Have you ever noticed that your iPad is lacking one particular app that is present in basically every other piece of hardware or software you own? It's present on the iPhone, as well as on Mac computers, but somehow, it has been missing from iPads for years. Now, Apple is finally righting this historic wrong, as iPadOS 18 is adding a calculator app (and other features).

Apple's upcoming iPadOS 18 update has a lot of improvements, but perhaps none of them are as exciting as the Calculator app, a first for the iPad. No one knows why we've gone this long having to install third-party calculator apps, but we finally have one. As a matter of fact, this isn't just any calculator; it features a unique Math Notes feature that's actually pretty cool.

With Math Notes, you can input expressions in written or typed form and witness real-time solutions in their own handwriting. This dynamic tool allows for variable assignment, proving invaluable for students grasping new concepts, budget planners, and more. It even has a graphing function, enabling the visualization of equations with a single tap, even allowing multiple equations to be displayed simultaneously for comparison. Aside from Math Notes, the Calculator app offers basic and scientific functionalities, as we've come to expect from the Calculator app on the iPhone, complete with a history log and unit conversions for diverse calculations.

iPadOS 18 also brings Smart Script, a feature that refines handwritten notes into legible text while retaining the user's unique handwriting style. This technology streamlines editing and enhances overall organization within the Notes app.

Aside from these, you also get all of the improvements Apple unveiled as part of iOS 18. The Photos app gets a significant redesign, Messages introduces scheduling and animated text effects, Safari offers an improved Reader mode and Highlights for quicker information discovery, and all that good stuff. Of course, we also have Apple Intelligence features integrated into iPadOS 18, such as systemwide Writing Tools for enhanced writing and communication and Image Playground for image creation.

The operating system is now available as a preview, while the full stable version should roll around later this year.