Stage Manager will be available on older iPad Pros (but not with an external display)

The new developer beta of iOS 16.1 expands the Stage Manager feature to older (that is, non-M1) iPads — at least those with an A12X or A12Z processor, according to Engadget.

This models include the 11-inch iPad Pro (first generation and later) and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (third generation and later). Previously, Apple said the feature would only work with M1 iPad Pros. However, outside of such iPads, Stage Manager won’t work in full screen mode.

Stage Manager is an entirely new multitasking experience that automatically organizes apps and windows. For the first time on an iPad, users can create overlapping windows of different sizes in a single view, drag and drop windows from the side, or open apps from the Dock to create groups of apps.

The window of the app users are working on is displayed prominently in the center, and other open apps and windows are arranged on the left-hand side in order of recency. On M1 iPad Pros, Stage Manager also unlocks full external display support with resolutions of up to 6K, so you can work with up to four apps on iPad and four apps on the external display.