In a long overdue move, Apple will reportedly integrate a Calculator application into the iPad operating system. The change — which is somehow both minor and monumental — will supposedly come when iPadOS 18 launched this autumn.
In the mean time, there are already several calculators hidden in the iPad.
iPad calculator app at long last
Steve Jobs nixed the calculator from Apple’s original tablet because it was lame — nothing more than the iPhone app awkwardly blown up to iPad size.
But that was more than a decade ago, and tablet users have asked for a Calculator app year after year and always been disappointed. What’s stopped Cupertino from adding one before now? According to Apple software chief Craig Federighi, the company just hasn’t been inspired to make a great one. But apparently something has changed.
“iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update,” reports MacRumors on Tuesday, citing only “a source familiar with the matter.”
No additional details on the software are available a this time. But it could be a simple port of the iPhone version, or Apple could create something more elaborate with AI capabilities.
In other news, Satan announced plans to become a ski instructor on the snowy slopes of Hell. Also, pilots are reporting sightings of high-altitude pigs across the U.S.
There are alternatives already
There are, of course, calculator applications designed for iPad in the App Store. But none are really necessary as there is a full-featured calculator hidden in the tablet.
It’s in Spotlight. That’s the search engine for the computer, but it can also take on any math problem the iPhone’s calculator app can handle. Simply type in the equation.
Alternatively, use Siri as a simple iPad calculator. Tell it the numbers you want added, subtracted, etc. and it’ll give you the answer.
For more details, read the Cult of Mac guide on how to use the calculator hidden in your iPad.
