iPadOS 16 was expected to bring new productivity and multitasking features to take advantage of the iPad’s increased performance capabilities, but an unexpected announcement was Freeform — a digital whiteboard application that maximizes the Apple Pencil’s functionality and fosters collaboration between multiple users. The software upgrade is slated for release in the fall, after a preview at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June highlighted the latest features coming to the iPad. Every feature addition was overshadowed by Stage Manager, the flagship multitasking and productivity feature that will be added to iPadOS 16. Stage Manager makes using the iPad more like a traditional computer, but Freeform will do the opposite. With an open-canvas style and Apple Pencil support, Freeform will likely be an application suited just for the iPad.
Little is known about Freeform, including the release date. The application won’t be included in the first official release of iPadOS 16, and that release might not even be on schedule. Though iOS and iPadOS upgrades are usually released at the same time, recent reports have indicated that might not be the case this year. Due to ambitious feature changes like Stage Manger, development is lagging behind Apple’s traditional release schedule. For that reason, iPadOS 16 might be delayed to October, which will better line up with the release of new iPads. Based on Apple’s announcement at WWDC 2022, Freeform would likely be released in the weeks after an initial iPadOS 16 rollout.
Freeform appears to be different from a lot of productivity applications currently available, especially those that prioritize collaboration. It’s not making text documents, creating spreadsheets, or designing presentations — there are already applications that serve that purpose. From Apple, there’s the iWork suite of productivity apps that include Pages, Numbers, and Keynote. Other services also provide more popular options in the workplace, like Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. Apple’s Freeform isn’t like any of these platforms, and it isn’t trying to be. Freeform is a unique productivity environment tailored to the iPad’s touch-first interface complimented by the Apple Pencil.
Freeform Is An Infinite, Collaborative Whiteboard & Notepad
The idea behind Freeform can be viewed through the iPadOS 16 preview, though the details won’t become completely clear until the feature is released later this year. Freeform is an abundantly flexible way to collaborate with others, which has pros and cons. The flexibility is great for free-flowing thoughts and ideas, as there are limited software restrictions to what can be created using the application. However, the lack of structure can be inhibitive to planning and productivity, depending on how people work best. Essentially, it’s a more powerful version of the iPad’s Notes app that is designed for collaboration between multiple iPad users.
Freeform uses the infinite-canvas style, which is characterized by a workspace not sectioned off into pages or documents. Instead, each project can be expanded upon by moving around the workspace, revealing more open space for creation. Multiple users can make edits to a project at the same time, and these changes can be viewed in real time by other participants. Aside from hand-drawn additions to the project, external content can also be inserted, like images, links, and videos. Freeform will come to iPadOS 16 users later this year, and offers a collaborative, whiteboard-style application best suited for the iPad.
Source: Apple
