Apple explains why Stage Manager is only available on M1 iPads

We finally know why Stage Manager is only available for iPads with the M1 processor.

At WWDC 2022, Apple revealed a new feature for iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura called Stage Manager. The new feature automatically organizes apps and windows, allowing you to multitask but have Apple handle your usually cluttered desktop.

Stage Manager is an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organizes apps and windows, making it quick and easy to switch between tasks. For the first time on iPad, users can create overlapping windows of different sizes in a single view, drag and drop windows from the side, or open apps from the Dock to create groups of apps for faster, more flexible multitasking. The window of the app users are working on is displayed prominently in the center, and other open apps and windows are arranged on the left-hand side in order of recency.

Unfortunately, Stage Manager is only available to iPads with the M1 processor. In a new report from Digital Trends, Apple has given an explaination as to why. According to the company, the feature is reserved to M1 iPads due to it being needed to handle iPadOS 16’s memory swap feature.

According to Apple, Stage Manager is exclusive to M1 chips because of iPadOS 16’s fast memory swap feature — something Stage Manager relies on quite heavily. Similar to what we’ve seen on Android devices, this process allows apps to convert storage into RAM for more horsepower. Stage Manager allows users to run up to eight apps going at once, some of which can ask for up to 16GB of RAM. In other words, it demands a lot of resources. As such, the new window management feature needs M1 for smooth performance.

So, if you’re looking to enjoy Stage Manager with iPadOS 16, you’re going to need either the 5th generation iPad Air, 3rd generation 11-inch iPad Pro, or 5th generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.