iPadOS 27 arrives as the most Mac-like iPad software Apple has shipped, with a redesigned Safari, new AI shortcut integrations via Apple Intelligence, and multitasking changes that directly target the laptop-replacement argument. This is a first-beta hands-on from 9to5Mac's Fernando, meaning rough edges exist, but the core feature set is already visible and testable.
The video is worth reading in full not for the conclusion but for the granular UI walkthroughs: what the new multitasking flows actually look like in practice, where Apple Intelligence hooks into daily shortcuts, and which features still need polish before the public release. Fernando flags what works now versus what is clearly unfinished, which saves you from installing a beta blind.
The central question the video keeps returning to is whether iPadOS 27 finally closes the gap with macOS in meaningful, workflow-level ways. The answer is not a simple yes or no, and the specific feature breakdowns are where the real judgment lives.
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