Rumors counsel that Apple is engaged on methods to make the iPad extra like a Mac with iPadOS 19. Whereas the corporate will not be bringing macOS to the iPad (as a lot as I might love that to be the case) there could possibly be upgrades that remodel the pill expertise extra right into a desktop computing expertise. The factor is, it is not simply the iPad that seems to be getting desktop options—the iPhone may be getting in on the enjoyable, too.
In a submit protecting the iPadOS 19 rumors, leaker Majin Bu had this to say concerning the iPhone: “iOS 19 isn’t being left behind. Supply say that iPhones with USB-C will assist exterior shows, providing a [Stage Manager-like] interface. Whereas not a full desktop mode, it would permit customers to increase their display area, nice for shows, enhancing, or enhanced viewing.”
If true, this may be an enormous change for the iPhone. Whereas Apple enables you to mirror your iPhone’s display to exterior shows, it has by no means provided an prolonged show choice. With prolonged shows, you’ll be able to have totally different home windows open on totally different units: You possibly can use your cellphone to current a slideshow on a monitor or projector, whereas nonetheless utilizing your cellphone to reference speaker notes, for instance.
A mirrored show, alternatively, is far more restricted, as you are solely displaying what’s in your iPhone’s display on the bigger show. It may be useful, but in addition troublesome, as all the things in your iPhone’s show is mirrored. Getting to maintain your iPhone’s show personal whereas controlling what will get displayed on the exterior display can be a sport changer.
Prolonged shows additionally respect the scale of the display you are linked. While you mirror your iPhone to a TV, for instance, it will present up vertically. If you happen to’re in an app that helps panorama mode, you possibly can flip your iPhone to refill extra of the show, however it nonetheless will not match the scale of most TVs and displays (except you are utilizing a Dwelling button-era iPhone with a 16:9 show). The opposite exception is media playback, which is able to render within the unique photograph or video’s dimensions, however your complete setup is way from perfect.
All that stated, Majin Bu does report that it is potential there can be points with the decision or variety of apps that may be prolonged at any given time. Actually, this rumor is skinny, and does not provide us a number of data to work from at the moment.
The iPhone can be removed from the primary cellular gadget to supply a characteristic like this. Apple’s personal iPads are capable of lengthen to different shows through Stage Supervisor, and plenty of smartphones provide a desktop mode—like Samsung’s DeX.
What do you assume up to now?
May this “desktop” mode be an indication for a future gadget?
9to5Mac appears to assume this rumored characteristic is not a lot about Apple’s imaginative and prescient for the iPhone because it presently exists, however one other gadget fully: the iPhone Fold.
Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone remains to be at the least a yr out if the leaks are to be trusted, however 9to5Mac sees its affect already. The outlet believes the gadget will act like an iPhone when folded and an iPad mini when unfolded, so such a tool would profit from a desktop mode.
I purchase the argument: If a foldable iPhone would profit from a desktop mode—or at the least prolonged show assist—why not beta take a look at that characteristic on present iPhones whilst you proceed to work on the foldable? In fact, it is all hypothesis, and Apple will nearly definitely not reveal a foldable cellphone at WWDC 2025. But when the corporate does announce an prolonged show mode as a part of iOS 19, it might provide a clue to the corporate’s future plans for the iPhone.
