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I bought an iPad Pro when it was released 12.9" and tbh it was a compulsive choice, I had no idea what to do with it, I just wanted it. A year has pasted and when I am home I switch on my macbook Pro only 1/2 times a week. For work, it's not good enough, but I have my company laptop anyway. At home iPad is just incredible. I take it to the bed with me, when I cook I put it in the kitchen to continue watching my tv show, I take it to the bathroom to put some music, really it follows me everywhere. Why I never did the same with my mbr I don't know. It's just about feeling, about ease and simplicity. It's just a big screen, for 99% of what I do at home (watch netflix, youtube, surf the web, check my emails) it's just perfect. My only main concern is some websites that go wrong on mobile devices. For instance I bought a new car last month and the audi website wasn't working well on iPad, the configurator was laggy and all. Except few exceptions, it's just perfect. I don't even know if I'll ever buy a macbook pro (I have the 2015 model and this year model is just a joke to me). I might actually buy gen2 iPad Pro and switch to microsoft for laptop next year!
 
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Since this was asked in an iPad-focused forum you're likely to get skewed results.
Well it wouldn't make any sense to go to a Mac forum and ask if the iPad can replace their laptops/desktops, since clearly it didn't or they wouldn't be hanging around the Mac forums.

Not to mention there are a lot of laptop/desktop users who have never owned an iPad but that's usually not the case the other way around, so asking the people here means you're asking mostly people who have owned and used both.
 
I'm giving the 12.9 another shot as my main device or computer. I tried once before but was convinced I still needed a Mac. I ended up also getting a 9.7 pro and while the smaller size is nice, its just too small for multitasking, for me anyway. It didn't help that I had to look at my wife's 12.9 every day which showed how small and limited my 9.7 was. I started using it more and more and decided that iOS was indeed my preferred platform. Time will tell if I can stick with it this time as my main machine.
 
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"Skewed" towards reality, yes. Unlike the Mac forum, where the iPad is only viewed as a toy by the old farts there.
I reckon reality is majority of the population still use regular Windows computers because those are much, much cheaper than Apple products and support 10-year old printers and other peripherals they already own.
 
So has old as this is, I have to comment. I have decided to go all in and use my iPad Pro as my main device. So I have officially gone two months now and so far it has been great.

The iPad Pro is not a pro device at all. I would honestly say that the "Pro" in iPad Pro means it is finally powerful enough for the average consumer to use it as there main computer. It has been doing great for things like Microsoft Office and Netowrking. I am a developer an I have an iMac that I use for most of my coding, but Swift Playgrounds has been the icing on the cake for me. I don't do intense coding on the go anyway, so this might just be me, but it is nice not to lug around an actual Laptop. The iPad Pro is a lot smaller and lighter. Just to mention, I am using an iPad Pro 9.7. The bigger iPad Pro was just too much and there was a lot of screen space and I just didnt like it.

With this logic... any modern tablet with keyboard support will be powerful enough for the average consumer...... but you are correct the ipad pro isn't pro at all when I can get a android tablet and do as much as I can or more in comparison to an ipad pro...... heck a Samsung tab a 10.1 with s pen and keyboard attachment is more pro and has an actual file manager.......
 
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With this logic... any modern tablet with keyboard support will be powerful enough for the average consumer...... but you are correct the ipad pro isn't pro at all when I can get a android tablet and do as much as I can or more in comparison to an ipad pro...... heck a Samsung tab a 10.1 with s pen and keyboard attachment is more pro and has an actual file manager.......

You are correct in stating that any tablet with a keyboard is more than enough "computer" for the average consumer. The only reason that there is a general consensus that most people 'need a computer' is because consumers who wanted to email and surf the web purchased computers due to the tablet market not being there in the beginning. As far as "pro" goes, I guess we just need to decide what pro means. If it means a file manager, USB support, and a mouse, then no, it isn't pro. But anything those legacy features accomplish can be done on an iPad, usually easier and with less effort. A Samsung tablet may give you a file system, but it also gives you terrible apps, crappy battery life, and even when used with a Samsung phone the ecosystem is just not there. I had a stint where I attempted to leave Apple and went with a Note 5 and Samsung tablet, what a hot mess. Something as simple as getting text messages on the tablet was a chore.
 
