iPadOS 26 Apps: What's New on Your iPad and Why It Matters
Apple is making your iPad more powerful and versatile with the arrival of four new pre-installed apps in iPadOS 26: Phone, Preview, Journal, and Games. These additions are designed to bring features from the iPhone and Mac straight to your iPad, transforming it into an even more complete productivity and entertainment device. Whether you're testing the developer beta or waiting for the public release this September, you'll want to know exactly what these apps do and how they elevate the iPad experience. From making real phone calls to advanced PDF editing and journaling with AI support, the new iPadOS 26 apps reflect Apple's vision for a more unified and seamless ecosystem.
Phone App Comes to iPad with iPadOS 26
For the first time, iPad users can take advantage of a full-fledged Phone app. With iPadOS 26, Apple brings core calling features to the iPad, allowing you to make and receive phone calls over Wi-Fi through seamless iPhone integration. Even better, the app includes major new capabilities introduced in iOS 26—like Hold Assist, which handles frustrating hold times for you; Call Screening, which filters spam and lets you hear who’s calling; and Live Translation for real-time multilingual communication.
By syncing with your iPhone, the Phone app on iPad mirrors your recent calls, contacts, voicemails, and caller ID. You can use your iPad like a speakerphone, a virtual receptionist, or a communication hub—making it especially valuable for multitaskers, business users, and anyone who spends long hours with their iPad on a stand or keyboard. The arrival of the Phone app on iPad has long been requested by users, and its inclusion in iPadOS 26 finally turns the iPad into a true hybrid between a tablet and a communication device.
Preview App Brings Pro-Level PDF Editing to iPad
Another standout among the new iPadOS 26 apps is Preview, a longtime favorite on macOS. This tool gives iPad users the ability to view, annotate, and edit PDF documents and images—without needing third-party apps. You can highlight text, insert shapes, sign documents, and add comments with the Apple Pencil or your finger. For students, professionals, and designers, this is a game-changer that elevates the iPad’s utility for document management and creative tasks.
Preview on iPad also includes the ability to start from a blank page, making it a great tool for sketching, brainstorming, or taking handwritten notes. The app is optimized for touch and stylus input, and integrates well with Files, Notes, and third-party cloud storage solutions. With this addition, Apple closes one of the biggest feature gaps between iPad and Mac, giving users a reason to use their tablet for more serious, desktop-like work.
Journal and Games: Creativity and Entertainment in iPadOS 26
Alongside the Phone and Preview apps, iPadOS 26 introduces Journal and Games—two apps designed to inspire personal growth and provide effortless fun. The Journal app, introduced on iPhone with iOS 17, is now coming to iPad with a redesigned interface that takes advantage of the larger screen. It uses on-device machine learning to suggest writing prompts based on your recent activities, photos, and locations. Whether you use it for gratitude journaling, tracking goals, or simple daily reflections, Journal helps cultivate mindfulness while respecting your privacy.
Meanwhile, the new Games app brings together all of your Game Center activity in one place. You can view achievements, track high scores, launch multiplayer sessions, and stay connected with friends who game on other Apple devices. It turns the iPad into more of a social and competitive gaming platform—something Apple has gradually been investing in with Apple Arcade and high-performance M-series chips in newer models.
These two apps reflect Apple's growing emphasis on wellbeing and entertainment, positioning the iPad as not just a workhorse but also a lifestyle companion. With iPadOS 26 apps like Journal and Games, your tablet becomes more expressive, interactive, and personal than ever before.
Why These iPadOS 26 Apps Matter More Than You Think
The addition of Phone, Preview, Journal, and Games might sound incremental at first, but they mark a major shift in how Apple envisions the role of the iPad. Rather than being a secondary device or content consumption tool, the iPad is now evolving into a more self-sufficient, full-featured computer alternative. With iPadOS 26 apps, users gain new tools for communication, productivity, creativity, and leisure—without needing to download third-party apps or switch devices.
This aligns perfectly with Apple’s ongoing goal of device convergence, where your iPad, iPhone, and Mac can all handle overlapping tasks but still offer unique advantages. The ability to answer a call on your iPad, sign a PDF using Preview, reflect in the Journal app, or check your gaming stats all from a single device adds enormous value. Especially for students, remote workers, creatives, and gamers, these built-in apps remove friction and unlock new ways to engage with your digital world.
If you haven’t yet updated to the iPadOS 26 developer beta, you might want to keep an eye out for the public release in September. These apps will be available out-of-the-box, and Apple’s continued investment in the iPad platform suggests even more exciting changes could be on the way in future updates.
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