The native “Calculator” app finally appears on iPad after 14 years.

iPad Introduces Native Calculator After 14 Years

Fourteen years after the first model was introduced, the iPad has finally gotten its own native “Calculator” application. This application has been incorporated into iPad’s new operating system, iPadOS 18, and boasts greater functionality than its iPhone counterpart.

The new app takes user interaction to a different level. It bears close resemblance to the iOS calculator but additionally supports Apple Pencil and handwritten inputs. This enables users to write mathematical equations and examples directly on the screen with the solutions provided by a feature called “Math Notes”. This feature can help in solving problems and is flexible enough to accommodate not just conditions and formulas but also diagrams.

Rumors about the arrival of a native iPad “Calculator” started this year, 14 years after the initial iPad release. Apple has evidently been slow in introducing exceedingly useful features to its tablets. For instance, the “Weather” app, another native application, was added to iPads only two years ago with the iPadOS 16.

In addition to the Calculator app, iPadOS 18 has also introduced the Smart Script feature. This functionality simplifies the reading of handwritten notes by making the writing more legible without losing its handwritten appearance. There are also a few settings for further personalization.