I reckon reality is majority of the population still use regular Windows computers because those are much, much cheaper than Apple products and support 10-year old printers and other peripherals they already own.

I am not convinced this is true for all regions. In the developing countries people often start with a smartphone as their first ever computer. Sure, in some first world countries one might have a printer and an old PC somewhere.
 
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With this logic... any modern tablet with keyboard support will be powerful enough for the average consumer...... but you are correct the ipad pro isn't pro at all when I can get a android tablet and do as much as I can or more in comparison to an ipad pro...... heck a Samsung tab a 10.1 with s pen and keyboard attachment is more pro and has an actual file manager.......

I'm genuinely interested to know why you consider an Android tablet more pro and capable....

FWIW, with the exception of a headless Mac Mini that's used to run iTunes for the ATV's, I've been iPad-only - paired with a Brydge - since the Air was released. Did it take some adjustment? I'd be lying if I said no, but I don't think it was any more painful than when I moved from Windows to a Mac. So, what do I do with it? I'm a sysadmin / developer, using Prompt / Working Copy / Textastic and the usual Word / Excel. Real Work ™? It pays the bills....

Hoping that Apple make a better job of the next 12.9" iPad than they did with the MBP....
 
With this logic... any modern tablet with keyboard support will be powerful enough for the average consumer...... but you are correct the ipad pro isn't pro at all when I can get a android tablet and do as much as I can or more in comparison to an ipad pro...... heck a Samsung tab a 10.1 with s pen and keyboard attachment is more pro and has an actual file manager.......
Very true...That was basically my point with that whole thing. I personally would love to have a file manager and Xcode. Hell, I would even love a port of Photoshop, but I know that is far off. Tablets are becoming more and more like basic computers, but they still have a ways to go
 
I don't even know if I'll ever buy a macbook pro (I have the 2015 model and this year model is just a joke to me). I might actually buy gen2 iPad Pro and switch to microsoft for laptop next year!

This is exactly what i do! I used to be a big lover of macs but i dont have faith in apple's commitment to the platform AND i just don't see the value in them for me anymore when i won't be using a laptop nearly as much as my ipad anymore. My 12.9 iPad Pro changed everything about the way i use my devices. All my research, reading, entertainment, writing and communication all goes through ipad. Only time i ever use a laptop is when i need to do something an ipad can't do like serious web development or something. Literally everything else though is ipad. So if I'm using my iPad THAT much, why would i pay 2 grand for a macbook?

Next laptop i get will probably be either a dell xps or something out of hp spectre line. And i try to use some cross platform services like Dropbox and Microsoft one note
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I'm giving the 12.9 another shot as my main device or computer. I tried once before but was convinced I still needed a Mac. I ended up also getting a 9.7 pro and while the smaller size is nice, its just too small for multitasking, for me anyway. It didn't help that I had to look at my wife's 12.9 every day which showed how small and limited my 9.7 was. I started using it more and more and decided that iOS was indeed my preferred platform. Time will tell if I can stick with it this time as my main machine.
Come back and give us an update when you get the bigger one and use it for awhile. Always interesting to hear perspectives like this
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Very true...That was basically my point with that whole thing. I personally would love to have a file manager and Xcode. Hell, I would even love a port of Photoshop, but I know that is far off. Tablets are becoming more and more like basic computers, but they still have a ways to go
My prediction: Xcode on ios within 5 years. 8 years from now the conversation about tablets being a "toy os" will be largely gone
 
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My prediction: Xcode on ios within 5 years. 8 years from now the conversation about tablets being a "toy os" will be largely gone

I doubt it. The developers I knew over the years were always somewhat insecure, and trying to act smarter than everyone else. They'll find something else to keep themselves elite, and the rest of us as plebes.
 
