Apple announced the new iPad Pro with its A10X processor, but the company seems to have forgotten to announce something else: stage managers can now use their iPad on the set of a play or musical with the Stage Manager app (available in the App Store). But why is this limited to M1-powered iPads? Because only these iPads have enough RAM and processing power to run Stage Manager and all its features simultaneously. To see whether your iPad supports Stage Manager, see here. Apple M1 iPad: Why Stage Manager is Limited
What stage manager is
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Apple’s new stage manager app, released earlier today, will only work on their newer iPads with a new power-management architecture known as M1. The M stands for managed and refers to a technology designed to provide additional power controls and usage management not available on older iPads. This means that all of your old iDevices can continue using normal apps, but stage manager has some additional requirements that need to be met before it will run properly. If you are unsure if your device meets these standards, you can use our feature comparison tool to check it out! Let’s take a look at what you get from Apple when running their newest software on top of their latest processors…
What stage manager isn’t
First and foremost, stage manager isn’t a training wheels version of iOS. The core UI still works as it does on all other iDevices, but all hardware that needs to be controlled by stage manager must be connected via lightning port.
Apple notes that any accessory without a lightning port will not work with stage manager – meaning you’ll need to buy new accessories (or wait for third-party manufacturers). Additionally, third-party apps won’t run when under Stage Manager’s control.
Get excited about stage manager but also know its limitations.
Without opening the full app store, your initial excitement about stage manager may be dampened a bit when you learn that it’s limited to those who own one of Apple’s more recent iPads. The number one request from many users has been for support for older devices but so far there’s no news on that front. That being said, if you do have an M1-powered iPad, you can check out stage manager today. There’s no need to wait or complain—there are other apps out there (of course!). But don’t be too upset because it’s possible that someday stage manager could support older devices and open up to those who are currently unable to use it!… But until then we will all just have to wait patiently.
The question everybody wants answered
Why isn’t Apple enabling all iPads running iOS 12 to use its new Stage Manager app? The simple answer is that an entire ecosystem of accessories relies on Apple’s M1 chip. If any other tablet were able to communicate with a smart keyboard or pen, things would go sideways fast. This also goes for display adapters and other specialized peripherals; no one wants some random tablet taking over their iMac’s display! So, it’s clear why only M1-powered iPads can take advantage of Stage Manager. Even if everything worked perfectly with every accessory, there are other reasons Apple may not want users adding any third-party input devices via a USB hub.
How I feel about stage manager (I don’t use it)
I’m not an actor, but I am a member of my local community theater. As such, I’ve been around long enough to witness some major performances. And in recent years, I’ve also had the chance to see a few actors take on different roles throughout their careers. One of those situations came about during a production of Victor/Victoria, where one performer played multiple roles in one show. The result was still very enjoyable and professional—and it showed me how stage manager software can be extremely useful for even seasoned professionals.
Will M1 come to iPad?
At WWDC 2018, Apple introduced a new protocol for ARM-based Mac apps called Stage Manager. This protocol allows low-level access to parts of iOS such as Bluetooth and Location Services. While many have speculated that Stage Manager will be coming to future iPads and MacBooks running on an ARM CPU, those rumors have not been confirmed. However, it’s clear why Apple would want to add Stage Manager support on devices like future MacBooks: By allowing native Mac apps to run on iOS through virtualization (similarly to how Valve brought SteamVR to iOS), developers could take advantage of more powerful hardware that would require either emulation or Apple A13 chipsets.
How much does the M1 iPad COST?
The Apple Pencil, on its own, costs $100. If you want to use that Pencil with a cheaper iPad model, you’ll need an adapter like Apple’s $35 9.7-inch Smart Connector adapter ( ). But even at $135 for that setup and a Smart Keyboard ($159) , it would only cost about half as much as an entry-level MacBook Pro ($1,499). Factor in things like battery life and storage space and, believe it or not, spending $600 on a new tablet may actually be worth considering when you’re on a budget.