iPad Pro After releasing the new M1 iPads and WWDC Apple is a spineless and gutless company who can take us for a ride whenever they want.

[Etienooo]

I think that the new multitasking features are mostly there to improve the keyboardless experience.

Multitasking was not an issue with a keyboard thanks to spotlight to search and grab apps. Without a keyboard it was a different story (you had to keep everything in the dock) and iPadOS25 fixed it. The new keyboard shortcuts might also make it easier with the keyboard.

I feel like this year Apple really focused on making the experience as consistent as possible between its devices. Specifically to the iPad it means that keyboardless iPads now really has access to the same multitasking features as keyboard iPads.

For iOS & iPadOS, it’s the tone of small features which were previously exclusives to MacOS and help to reach feature parity, like Safari extensions, editing photos macrodata, new airprint options, and some more we will probably learn about later. So IMO that’s really heading in the right direction.

We can also think about low power mode on iPad & Mac and focus mode instantly rolling out on all devices.

All of these points to say that Apple is now focusing on consistency between its devices more than anything else. Universal Control is the perfect illustration of that. They want an iPhone owner going on a Mac or an iPad for the 1st time to find the exact same features he had on his iPhone and know how to use the device right away. I think that was one of the biggest selling point of the iPad for non-techy people, the lack of learning curve. So now they are bringing that to the Mac too since Big Sur and even more this year.

So we might not have any new big features for iPad this year, which is definitely a disappointment considering we now have hardware parity with some Mac, but Apple just removed a ton of small pain points with these mass of small new features. (AirPrint, safari extension, better files app, some on beta say you can have multiple audio channels, etc) Most of these points were not mentioned during the keynote because:
1. You can’t talk about everything in 2h and you have to keep a consistent narrative
2. It’s above everything a keynote for developers, so Apple talks about features developers can use, not the small adjustments to the user experience
3. It’s the kind of features Apple was probably ashamed they were not there in the first place. So they fix them silently instead of putting the spotlight on basic functions

So we will have to wait and see all the small improvements we get. By the way, I know that you can just destroy my whole argumentations with: Where are the calculator and meteo app then? But only Apple can answer that

And we should not pretend we did not get anything big neither. Swift Playground opens up a whole new usage to the iPad and safari extensions has been asked for for years. We truly have desktop safari now.

Finally, I keep a small hope for a mid cycle major feature or pro apps. Trackpad support was one of the biggest major feature to date and it was released in March. But anyone waiting for better external support or pro apps should remember that Apple really doesn’t want to make exclusive features for the iPads pro. It’s the 5th generation now, I think the message is clear. So we will probably have to wait a couple years for more iPads to have more RAM to get this kind of features. It’s the sad truth about future proofing devices: Apple always give priorities to the features the highest amount of devices possible can take advantage of. Early adopters only help them to prepare the ground, just like the U1 chip was useless for a year.

And we should not pretend we did not get anything big neither. Swift Playground opens up a whole new usage to the iPad and safari extensions has been asked for for years. We truly have desktop safari now.

 

[grmlin]

I just accepted, that we don't get MacOS on iPads nor touchscreens on Macs. They live side by side, Apple wants to sell both, not one device type.

I love my 12.9". It's the best computer I ever owned, and it's not even close. I hope they'll improve iPad OS over the time even more, and with apps like Capture One on the horizon, it will only get easier for many people to get rid of a Mac completely.

 

[jdb8167]

When you think about it, the ONLY things an iPad’s not doing today is virtualization, allowing you to run an app in the background and other such things your average person has zero interest in.

I have a thunderbolt drive that is formatted in HFS+ or exFAT. I want it formatted as APFS. I only have an M1 iPad Pro. How do I do it?

The answer is you can’t. Virtualization is not the only thing missing on an iPad Pro. I can probably come up with another 1/2 dozen without even trying hard.

 

[DMG35]

If that is what you believe then it just goes to show how much of a disgrace Apple is when it comes to improving iOS that they have allowed the hardware to outpace the software. As the sole designer of iOS, it's is Apple's responsibility to make sure that the software they design for the hardware keeps pace.

'hey everyone, here you go, the latest all singing and all dancing M1 ipad, it has all the bells and whistles that you could want in hardware but sorry, the software just does not match up to it, we are too lazy or incompetent to do so'.

There is no other explanation for it but i am sure Apple fans will find an excuse to absolve Apple of any wrong doing.

I'm not sure how its a disgrace when the iPad is not something that Apple forces anyone to buy. They make a fantastic product with a smooth and streamlined OS. Because its not what a small minority of people are asking for is not anyone's problem but those people who buy iPads and then complain that they don't do something that Apple never promised they would do.

 

[MauiPa]

the M1 chip and extra ram was only introduced for easy sales, nothing more, nothing less, stop defending them.

