Learn why the Stage Manager multitasking feature is only present on iPads with Apple silicon chips (M1, M2, M4) and no other models.
Stage Manager is one of the significant elements that can help boost productivity on an iPad. It’s a multitasking software tool that helps tablet users get more done. At least, that’s the idea. However, it’s only available on iPad models equipped with Apple’s M-series processors like the M1, M2, M4, and so on.
This means, as of now, the following iPad models have Stage Manager:
- iPad Pro (M4), both 11 and 13-inches
- iPad Air (M2), both 11 and 13-inches
- iPad Pro, 12.9-inch, 6th generation with M2 chip
- iPad Pro, 11-inch, 4th generation with M2 chip
- iPad Pro, 12.9-inch, 5th generation with M1 chip
- iPad Pro, 11-inch, 3rd generation with M1 chip
- iPad Air (fifth generation) with M1 chip
All other iPad models, including the newest iPad mini, don’t have the Stage Manager feature, nor can they get it via software update. So, folks who want to use this feature will need to buy a new or second-hand iPad with Apple silicon.
Leaving all other iPads without Stage Manager is not ideal, but apparently, there’s a legitimate reason as to why it’s happening. At least, that’s what Apple believes. Here’s what Apple had to say on the matter, as reported by Digital Trends. We’ve edited their words slightly.
We reached out to Apple to ask why Stage Manager is limited to the Apple silicon iPads, and we got a reasonable answer. According to the company, Stage Manager is limited to M series chips mainly due to iPadOS’s fast memory swap feature, which Stage Manager uses extensively. This lets apps convert storage into RAM (effectively), and each app can ask for up to 16 GB of memory. Since Stage Manager enables you to have up to eight apps going at once – and because each app could ask for 16 GB of memory – it demands a lot of resources. As such, the new window management feature needs Apple silicon for smooth performance.
Basically, the feature is resource intensive, and, as a result, the older A-series processors — as capable as they are in their own right — just aren’t what will get the job done to Apple’s standards.
Have you tried out the Stage Manager feature? What are your thoughts on this?
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