MacRumors published a story that Apple has released iPadOS 16.
Apple Releases iPadOS 16 With Stage Manager, Weather App, Desktop Class Apps and iOS 16 Features
Alongside iOS 16.1, Apple today released iPadOS 16.1, with the update coming after several months of beta testing. This is the first version of iPadOS 16 that has been available for Apple's tablets, as iOS 16 was released on its own back in September. iPadOS 16 was delayed in order for improvements to be added to the Stage Manager feature.
Apple Releases iPadOS 16 With Stage Manager, Weather App, Desktop Class Apps and iOS 16 Features