That does not make sense. the M1 is a fantastic upgrade from last years model. Geekbench of 7700ish vs 4600ish. Not to mention the neural engine, better graphics, the super duper display. But I guess, nothing to see here, move along folks

 

[MauiPa]

I admit that I'm a bit flummoxed with no mention of higher power apps for the M1 IPP. I was truly expecting something to be at least mentioned. Having said that, I have at least a couple more weeks before my order ships and I may well decide to cancel it and stick with my 2018 until something more concrete comes along.

A mention is a promise and sets an expectation to be ridiculed by the haters here. I would not be surprised to see things come along that weren't specifically mentioned. Point 1, iPadOS runs on most iPads, not just the M1 iPad pros, so there are base features that apply to all. the M1s have features and capabilities that gown beyond the basics. Will they release specific versions of software? who knows, but it is more likely than not

 

[MauiPa]

I have a thunderbolt drive that is formatted in HFS+ or exFAT. I want it formatted as APFS. I only have an M1 iPad Pro. How do I do it?

The answer is you can’t. Virtualization is not the only thing missing on an iPad Pro. I can probably come up with another 1/2 dozen without even trying hard.

So you bought a tablet, did you think you bought something else? Certainly I agree with you that there are many more things iPadOS should do now that the hardware is there. But still, it is was and appears to be a tablet with nothing promised yet (not mentioned is not ruled out though). Imagine the haters on here if apple announced features for the M1 only ("OMG, they just want to sell hardware" [True, they do make hardware and want to sell it], "My iPad Air 2 should be able to run this" [not true, it is amazing it runs iPadOS, but lacks the speed necessary to run more advanced features])

 

[The Game 161]

That does not make sense. the M1 is a fantastic upgrade from last years model. Geekbench of 7700ish vs 4600ish. Not to mention the neural engine, better graphics, the super duper display. But I guess, nothing to see here, move along folks

But the power isn’t really that important given it doesn’t need it for the tasks it can do

 

[maflynn]

That does not make sense. the M1 is a fantastic upgrade from last years model. Geekbench of 7700ish vs 4600ish. Not to mention the neural engine, better graphics, the super duper display. But I guess, nothing to see here, move along folks

Not for nothing but you're wrong - what apps are there that can take advantage of that power? Does a geekbench score of 7700 help someone with their workflow? Touting high geekbench scores is just for bragging rights, it means nothing, especially if that performance isn't being leverage for actual work

 

[spiderman0616]

Not for nothing but you're wrong - what apps are there that can take advantage of that power? Does a geekbench score of 7700 help someone with their workflow? Touting high geekbench scores is just for bragging rights, it means nothing, especially if that performance isn't being leverage for actual work

Yeah--I mean, at some point whether the device you're using has enough power or not, the tools you're given to plug into that power have to be versatile enough. The iPad Pro was plenty versatile for me for a very long time, but I actually hit a road block when I splurged on the 12.9" 2020 iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard. The jump up in screen size from all other iPads I'd ever owned before was a big step toward that elusive "laptop replacement" goal.

Unfortunately, screen size turned out to be the least of my worries. As I demanded more and more of my iPad due to its larger screen size, I started feeling more and more hampered by the multitasking, screen aspect ratio, and most importantly, the vast majority of my regularly used apps STILL not taking advantage of even the limited multitasking, multiwindowing, and slideover features in iPadOS, some of which were introduced YEARS ago.

So for the second time in my life, I had to give up on iPad Pro (for now) being my main machine. I don't like to have to stop and think what I'm doing while I'm trying to multitask. I just need things to be in the spot I left them last without moving themselves somewhere else or needing to reload or whatever else. It was time to stop trying to turn my iPad into a Mac and just get a Mac.

The first time I did this a few years ago, I regretted it and was right back to iPad within months. This time I am not regretting it. I think in the end, my workflows have just evolved back into a place where I just really need my work/personal Macs and my iPad mini/iPhone 12 Pro Max for when I don't want to lug around a laptop. And that's ok! That doesn't mean people using iPads full time for everything are wrong. It just means their workflows are different than mine.

 

[grmlin]

Having a totally overpowered iPad today has two outcomes for me personally: 1) I'll get a more capable operating system at some point (which I don't believe anymore) or 2) I'll use this device for many years before it feels slow. Considering my old 9.7" Pro is still in daily use by my kids and works just fine, I'm ok with option 2).

But, if future apps like Capture One make use of the M1 power, we will profit no matter what OS runs below.

 

[spiderman0616]

Having an totally overpowered iPad today has two outcomes for me personally: 1) I'll get a more capable operating system at some point (which I don't believe anymore) or 2) I'll use this device for many years before it feels slow. Considering my old 9.7" Pro is still in daily use by my kids and works just fine, I'm ok with option 2).

