No, iPadOS 26 isn't a laptop killer, but these 4 things make it a huge leap forward

• In iPadOS 26, the addition of a Mac-like windowing system, a menu bar, a real cursor, and a much-improved Files app makes the iPad a lot better for getting work done.
• There are still a couple missing features that would make a big difference in iPadOS 26.
• While iPadOS 26 makes the iPad a much more complete device, power users shouldn't expect to get productivity benefits versus using a Mac. 

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The iPad and the Mac have always been complimentary devices with a few overlapping functions -- until iPadOS 26, which brings them a lot closer together. The big question since Apple announced iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025 in June has been, "Does this mean I can finally use my iPad to replace my laptop?" 

The answer for me is, "No." But that doesn't mean that iPadOS ...