I’d argue that Surface Pro is doing okay as a PC, not as a tablet. The tablet experience on Windows remains poor to mediocre at best. I can even say an Android tablet is a better tablet experience than a Surface Pro.
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iPad Pro Apple Silicon on the Mac unintentionally killed the iPad Pro
- Thread starter Retskrad
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Nope. Touch screen > Trackpad all day. I only like Mac’s with a mouse and keyboard. So unless there is something that cannot be done outside on the iPad Pro, I take the iPad Pro with me over the M2 MBA.
In modern cars, you also see tablets being used as the main computer of the car, as touch is the best way to interact with a computer in a non-desktop setting.
In modern cars, you also see tablets being used as the main computer of the car, as touch is the best way to interact with a computer in a non-desktop setting.
Agreed. I’ve got a 12.9 with the A12Z. I like it but iPadOS needs to fork away from iOS. It still feels like a blown up iPhone. I’d rather they spend a decent amount of time getting iPadOS right, same with MacOS. Stage Manager on both is just a gimmick (Spaces would be more appropriate).
I just purchased the new Affinity Suite v2. Now Affinity Publisher is available on iPad, I might start using that away from the desk for layouts, social media ad design. But it won’t take away from the need of having a desktop.
Not to be overly simplistic, but at any point in time either the MacBook or the iPad Pro will be selling better than the other. A change in sales doesn’t always mean that will be the trend.
I think he meant by whatever was there on it, just ran buttery smooth and everything on it was zippy, opening, panning, scaling, closing, saving, switching apps etc etc. It just didn't feel like a computer. I mean, imagine you opening a pro app which opens flat in a sec or 2, it didn't feel like a pro app.
I think it’s important to remember that MacOs and iPadOS have some synergy allowed by the new Apple Silicon Macs. We have to remember the A12X/A12Z wasn’t a fully capable desktop class Soc (swap, virtual memory). The M1 or M2 may be never released if Apple couldn’t spread R&D costs or production costs.
Desktop class apps may never come down to iPadOS without MacOS requirement for redevelopment work to be done to bring for ARM Macs.
Desktop class apps may never come down to iPadOS without MacOS requirement for redevelopment work to be done to bring for ARM Macs.
I don't think Mac OS as it it should be on the iPad because it isn't designed to work with touch devices, but to have a Mac like OS. A more robust iPad OS instead of basically a blown-up version of iOS with extra features.
I pretty much disagree with every point OP attempted to make, EXCEPT that I would like to see iPadOS with greater capabilities, and able to run higher end applications. The hardware is there, it's time for the OS to catch up and for developers to start porting applications to the iPad, at least for the Pro versions.
The Files app works just fine for me. You can navigate the internal memory on the iPhone and create/delete folders and even save to them. I also have no trouble reaching OneDrive for both my personal and work accounts. And of course iCloud access just works, too.
I’m with you. I have a windows laptop issued by my job and a dual screen windows machine at my desk. I use the dual screen about 10% of the time, the laptop-never, and my own 12.9 iPP about 90% of the time.
I have no problem using the Files app either. I can create folders as necessary. I think it just take a bit more work than what people are used to on the front side, but it really is no different.
Sure, I do. I also remember the last line in that commercial being something like "Your next computer may not be a computer."
I think it's a valid statement. Apple is not claiming the iPad is a computer replacement for everyone, just that it can be for some. Folks like my mom and dad can do pretty much do everything they need to on the iPad.
Frankly, even the iPad is a luxury item for those wanting bigger displays than smartphones have.
Before work-from-home became widespread due to the pandemic, a lot of my co-workers just used the employer provided desktops in the office and their smartphone for all their personal stuff. They didn't have PCs at home. For a lot of folks, the smartphone is the only personal computer they need.
Or the iPhone is a shrunken down iPad with features removed? Not chronologically, but by description, both are true.
Either way, they are both very capable and intuitive computer devices, with the iPad having certain features that only make sense on a larger screen. And that’s exactly why a lot of people like the iPad—because it’s that very intuitive yet capable computer. And it’s enough for them.
Others need more macOS capabilities, so iPadOS is not enough for them. But iPadOS can’t serve both groups well. The touch UI is not the only thing that makes iPadOS intuitive. It’s underlying differences in the way the two OSes do things. So turning ipadOS into a touch version of macOS, would make it less intuitive, thereby less desirable to the market that it’s intended for. Nor would doing so truly serve the general intended market for macOS. Macs are designed and optimized for productivity. A touch tablet isn’t the ideal UI and form factor for productivity for most, due to ergonomics and large touch targets. The ergonomics could be solved by transforming the tablet into a laptop form factor with a bulky peripheral, but then it’s a question of how much of the macOS market wants to deal with that.
iPadOS (and macOS and iOS) will continue to stretch and gain more features, but the overhaul (or convergence) that you and others here are hoping for is not likely in the cards, unless demand somehow changes dramatically.
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To each their own. Obviously an iPad Pro is not a laptop replacement for you. But for me it totally is, and I am a professional artist. I love my iPad Pro so much more than I ever loved my MacBook Pro. It edits 4k video faster than my macbook pro ever did. It’s lighter for travel which I do a lot. It doubles as a digital sketchbook which my macbook pro never could. On & on. But again, it’s not for you and thats cool. But for others like me it does.
