iPad received the Virtual Memory Swap feature with the iPadOS 16 update. The feature also enables the Stage Manager feature to work.
iPads with the iPadOS 16 update are getting a big feature that could change the way you see iPad – Virtual Memory Swap. Haven’t heard of it yet? It is similar to the concept of virtual RAM, a trick that has existed for a long time on Macs and Windows PCs, and is now being implemented on mobile devices. This feature is increasingly popular on Android devices as a way to enhance multitasking by adding more virtual RAM to existing RAM. Now the iPad will do the same.
The way this technology works is very simple. For heavy multitasking, the computer needs more RAM to accommodate applications or processes. Under extreme load conditions, your computer may run out of RAM to store these applications. This process can be minimized by allocating virtual memory space from main memory. Therefore, adding a few GB of storage space for the RAM function will make multitasking better.
ALSO READ: Apple WWDC 2022: iPadOS 16 Released! Know what’s new in the update
iPad has virtual RAM feature
On the iPad, users can often need more RAM space to store multiple apps at once. And now, with the Stage Manager feature on iPadOS 16, there will be more RAM requirements when users put their iPad on demanding tasks. In this case, iPadOS 16 will allocate up to 16GB of space from storage to RAM, thereby enhancing multitasking capabilities. This feature will automatically work in the background and most users may not even notice it. However, there is a caveat to this feature.
Limited virtual memory swap
Sadly, the iPad’s enhanced multitasking feature isn’t reaching all iPads eligible for the iPadOS 16 update. Apple clarified that the Virtual Memory Swap feature is required for the Phase Manager feature to work. And due to technical limitations, both of these are limited to iPad models that support M1.
That means Stage Manager and Virtual Memory Swap are only available on the 2021 iPad Pro and iPad Air 5th Gen models. The 2022 M1s all have 8GB of RAM. However, there is another claim here that excludes the base iPad Air 5th Gen from receiving the feature.
Apple says Virtual Memory Swap requires at least 128GB of storage. Therefore, the basic iPad Air 5th Gen 64GB is exempt from this feature; 256GB models get it.