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With this logic... any modern tablet with keyboard support will be powerful enough for the average consumer...... but you are correct the ipad pro isn't pro at all when I can get a android tablet and do as much as I can or more in comparison to an ipad pro...... heck a Samsung tab a 10.1 with s pen and keyboard attachment is more pro and has an actual file manager.......

What I have learnt using Apple products is that there is a difference between being able to do something, and being able to do it well. Sometimes, the user experience makes all the difference between someone willing to use said device to get the job done, vs not wanting to do it at all.

For example, as a teacher, I sometimes use my Apple Pencil for up to 5 hours a day. What is the experience of writing with the S Pen like, especially for extended periods of time? I know the experience of using the pencil is simply sublime and I have no problems using it for hours on end.

Second is speed and reliability. The software must be able to work consistently every single day. The last thing I should have is lag or software hiccups or find myself having to reboot the device ever so often. iOS has been extremely fluid and smooth all this time. Even the animations are smooth. I can probably count the number of issues I have had through the year on one hand.

Third is battery life. On certain punishing days, I return home with my iPad at less than 30% battery life. Does the galaxy tab have the stamina to last through an entire work day without me needing to worry about charging it at all?

Last is app and ecosystem support. I mirror my iPad to the whiteboard using an Apple TV. I run a variety of iOS-only apps. I like the integration between my Apple devices (like being able to airdrop files from my iPhone to my iPad).

Give me an android tablet and while I might be able to get the same tasks done, I likely won't enjoy the process as much.
 
I really wish i could be a fly on the wall at apple when they discuss articles like this. Like...how do they feel? What do they say? Are they just outright dismissive? Does it worry them?

Who knows

Why would it worry them? As the article notes, they made more from iTunes this year than from Mac sales. Apple is a business that makes 85% of its money from iPhone and iPad. It would be bizarre and stupid to shift their focus off of that.

My only complaint is that, for all their supposed focus on iOS, why are they releasing untested beta-ware like iOS 10? I think it confirms the internal disorganization mentioned by the author. Hopefully it gets resolved soon. (10.2 is quite a bit better, but still...)
 
Why would it worry them? As the article notes, they made more from iTunes this year than from Mac sales. Apple is a business that makes 85% of its money from iPhone and iPad. It would be bizarre and stupid to shift their focus off of that.

My only complaint is that, for all their supposed focus on iOS, why are they releasing untested beta-ware like iOS 10? I think it confirms the internal disorganization mentioned by the author. Hopefully it gets resolved soon. (10.2 is quite a bit better, but still...)

What was wrong with ios 10? Genuinely curious, because I don't recall having any issues with it.
 
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What was wrong with ios 10? Genuinely curious, because I don't recall having any issues with it.

Safari crashing every session, calendar invitations broken, iCloud Notes replication broken, doubled notification sounds (still broken), Apple Music (too many problems to list), brightness slider on control panel slides the whole panel (still broken, IMO). That's just what I remember bothering me the most, off the top of my head.

There were and are numerous threads with iOS 10 bug reports. How is it possible you missed all of them?
 
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Safari crashing every session, calendar invitations broken, iCloud Notes replication broken, doubled notification sounds (still broken), Apple Music (too many problems to list), brightness slider on control panel slides the whole panel (still broken, IMO). That's just what I remember bothering me the most, off the top of my head.

There were and are numerous threads with iOS 10 bug reports. How is it possible you missed all of them?

I don't know. I just don't recall ever encountering the issues you listed.
 
