Apple Releases New 'What's a Computer?' iPad Pro Ad

[Ken Linger]

Actually it has 2 ports, the other one being smart connector, so it is 1 up on MacBook and is just as powerful to boot...

Excellent point!

 

[Uni Grad]

Maybe...just maybe this hints at a touchscreen enabled, detachable keyboard MacBook Pro 2016. Be positive right...?

 

[fastasleep]

"I AM YOUR MACBOOK PRO NOW." - Tim's iPad Pro

 

[themastermind]

The iPad Pro does a lot of great stuff, there is no doubt about that... the problem is the things it cannot do. Thats why the iPad isn't a true replacement. I love my iPad Pro about 80% of the time, the other 20% I want to throw it against a wall.

 

[continuity]

LOL, Apple opened themselves for ridicule with this commercial. What an incredibly limited "computer" to be promoting as such. I can imagine Microsoft's rebuttal with their next Surface ad.

 

[NY Guitarist]

The transition to MaciOS is in full swing now.

 

[entropi]

Actually it has 2 ports, the other one being smart connector, so it is 1 up on MacBook and is just as powerful to boot...

3! The headphone port is (still) there!

 

[Ken Linger]

Someone else stated that this probably is a good solution for 70-80% of the users out there and I would tend to agree in principal. I'm sure we all have parents (direct or in-laws), friends-of-friends who know you as "The Computer Expert" because you once installed a printer for them, or former co-workers that see you as "that guy/gal who always helped me" that require help sessions that measure in the hours-per-incident realm because they're using a computer (which I'm defining in this situation as something running MacOS or Windows) for low-level, low-powered tasks like email and web browsing. Yes, those people would benefit greatly from an iPad-computer-replacement, especially in a managed ecosystem like Apple's where its unlikely they're going to be able install (accidentally or otherwise) a bad driver, malware, or get duped by a "Your computer is infected! Call Microsoft at 800-xxx-xxxx for help" malicious ad banner that takes over the browser.

But that remaining 20-30% is quite large. They'd be silly to abandon laptops and desktops entirely.

 

[Jakexb]

They were smart to animate the keyboard folding. It's not that graceful when you do it in real life.

 

[VPrime]

But can it run Xcode? No?

I thought so.

For god sakes... Add an option to build up a custom developer environment (eg.: for web development), extend the god damn app store, and accept electron apps (atom.io is a really good editor - far better than Panic's Coda, and it's free), and let the VM industry do the rest of the work. I don't want to pay another service month to month just because i have to get my job done.

You can do this on a computer.

And before the flames starts, i want to use my iPad Pro that way. I really want.

For what MOST people do on their Mac or PC an iPad Pro can most definitely replace it. Unless you think most people run Logic Pro, Xcode, Photoshop or equivalent software.

Sure Apple. iPad can do anything. Will we be able to run Xcode on the iPad? Can we download files from the Internet and manage them? Can I restore the iPad without iTunes? Can I connect a USB flash drive and transfer files to it? The iPad is gimped. Face reality Apple.

Microsoft did something right for once with the Surface Book.

There's only one thing that leads me to say iOS is not a computer operating system: there's no realistic way to write programs on it.

It's true there is no Xcode.. at least not yet. Does that mean there will never be an XCode? I can see Apple working on something to bring XCode to the iPad.
We're working on it, why wouldn't they? Our app hyperPad brings game development to the iPad. Feature wise, we're pretty comparable to software only available on a desktop (Unity, Gamemaker, construct, stencyl etc.)

So the iPad can most definitely be used for serious development. We have users who have created entire games on the iPad. That means all the artwork, music, sound effects, and the game programming as well.

 

[astrocramp]

• Is there Time Machine for iPad Pro?
• Where can I plug my USB-drive?
• Cursor keys... where are the cursor keys?...

I just want user profiles. People seem to have forgotten that multiple people will want to use the same device and want secure access to their apps, music, social media, bank info, etc. iOS has gone as far as it can without supporting user profiles.

 

[cgsnipinva]

I don't think this indicates the demise of the Mac. The fact is traditional computers (desktop/laptops) don't need hardware refresh as often as they used to. The chips/memory/video capabilities are more than enough to handle even moderate to power users. I would argue we should judge Apple's focus based on software updates.

Even with this ad I don't see Apple trying to say the iPad will be in lieu of Macbooks/Mac - but a productive extension of these devices.

There is a valid market for iPads and software enhancements to iOS and their apps will make them more productive. I see iOS slowly moving towards Mac OS more than the other way around.

The new APFS files system points to that.

 

[CFreymarc]

Xcode does not run on an iPad Pro.

