Features that should be in Apple’s upcoming OS releases but aren’t

As we get further away from this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, the reality of Apple’s latest OS upgrades are beginning to sink in. That’s even more the case this week, as the release of Apple’s public betas for iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and macOS arrived slightly earlier than expected.

Of course, betas, like the future, are always in motion, and there’s no guarantee that what we see now is what will end up shipping in the fall—but usually the tweaks between then and now are on the minor side, more about stability and usability than big foundational changes.

And so, with the public betas in hand, it’s becoming clear which of our much-hoped-for improvements we won’t be getting this fall. Like many, I have my own personal list of features that I’d hoped to see Apple implement, but am now coming to terms with the fact that I may have to wait for iOS 14.

Audio ins and outs

The iPad has become an ever more capable device, and when iPadOS arrives this fall with enhancements to the Files app and improved multitasking, it’ll be even closer to being able to truly do all the things I need to do for work.

IDG

Except for one big exception: recording podcasts. The most significant limitation right now is the rudimentary way that iOS/iPadOS devices handle audio: though it’s possible to attach an external microphone and have it work, only a single app can access the microphone at once. That means that you can’t use the mic in an application like Skype and record in a separate application at the same time.

The audio architecture for Apple’s mobile devices is in need of some revamping, certainly, but what would be even better is if Apple were to design a system that would allow third-party developers deeper access to audio. On the Mac, apps such as Rogue Amoeba’s Audio Hijack allow you to easily route audio through complex workflows, mixing them…