I haven't had any of those problems either. My only complaints with iOS right now is that it crashes more than it used to (still maybe only once a week or so, not too bad) and Safari tabs go blank sometimes. That's the biggest annoyance, but it did that before iOS 10. I'll be browsing the web, leave Safari for a minute to do something else, and when I come back, the page is completely white. The only way to get it to see that page again is to either copy the link, close the tab, and paste it in another tab, or double tap the home button, swipe up to close Safari, and then open it back up again.

Not sure about Apple Music as I disabled that app and use Google Play Music exclusively.
 
Safari crashing every session, calendar invitations broken, iCloud Notes replication broken, doubled notification sounds (still broken), Apple Music (too many problems to list), brightness slider on control panel slides the whole panel (still broken, IMO). That's just what I remember bothering me the most, off the top of my head.

There were and are numerous threads with iOS 10 bug reports. How is it possible you missed all of them?

I thoroughly regret updating my iPad to iOS 10. They need to take Apple Music back to 9.3
 
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I haven't had any of those problems either. My only complaints with iOS right now is that it crashes more than it used to (still maybe only once a week or so, not too bad) and Safari tabs go blank sometimes. That's the biggest annoyance, but it did that before iOS 10.

Safari white screen of death is Safari crashing, so yes you have seen some of the same issues I mentioned. And I absolutely did not ever see that happening in 9.3.5.
 
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Safari white screen of death is Safari crashing, so yes you have seen some of the same issues I mentioned. And I absolutely did not ever see that happening in 9.3.5.
I wouldn't call that crashing since the app doesn't close and other tabs are unaffected when it happens. And I've been experiencing it for years now on all of my iOS devices, though in the past I have been able to simply rotate the device from portrait to landscape and vice versa to get the content to show up. That doesn't seem to work anymore.

And the crashing I was talking about was SpringBoard. I'll be in the middle of something and the screen will go black with the spinning wheel and then I'll be taken back to my lock screen.
 
I suspect some of the issues you mention are issues that occur when a certain mix of apps are installed on your device or running at the same time on your device. I say this because I haven't had any of the Safari issues you mention. And I use my iPad Pro a few hours per day, much of that time in Safari. I can't remember the last time Safari crashed.

The only issue I have encountered is that once in a while (maybe once every few days) the keyboard shortcuts stop working in Safari, and the only way to get them to work again is to close Safari and re-open the app. But even when those keyboard shortcuts stop working, I can still keep loading new pages and browsing in Safari, so clearly the app has not crashed. I'm not sure if this issue is related to my using a bluetooth keyboard (Brydge) since I never had the issue when I used to use the ASK. Or it could just be an iOS10 issue. I made the switch to the Brydge keyboard right around the time I upgraded to iOS10, so it's hard to know which caused the issue.
 
I suspect some of the issues you mention are issues that occur when a certain mix of apps are installed on your device or running at the same time on your device. I say this because I haven't had any of the Safari issues you mention. And I use my iPad Pro a few hours per day, much of that time in Safari. I can't remember the last time Safari crashed.

The only issue I have encountered is that once in a while (maybe once every few days) the keyboard shortcuts stop working in Safari, and the only way to get them to work again is to close Safari and re-open the app. But even when those keyboard shortcuts stop working, I can still keep loading new pages and browsing in Safari, so clearly the app has not crashed. I'm not sure if this issue is related to my using a bluetooth keyboard (Brydge) since I never had the issue when I used to use the ASK. Or it could just be an iOS10 issue. I made the switch to the Brydge keyboard right around the time I upgraded to iOS10, so it's hard to know which caused the issue.

You do realize that your positive experience doesn't "cancel out" my negative one, right?

I'm not terribly interested in why installing certain apps (from the App Store, fully under Apple's control), or using the iPad while wearing blue socks, or I'm holding it wrong, or whatever, is causing crashes and other nonsense. My point was that if iOS is the money maker, and the future of Apple, it should be rock solid. They have the resources to do that, there's really no excuse for some of these problems, and half baked releases. IMO, YMMV, etc, etc...
 
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