You cannot write iOS apps on iOS.

Mac's will be around for a long time.

 

[richinaus]

An iPad with a flappy keyboard is a badly designed wanna-be laptop. And a poor user experience.

don't get me started on that keyboard. I cannot stand the 'floppiness' of it. One of the worst apple products I have ever used. It drives me mad................

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Maybe a Nintendo DS XL should be a computer replacement. It has a pen/stylus and you can draw on it and you can browse the internet and play games. We should all switch to Nintendo. It's a heck of a lot cheaper!

 

[Thunderhawks]

"Hey, what else it can do?"

Well, you can use it to read Funnies in toilet. Can't do that with an iMac!

Well, if you REALLY put your mind to it..............

Extension cord, WiFi, and a good portion of juggling skills.

With Siri coming to OS X it will get a little easier.

That is if she understands..........
Just don't tell her what you are doing.

 

[nt5672]

This is where I have been saying that Apple is headed for about a year now. Unfortunately, I think this is only good for about 70-80% of the population. The light users and some middle weight users. But for serious or professional grade users, the iPad cant do enough. Maybe in a couple of years, when they finish the merging of macOS into iOS -- like a directory/file structure and multi-running windows.

Never happen, there is a reason they outsourced Swift and developed a completely new build system that is linux compatible. Development will move to linux or the cloud in the next couple of years and there will not be any need, in Apple's mind, for Macs or real computer like performance. In 5 years, once all of the source code is in the Apple cloud, freedom to develop computer programs will be gone or expensive.

 

[Bacillus]

Isolate the Mac business apart from Apple before Cook&Co completely devastate it.
Anybody can better run it than a complete bunch of lunatics that made this ad.

 

[lostngone]

I want a Desktop grade OS!

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Yeah, it does make me wonder what it can do, every time I use it.
Because it only ever does 2/3 of anything.

It is pretty good at making me wish it had OSX on it.

 

[lchlch]

Even barely with it - 200GB at USB 2.0 speeds takes a LONG time. Even the iPad is behind the curve.

Just use wifi?

The wifi speed can go up to 400MBps.

 

[RedOrchestra]

That's cool for Apple to promote that BUT when can we expect them to make the iOS version of iWork as robust as the OS version - shameful that Apple is unable to provide that.

Equally shameful of Apple for not providing for a back-up and Restore from back-up, for the iPad, without needing to use iTunes or iCloud.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

This is where I have been saying that Apple is headed for about a year now. Unfortunately, I think this is only good for about 70-80% of the population. The light users and some middle weight users. But for serious or professional grade users, the iPad cant do enough. Maybe in a couple of years, when they finish the merging of macOS into iOS -- like a directory/file structure and multi-running windows.

I highly doubt in a couple years. The ONLY way Apple can make the iPad Pro have a file directory system is to have an SSD slot for memory expansion and create a new hybrid OS for that line only. Slapping iOS across all devices is not a viable solution, no matter how hard they try to scale it up. Or down.

This reeks of desperation in order to distract everyone away from the real problem on why they're not updating Macs or Macbooks. It's like a sleight of hand technique to make people think the iPad Pro is a laptop replacement, when in reality, it is definitely NOT.

Microsoft had the right idea and Tim made a huge mistake in underestimating the Surface Pro's concept. I'm more convinced that the execs at Apple are getting way out of touch. The only way to make the iPad Pro competitive is to give it memory expansion ( besides the iCloud BS ) and with a brand new OS specifically for that. It must run desktop class apps if they want it to be taken seriously.

For it to be a laptop replacement, Tim would have had to kill off the entire Mac laptop line to make his point across. He's confusing a lot of people with that statement " iPad Pro is the ultimate laptop replacement ".

Laptop owners in unison: " Then why is your company still making the laptops?!? ".

 

[tampageek]

This is where I have been saying that Apple is headed for about a year now. Unfortunately, I think this is only good for about 70-80% of the population. The light users and some middle weight users. But for serious or professional grade users, the iPad cant do enough. Maybe in a couple of years, when they finish the merging of macOS into iOS -- like a directory/file structure and multi-running windows.

Sadly, I agree completely. What I don't understand is why?

 

[Zaqfalcon]

What's a computer? A RAW photo editor...

I don't mind the idea of an iPad replacing my computer; if it actually could.

If it were possible to download and edit RAW photo files from my camera and store and backup those files and edits, then an iPad could replace a computer for me, as yet it can not.

I'm sure many others feel the same about their own OSX bound applications.

The annoying thing is, it probably could if Apple cared about these kinds of use cases for their tools toys, just look at the Surface Pro (sure I'll get castigated for that one).