But, if future apps like Capture One make use of the M1 power, we will profit no matter what OS runs below.

Totally agree here. But it sounds like you are one of the people who bought the M1 iPad because you needed/wanted to upgrade your iPad and appreciate the overhead of power. There seem to be many people who bought the M1 iPad because they thought there was going to be some kind of major overhaul to the software this week. There really wasn't. The software updates announced for iPadOS on Monday were fantastic. They will make iPads better iPads. If you like iPads and do all your work on iPads, that was good news for you. If you were expecting the iPad to become a Mac, well.........

 

[grmlin]

Totally agree here. But it sounds like you are one of the people who bought the M1 iPad because you needed/wanted to upgrade your iPad and appreciate the overhead of power. There seem to be many people who bought the M1 iPad because they thought there was going to be some kind of major overhaul to the software this week. There really wasn't. The software updates announced for iPadOS on Monday were fantastic. They will make iPads better iPads. If you like iPads and do all your work on iPads, that was good news for you. If you were expecting the iPad to become a Mac, well.........

well, I really wanted to get a new iPad (the 9.7" is from 5 years old), but didn't want to buy the one from 2018. I wanted the coolest newest gadget, as my family will use it for years again if it doesn't break.

I also hoped for a little more changes in iPad OS, but it is whatever. I'll keep using my work laptop then, which I have anyway. It's currently a ThinkPad, but after WWDC I really want a M1x/M2 16" MBP again, looks like a really cool combination to me

 

[spiderman0616]

well, I really wanted to get a new iPad (the 9.7" is from 5 years old), but didn't want to buy the one from 2018. I wanted the coolest newest gadget, as my family will use it for years again if it doesn't break.

I also hoped for a little more changes in iPad OS, but it is whatever. I'll keep using my work laptop then, which I have anyway. It's currently a ThinkPad, but after WWDC I really want a M1x/M2 16" MBP again, looks like a really cool combination to me

I like to think I'm going to keep my M1 MBA until at least 2022, but the 16" models, whenever they get upgraded......I have a feeling those are going to get me thinking twice.

 

[maflynn]

But, if future apps like Capture One make use of the M1 power, we will profit no matter what OS runs below.

I'm debating to get Adobe's photography plan, as that will give me two things.
1. The ability to use my iPad and that's something I'm kind of aching to do
2. move my pictures to the cloud

I'm not sure I want be committed for the foreseeable future to a subscription, I'm a hobbyist and I'm not sure I'm wanting to pay $$ for something that will probably be used rarely.

 

[Abazigal]

If that is what you believe then it just goes to show how much of a disgrace Apple is when it comes to improving iOS that they have allowed the hardware to outpace the software. As the sole designer of iOS, it's is Apple's responsibility to make sure that the software they design for the hardware keeps pace.

'hey everyone, here you go, the latest all singing and all dancing M1 ipad, it has all the bells and whistles that you could want in hardware but sorry, the software just does not match up to it, we are too lazy or incompetent to do so'.

There is no other explanation for it but i am sure Apple fans will find an excuse to absolve Apple of any wrong doing.

I am not really bothered by the iPad hardware being too powerful for iPadOS. Apple still makes and sells entry level iPads with less ram and slower processors after all. It was always clear that Apple would never create a souped-up version of iOS just for the M1 iPad Pro. There's better things for them to spend their time and resources on.

What we really need are for app developers to come on board and create more powerful apps that really make use of that M1 chip. We may not see it right away, because the M1 iPad Pro is still so new, and it may not be worth it to market to such a small user base right away. I don't need software of such power, but I hope that in time, we will see more of such appear.

 

[sparksd]

I'm debating to get Adobe's photography plan, as that will give me two things.
1. The ability to use my iPad and that's something I'm kind of aching to do
2. move my pictures to the cloud

I'm not sure I want be committed for the foreseeable future to a subscription, I'm a hobbyist and I'm not sure I'm wanting to pay $$ for something that will probably be used rarely.

Definitely a tradeoff. I have the subscription as I use Lightroom heavily across multiple devices.

 

[maflynn]

Definitely a tradeoff. I have the subscription as I use Lightroom heavily across multiple devices.

I used to have it and used classic, but I found in my current situation in life, I'm not that active photography wise

 

[sparksd]

I used to have it and used classic, but I found in my current situation in life, I'm not that active photography wise

Check out Affinity - I have it, too and it's a good alternative to Lightroom. Pixelmator is another good alternative I've used.

 

[dalestrauss]

Rather than arguing that Apple does not want the iPad to cannibalise the Mac, can it not be argued that Apple simply doesn't think that macOS makes sense on the iPad?

