M5 mark its biggest shift yet

After a decade of pushing premium tablet hardware, Apple’s iPad Pro finally gets a software leap to match. With iPadOS 26 and the M5 chip, the Pro inches closer to a true laptop alternative: a revamped windowing and multitasking model, a new background tasks API for heavy workloads, improved audio input handling and a better Files app. Meanwhile, the M5’s redesigned GPU adds neural accelerators that dramatically speed up on‑device AI.

What’s new in iPadOS 26

• Real windowing + Exposé-like view: Swipe up and hold to see all open windows (also via trackpad gestures), designed to feel native across touch, keyboard and trackpad.
• Background tasks API: Kick off heavy jobs (e.g., video rendering) and keep working in other apps.
• Better Files + audio I/O: A more capable Files app and more robust audio input support for creators and streamers.
• Cross‑input design: Apple reworked iPadOS architecture so multitasking feels immediate with touch yet flexible with keyboard/trackpad.

M5: GPU neural accelerators supercharge on‑device AI

• Neural Engine + CPU accelerators: Faster on‑device AI for features like Live Text and speech tasks.
• New GPU neural accelerators: Major gains for GPU‑based AI workloads (segmentation, image generation). In testing shared with press, image generation in the Draw Things app ran ~2x faster vs. M4 and ~4x vs. M1; some LLM token generation tasks were ~6x faster vs. M1.

Portability vs. battery: the enduring trade‑off

• Thinner and lighter than prior Pros (and even the iPad Air, humorously), continuing the focus on portability.
• Battery life: Apple still targets around 10 hours for basic tasks; heavy creative or AI workloads will drain faster.

Why this matters

• Closer to a laptop workflow: Real windowing, background processing and a better Files app make pro‑level multitasking more feasible.
• On‑device AI speed: M5’s GPU accelerators reduce wait times for image/video/ML tasks—useful even offline.
• Creator appeal: Combined with Pencil and external display support, the Pro now better spans couch mode and desk setups.

Context and what’s next

• Comparing to Mac: iPadOS 26 borrows familiar ideas (like Exposé) but adapts them for touch‑first use.
• Rumors: Reports suggest future Macs may add touch screens, blurring lines further—but Apple maintains iPad’s core value is versatility across touch, Pencil, keyboard and trackpad.

References:
Apple: iPad Pro ·
Apple: iPadOS 26 features ·
In‑depth interview and analysis

Discussion: With real windowing and background processing plus big AI speedups on M5, would you use an iPad Pro as your daily laptop—why or why not?