I have heard that too, Jobs hated Bill Gates bragging about slylus use on Windows XP tablets and wanted to "teach them" how to make a tablet, and also he didn't want a keyboards but was pushed to make one, but they keyboard came later, not at the same time as the iPad 1, and Job didn't want to move the connector for it, so made it work in an awkward portrain position
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iPad Pro Craig and Joz discussing iPad on The Talk Show
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iPad Keyboard Dock was introduced with iPad 1 -- shipped in April of that year (as did the iPad 1 itself .. a couple weeks before keyboard)
IPad Keyboard Dock
The iPad Keyboard Dock is a keyboard accessory from Apple that attaches to early iPad models with a 30-pin dock connector. It was introduced with the first iPad on January 27, 2010 and shipped later in April.[1] It was discontinued on March 2, 2011 with the introduction of the iPad 2, though it...
thanks I misremember, it was not introduced later, it was discontinued relatively early...iPad Keyboard Dock was introduced with iPad 1 -- shipped in April of that year (as did the iPad 1 itself .. a couple weeks before keyboard)
IPad Keyboard Dock
The iPad Keyboard Dock is a keyboard accessory from Apple that attaches to early iPad models with a 30-pin dock connector. It was introduced with the first iPad on January 27, 2010 and shipped later in April.[1] It was discontinued on March 2, 2011 with the introduction of the iPad 2, though it...apple.fandom.com
Jobs did say that according to Walt Issaacson but it was said to provide guidance that the iPad was designed at its core as a multitouch tablet that stood in its own. Rather than dismissing the original design intent because Apple now offers a Pencil and MagicKeyboard, that quote actually highlights the design intent of the iPad as purely a tablet and the clarity of the marching orders that Jobs gave to the designers and engineers. None of this negates the fact that the iPad can be used with an external keyboard. It only shows its core design intent to be a freestanding tablet first and foremost.
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But of course they want to sell us all of those, they are a for-profit corporation.
However, the presence of Magic Keyboards in the Apple Store does not preclude other brands from working with iPad. Heck, you can buy the Logitech version right there in the same Store.
Intents evolve, as do products. At the time did Jobs and co. even imagine the iPad Pro and what it does today? Seems not very likely.
There are things that the original Plus (5.5-inch) iPhones could do that the standard size (4.7-inch) iPhones could not. This was by virtue of Apple taking advantage of the larger screen size to add user interface elements that weren't there before. Calling a Plus sized iPhone (at the time) just a large iPhone doesn't diminish its inherent utility over the smaller sized iPhones. Nor does calling an iPad "a big iPhone" diminish the fact that the larger screen allows for user interface elements and conventions that you don't get on an iPhone. It's neither inaccurate nor disparaging. I cannot fathom why this is something that needs to be taken so offensively. My perspective on a product being different from yours being offensive is almost narcissistic; we can both have differing perspectives on the same product.
Incidentally, my iPad mini could EASILY be called a "big iPhone", and you know what? I LOVE IT for that. iPads do a much better job of being large iPhones than they do being small computers. And that's entirely the point here.
Also, if you really want to get into the weeds, the OSes have yet to diverge all that much from each other. At most, this is what has a given major iPadOS release sometimes releasing on a different date than its iOS counterpart or has a major feature coming to that year's version of iOS arriving on the iPad a year later. Past that, it's a few UI elements specific to the larger screen, Apple Pencil support, and otherwise the exact same OS.
If all that is provoking people who bought the iPad akin to insulting one's religion, then said people really ought to reconsider their priorities in life. I'm a tech user who loves the iPad as much as the next person and believes it is capable of being better on larger and currently more endowed form factors than it currently is.
This was largely a marketing move and not much of a technical one. You do realize that, right?
No, because I don't care anywhere near as much about marketing and branding as I do about utility. I know this is a site that caters to the Apple faithful, but there really is more to these things than marketing.
No, the iPad Pro doesn't serve my ladyfriend over the base iPad in the slightest. She doesn't need ProMotion, doesn't need Thunderbolt, doesn't need the performance of an M4 (especially on a platform that still doesn't really know what to do with an M1), and, most importantly, doesn't want to spend the extra on those bells and whistles given that she doesn't need it. The hardware is more than capable of running software that addresses the feature gaps we're debating here. And yes, even on an A14 Bionic. Because, again, I'm not talking about computing that requires that much power. We're talking about file management and file system exposure. Not desktop publishing, AAA gaming, scientific engineering, or anything else of the like.
Incidentally, you're right, I don't need an iPad Pro. Because I'm not an Apple Pencil-wielding creative professional, and no one has yet to make any other compelling use case to spend $1000-3000 on an iPad Pro. I'm not going to say that it's a bad product, because it isn't. But it's very obviously not meant for everyone, let alone most prospective iPad customers who just want a tablet.
Have you not seen the barrage of Apple commercials over the years literally saying "your next computer is not a computer"? Did you miss those? Seemed pretty obvious that Apple is marketing the iPad Pro as a prospective computer replacement.
Did I ever say that iPad Air and iPad Pro users HAVE to make it an either/or? I don't recall ever saying that.\
What I DID say is that they are not priced such that the average consumer is going to be able to pick both and that there's enough overlap between the two to make the notion of picking both, not what someone is likely to be inclined to do.
Whatever people want to do is whatever people want to do. Considering that I work with and consult for average joe Apple users all the time, this is data I have. People don't want to spend $1500 twice. They generally want to do it with one device when they have to and then either get something lower-end for the second one, or just not get anything at all. $3000 for a MacBook Air and an iPad Pro (and not even necessarily high-end versions of either) is pricey in this economy.
