We have recently shared some great concepts that show how the next version of iOS might look — with some of them based on leaked details from the iOS 14 code. Now, designer Alexander Kaessner has created a concept that imagines a new “Main Menu” that could be used by all apps on iPadOS to offer similar options to what already exists on macOS.
Apple continues to improve iPadOS so it can make the iPad a true computer replacement, as the latest update brought full support for mouse and trackpad. Even so, there are still some important features that iPad lacks when it comes to offering desktop-level apps, and of them is the classic menu bar.
The menu bar offers several app controls, such as quick access to preferences, saving options, text editing, and more. Even if you’re used to keyboard shortcuts, the menu bar is a great place to discover hidden features of an app.
Since the iPad has smaller screens and it focuses on the content of each app, a fixed menu bar at the top of the screen may not be the best option, and this concept shows how Apple could create something completely different on iPadOS.
Instead of a menu bar, the concept shows a new menu accessible through a Dock icon. An official API would allow apps to offer a consistent experience in accessing these options, as now each developer has to create their own menu solution.
This concept brings the main menu we know and love from Mac to iPad. It keeps the numerous advantages of a written menu, redesigned with touch devices in mind. iPad Main Menu helps bring a vast amount of features to iPadOS for people who seek out this power, while keeping the OS accessible for users who prefer a simpler experience.
The concept also demonstrates how Apple could implement the “Main Menu” with support for Split View mode, as it shows the menu based on the last interaction of an app. A three-finger tap on the screen would also bring up the menu. Alexander says that the menu should work perfectly with the arrows of the keyboard, if implemented by Apple, just like on macOS.
You can check out the full concept on Alexander’s website with a demonstration video.
Personally, I’d really like to see a feature like this on the iPad. The menu bar can be really useful sometimes, and it’s not good for the user to have a different menu experience for each application. Sadly, there’s nothing that indicates Apple is working on a “Main Menu” for iPadOS 14.
What do you think of the concept? Would you like to see a new universal menu on iPad? Let us know in the comments section below.
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