If you’re a content creator or podcaster, you probably perked up during the latter part of the WWDC25 keynote when Apple revealed the inclusion of local audio and video capture during calls for iPadOS 26.
Having attempted (and failed) to integrate the iPad into my podcasting routine, I anticipated that Jason Snell would be one of the first to test this new feature. He certainly did.
At present, on iOS and iPadOS, once you’re on a call, it’s impossible to run another app in the background for capturing local audio. This limitation effectively eliminates iPhones and iPads as viable options for remote podcasting.
This is because, apart from engaging in a regular call, each participant records their own side of the conversation locally, ensuring that all tracks maintain full quality for editing. Consequently, on iPhones and iPads, you could either record your own voice or conduct a conference call. However, with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, you will have the option to do both—well, somewhat. More details on that later.
It just works
Knowing Jason Snell, who has famously edited podcasts using Ferrite on his iPad (which he has thoroughly detailed in the podcasting section on Six Colors), I was sure it wouldn’t take long before he would test out the much-anticipated local media capture feature on the iPad.
And indeed, he did.
He recorded an entire episode of the Six Colors Podcast with Dan Moren (who participated remotely) using only iPads running the initial developer beta of iPadOS 26, and it performed seamlessly.
If you’re curious about the results, Snell made this specific members-only episode publicly accessible on his post. You would have no idea it was recorded entirely on the iPad, which is exactly the point.
System-level capture, but with guardrails
As I’ve mentioned, Apple will allow you to “sort of” do both: record your own voice and join a conference call. What this means is that instead of providing complete access to multiple apps for simultaneous mic usage (as it is on Mac), Apple is opting for a more cautious, privacy-focused method to prevent potential misuse.
Here’s what Snell said:
Apple has integrated a system feature, available in Control Center, that captures local audio and video while you’re on a call. It won’t function if another app isn’t actively using the microphone and camera, preventing covert recordings, and a recording symbol will appear at the top of the screen while it’s active.
Early verdict: surprisingly polished (with room for tweaks)
For a feature being introduced in the first developer beta, its implementation is impressively stable.
Snell points out a few missing features (such as real-time audio level monitoring and gain adjustment options for various microphones), but these are aspects Apple could still refine before the public release.
Be sure to check out Snell’s comprehensive write-up at Six Colors for all the technical specifics and initial impressions. If Apple continues to improve this feature, I might finally be able to travel with only my iPad, giving my weary MacBook Pro-carrying shoulders a long-overdue rest.
