Skip to main content

Apple uncorks better iPad app performance with one tiny tweak

The iPad is currently more powerful and work-friendly than many of us could have imagined 11 years ago when the first model was launched. Today, people who own the latest iPad Pro can take advantage of high-powered hardware that’s as fast as the MacBook Pro. But one area where Apple’s tablet still lags behind MacOS is pro-level software. That may start changing with a new behind-the-scenes tweak that Apple will begin offering some apps.

In a developer document spotted by MacRumors that wasreleased alongside the latest iOS and iPadOS beta software, Apple says app makers can now request more memory (RAM) for their apps. More available app memory means better performance and fewer constraints. So an app like Photoshop could potentially support more image layers. Or, iPad video-editing software like LumaFusion could remember more of a video project’s timeline without pausing to catch up.

Woman using an Apple Pencil with Apple iPad Pro with M1 chip.

Previously, Apple had limited applications to a maximum of 5GB of memory, whcht limited individual apps to less than one-third of the ultrapowerful M1 iPad Pro’s potential.

Apple didn’t specify how much extra RAM apps can use under the new rule. And app developers don’t get the additional memory by default. Instead, they’ll need to submit a request to the iPhone maker.

The extra available memory won’t be available on all Apple devices, either. It will likely be limited to high-end devices like the M1 iPad Pro and perhaps future smartphones like an iPhone 13 Pro. Approved developers will also still need to make sure their apps run smoothly on iOS and iPadOS devices that can’t take advantage of the new limit.

Apple has taken a slow and steady course in transforming its tablet into a workhorse that can, for some people, replace a Mac or Windows PC. While many of the company’s customers were hoping for more significant changes in the upcoming iPadOS 15, this new rule could prove to be another incremental step forward in the iPad’s ability to rival a powerful laptop or desktop PC.

Editors' Recommendations

Will Shanklin
Senior Writer, Mobile Tech
Will Shanklin began writing for online-tech publications more than a decade ago. During that time, he has worked for media…
The Pixel Tablet could be the iPad killer I’ve waited years for
A render of the front of the Google Pixel Tablet.

You can build all the great hardware your heart desires, but if the software isn’t optimized for the hardware, the product will fail. This has been the story of almost every Android tablet since the inception of the segment. Samsung has built its DeX mode to make its Galaxy Tab tablets more productive, and it works to some extent, but it’s not available across the lineup.

OnePlus Pad is the latest entrant in the Android tablet space, and the launch yet again emphasized the glaring issues of app optimization problems for big Android screens. This is why Google’s upcoming Pixel Tablet could be the make-or-break point for the Android tablet category. And that makes me more excited about the Pixel Tablet launch at Google I/O 2023 than anything else.
The Pixel Tablet is my last hope for Android tablets

Read more
I wish I never bought my iPhone 14 Pro
The iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The original iPhone came out in 2007, but I received mine in 2008 as a birthday gift. Not only was it my first iPhone, but it was also my very first Apple product. But my clumsy little self had a case of the butterfingers one day, and I ended up dropping it on concrete — resulting in a shattered screen. This was just a few weeks before the iPhone 3G was coming out, so instead of just getting the screen replaced, I decided I would upgrade my phone instead.

Thus began a new tradition I set for myself — upgrading my iPhone every year. I’ve had at least one iPhone from every generation that has come out so far, with my latest being the iPhone 14 Pro.

Read more
My dad loves his 13-year-old iPad, and for a very specific reason
A person holding an original iPad, showing the back.

Buying the latest generation of your favorite piece of tech is fun, exciting, and something many of us do each year. But just how necessary is it, and how long can an “old” piece of tech remain at least somewhat useable?

Well, my Dad still uses a 32GB first-generation iPad, not just occasionally, but every day. And it’s not only functional, but it’s also still perfectly capable despite being 13 years old. In fact, the only thing holding it back is the software, which is firmly stuck in the past. However, things are about to change, and a new iPad is on its way. But the situation is probably not going to play out how you may think it will.
What it's like using a 13-year-old iPad

Read more