What I currently like about the iPad is that it is nothing like my iMac or MBA. Sure, there are some tasks that overlap, but for most part, each excels in its own area, and that's what I appreciate. When I am at home working on test papers and spreadsheets, I appreciate the 27" display of my iMac. When I am in the classroom, I am thankful for the ease of use and fluidity of iOS (which makes it extremely easy to handle on the go), the long battery life, and the 4g connectivity. I like being able to scan a document with scanner pro, then pass it along to notability without having to deal with a file manager.

I am using an iPad for work (and have been using it since 2012) precisely because it runs iOS, not macOS. Along the way, I find I am more comfortable working with iOS than macOS now. For the work I do, I for one do not want the heaviness of a legacy desktop OS weighing me down. The presence of the Mac is precisely what allows the iPad to be as light as it is - the iPad doesn't have to be able to perform certain niche tasks like terminal access because that's what the Mac is there for.

Having macOS on the iPad would very likely be a step back in usability for me. I have no desire for the two to ever converge, much less on the iPad.

Just because some users don't want to pollute the ipad tablet purity doesn't mean others are wrong for wanting more. Why should Apple decide NOT to dual boot MacOS because it's not a nice enough experience - why can't that be MY decision - oh wait, what is wrong with me, the ghost of Jobs owns us all....

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Maybe I am in the minority.

No, when you were in school, would determine what tools were being suggested. Many teachers provide their own materials or materials they source. If that’s a Windows app because that’s what they wanted to use, then that’s what you’d have to use. A lot of schools now are trending towards web interfaces that can be run on anything, forcing the teachers to adopt that. In THAT case, you could even have a Chromebook and still get your homework done/turned in.

 

[spiderman0616]

I am not really bothered by the iPad hardware being too powerful for iPadOS. Apple still makes and sells entry level iPads with less ram and slower processors after all. It was always clear that Apple would never create a souped-up version of iOS just for the M1 iPad Pro. There's better things for them to spend their time and resources on.

What we really need are for app developers to come on board and create more powerful apps that really make use of that M1 chip. We may not see it right away, because the M1 iPad Pro is still so new, and it may not be worth it to market to such a small user base right away. I don't need software of such power, but I hope that in time, we will see more of such appear.

That's kind of what worries me though--I spent years holding my breath for developers to get their more professional grade apps up to par on iPadOS. And by "up to par" I don't mean make a clone of the Mac version, I just mean at LEAST fully supporting iPadOS multitasking/multiwindow. It's been 6 years of iPad Pro now and we still have the same go-to list of professional apps mentioned in every news article, press release, and keynote:

Affinity
Ferrite
LumaFusion
Adobe (sometimes)
ProCreate
Office 365
All the bundled in Apple stuff

There are of course lots of others, but that just proves my point--you never hear about them. I know they're there, other power users of the iPad know they're there. Do my mom and dad know? They have an iPad Pro 11" as their only computer and have no idea even about the list I made above. They just think of it as a nicer iPad than the iPad Air 2 they upgraded from.

There's this constant push and pull between what professional content creators want the iPad to do, what techies think the iPad should do, and what Apple plans for iPad to do. Since we'll never have a clue on the third one until the day features are announced, I'm having a harder and harder time justifying an iPad-only workflow. It just started feeling like more and more of a leap of faith every year, and I can't work that way anymore. The Mac seems like the safest harbor right now while iPad finishes maturing and figuring out where it's going. I imagine I'll be iPad-only again sometime in the next 4-5 years, but I need to see app development in iPadOS become more unified across the board. The functionality is just too unpredictable for me to work efficiently right now.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

the Apple i grew up with put the wow factor in me which wanted me to buy their products, the imac g3, the blue and white power mac, the different colours of ibook and imac, the power mac cube, the imac g4. When I saw these products being advertised on television I was like 'wow, I want one, I don't need one but I want one'.

The Apple you grew up with was focusing on marketing TO YOU. Of course you wanted to buy what they were advertising TO YOU. You aged out out Apple’s target demographic, you can’t blame Apple for that!

 

[spiderman0616]

Just because some users don't want to pollute the ipad tablet purity doesn't mean others are wrong for wanting more. Why should Apple decide NOT to dual boot MacOS because it's not a nice enough experience - why can't that be MY decision - oh wait, what is wrong with me, the ghost of Jobs owns us all....

I still think the "iPad-running-macOS" device everyone is hoping for is not going to be an iPad or Mac. It's going to be a completely new product that replaces both, and is probably not going to be released for quite a while yet.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

2. It’s above everything a keynote for developers, so Apple talks about features developers can use, not the small adjustments to the user experience

A few thousand have newly learned what the D in WWDC means. It’ll happen again next year, with a NEW few thousand folks. I’d imagine in several thousand years, we’ll have gotten around to most everyone!