Correct both are true, but iPad OS was designed off of iOS regardless. Yes you can swap the statements and still work, but look at the original iPad OS when it finally became it's own thing and it really wasn't any different then iOS and over the years we get very slow changes which has been separating the two.
I even stated that Mac OS isn't designed for touch and I never stated that I want or think Mac OS should be converted to iPad. What should be done in my opinion is a more robust iPad OS allowing more Mac capabilities. A better files app would be a great start, the ability to basically sideload (although I really hate this term). I wouldn't care how long of a disclosure I have to acknowledge to be able to "sideload" but you can install whatever on a Mac and all you have to do is a simple permissions change allowing it. If they stopped trying to make multitasking pretty over functional like Stage manager, such a large portion of the screen is the available windows making it really only useful connected to a monitor. Instead what if you just could go into "multitasking mode" and any app that you want a small little dock with that icon is there that you do a little swipe from the bottom (like you can already do on the iPad but this shows all dock apps). Make split screening apps forced just like how you can on Mac. There are numerous ways to make the iPad more productive like the Mac is while still keeping it touch UI friendly.
What do you think of the Surface Pro?
I am happy you like the iPad Pro but it could so much more. Apple limits it so much, it doesn't even have proper Office 365 apps due to Apple's App Store rules.
Those three apps definitely make the 12.9" iPad Pro very compelling, there are also a number of 3d sculpting apps on iPadOS, and one can dip their toes in programming with Swift Playgrounds...
Now if only Blizzard would release WoW for iPadOS, keyboard & mouse/trackpad required...
Ever since Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted on broadcast television, I have wanted to live the touch screen life...! ;^p
LOL, I was actually looking at the Mercedes AMG GT Coupe online the other day, and there is an option for a touchpad to control the entertainment/navigation/whatnot, located where a center tunnel shifter would be...
I've been thinking about that, and my question is simple:
Why not?
Multitasking on a touch screen is almost impossible (no menu controls). Why can't there be a menu control if a mouse is connected to the iPad, allowing a menu control to appear either on the screen or by a right click? After all, iPads support mice/ touchpads these days.
For straight tablet/stylus action, special touch gesture to access system pie menus, or flip Apple Pencil 3 for same...?
Regardless of whether iPadOS has distinguished itself from iOS by a little or by a lot, what I was trying to point out is that the comparison doesn’t bring any value to the discussion. Because it operates under the assumption that everyone thinks that’s a bad thing, that iOS has a deeper form of insufficiency, unrelated to screen size. But again, for some people, all they want is iOS but made for a big screen. So iPadOS is perfectly capable for them. So saying iPadOS is incapable just because it’s iOS made for a big screen doesn’t make sense to them, because that’s exactly what they wanted. The only people for whom that argument makes sense are people who already find iPadOS insufficient. The only way to make others see why you need iPadOS to be more is to simply say what features it lacks that you need.
Yes, you said macOS isn’t designed for touch, that’s why I said a touch version of macOS, ie. designed for touch. That would mean completely redesigned with large touch targets, gestures, etc. It would have to look and operate very differently from how macOS does now, but it would have all the same ultimate capabilities. I’m not sure if you mean you want just some select Mac-like functions on the iPad or all of them, but if all of them, then that’s what I mean by a touch version of macOS.
Not sure if I totally followed your multitasking idea, but I agree there is room for improvement for Stage Manager, and in many areas of iPadOS.
The surface pro is not for me. I have been an Apple user before it was cool to be one. When apple just catered to artists. Nothing against android or pc users. Whatever works for you. Of course the iPad Pro could be “more” … but so can all other devices. That is why it keeps improving. There is no doubt that someday Apple will integrate Mac OS & iOs on the iPad. That seems to be the inevitable direction. But right now, I am fully immersed in the iOS only work flow. What others may see as a limited system, totally works for me. And again, i consider myself a professional. The current iPad Pro does everything I need & more. It obviously doesn’t for you. And that is fine. That is your experience. I am not invalidating that. But on the flip side, there are millions of people just like me who’ve totally embraced the iOS only work flow of the iPad Pro. I am totally open to Apple adding Mac OS capabilities in the future. But I personally don’t need it. Others like you obviously do. Both are valid. Not trying to convince anyone they are wrong in their beliefs. I can only share my experience. And for me, the iPad Pro is enough.
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I don’t mind if apple continues to iterate on iPadOS … as long as they keep the core simplicity and responsiveness of it intact. For my normal on the go use … browsing in one window, taking notes in another or watching YouTube … maybe a video conference … I can actually do that all on iPadOS and I prefer that most of the time.
But I still need macOS because doing any sort of programming requires access to install libraries, run shell scripts and command line tools, and run macOS specific programs, etc. Asking these app makers to create iPad versions is a fool’s errand. They are designed to run specifically with a mouse and keyboard and with macOS like behaviors and system access. I don’t need a boil the ocean approach to try and recreate everything that’s been done on macOS on iPadOS. I don’t need “touch target sized” macOS because I’ll never use these tools without a mouse and keyboard. I JUST NEED MACOS!