We both know that you're not following me correctly at all.
The products could be better, for how much they cost and for the utility they are marketed for providing. That's a far cry from saying that they should not exist. I would never say that the iPad Pro or iPad Air shouldn't exist. (I do think that they ought to change the "Air" moniker because it makes no sense as it is today, but that has nothing to do with the actual device bearing that moniker whatsoever.)
Apple should put out software for the iPad Airs and iPad Pros that is more capable than it currently is as those are devices that are marketed as being more capable than they actually are. Go read reviews for the M4 iPad Pros. They unanimously agree with what I'm saying here.
You don't have to agree with me. And if you're fine with how they are today, great! Buy one! And then stop getting on other people's cases for not being satisfied. It is just as much my right as a consumer to not be satisfied as it is your right as a consumer to be satisfied. I think the hardware of both the new Airs and the new Pros is stunning. I can't justify getting either. I would like for that to change.
Similarly, I would love to be able to tell my ladyfriend "Hey, this iPad (whether standard or Air) will completely satisfy 100% of your computing needs." I legitimately can't. There are very few computer users I work with for whom I can advise an iPad as their sole computer for. It shouldn't be that way. It ought to be as much of an option as a Chromebook is for a Mac/PC alternative. It's not. Just because that doesn't bother you doesn't mean it shouldn't necessarily bother anyone else.
Premium iPhones do what they are marketed to do and then some. There is no feature missing from premium iPhones that interferes with their marketed use cases as premium smartphones.
Premium Apple Watches do what they are marketed to do and then some. There is no feature missing from premium Apple Watches that interferes with their marketed use cases as premium smartwatches.
Premium Macs do what they are marketed to do and then some. There is no feature missing from premium Macs that interferes with their marketed use cases as high-end computers.
Premium AirPods do what they are marketed to do. There is no feature missing from premium AirPods that interferes with their marketed use cases as high-end bluetooth headphones.
Premium iPads do SOME of what they are marketed to do. They do the rest (including rather basic computing tasks) quite poorly. They are missing several software features that interferes with their marketed use cases as tablet computers.
If you can't see the difference there, then I really do not know what to tell you, other than to look at several folks who, unlike me, have been paid to write the exact same things I'm saying as articles (and/or posted it as YouTube videos) as maybe their verbiage will come across better than mine.
...Which, in isolation is healthy to online discourse. But getting fired up over people who merely disagree with you where it becomes toxic. Tech is not a one-size-fits-all no matter how hard Apple tries to make it so. In their defense, it's impossible to make it that way. Everyone interfaces with this stuff differently.
There are limits to this logic. To use a Jobsian analogy: Can you name one car that evolved into a truck or vice-versa? A gold star to you if you can. Expecting the iPad to evolve from a tablet into essentially a MacBook is the equivalent — a rare and unlikely event. This is because professional product designers and managers spend a great deal of life energy determining design intent and do not casually cast it aside.
What is more likely is what we’ve seen: adaptation of the iPad to encompass more MacBook-like use cases as we’ve seen with the addition of Keyboard, mouse, external monitor support, and OS changes to improve performance in those expanded use cases. Evolution is something completely different — while it involves adaptation, the end result is the nature of the thing changing to become something essentially new (i.e., a new “species”).
The only Apple example of one product evolving into another that I recall is the “evolution” of the iPod into the iPhone. This is a special case though because the iPhone was conceived to displace and replace the iPod — not complement it. This is because the iPhone was superior to the iPod in every meaningful way from day 1 and that made the iPod practically redundant. In other words, the iPhone design intent included replacement of the iPod.
This is not the case with iPad which was designed to complement the Mac — not replace it. So, Apple is highly unlikely to pursue an “evolutionary” path that positions two successful, complementary products to compete and cause one to cannibalize the other — simply because a handful of people think that would be neat. That would be management malpractice. So don’t expect to see this kind of evolution cause it ain’t gon happen. 🙏🏽
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Couldn’t agree more with your closing remark about toxic behavior; but it’s hard to see how this extremely long reply (seeming to take on every dissenting comment) doesn’t also qualify as “getting fired up”. 🤔
Wait a min... you took that commercial as them comparing the iPad Pro to a MacBook? The ads were showing off the capabilities of the iPad... showing regular folks doing tasks on it. I never seen a MacBook in those commercials.
But essentially you are saying that... attempting to compare the two (MacBook vs iPad).
You do know that some apps are M1 compatible (Final Cut Pro & Logic... I believe DaVinci Resolve has restrictions in place for non-M1 iPads), and that Apple added virtual memory swap to Airs and Pros, in addition to that... they added external display support.
This! Apple has been steadfast with echoing this belief... it's the critics that tries to pit them against each other.
Can the iPad be a standalone device? Absolutely... Apple has been slowly, but surely improving on certain areas where the iPad is lacking. It's far from perfect, I've never said it was. But when users face some limitations... the Mac will be able to help.
I do not understand the constant gripes about iPadOS - often comes off (to me) as whining. But perhaps I’m not grasping the request. iPadOS is indeed powerful and capable - intuitive in many ways, and in some others not so much. That can either be remedied by *gasp* learning something new and bypassing muscle-memory, or (as has been the case the past few years) Apple continuing to tweak and develop the OS itself.
“iPad can’t do X”: I personally find very few - if any - things the iPad just absolutely and LITERALLY cannot do; do them exactly as I‘m used to, or even prefer - that’s a different thing.
”Pro workflows…”: what exactly are those? Are there certain professions or things being done that people have in mind? I see this reiterated over and over, but no one clarifies. I use my iPad professionally, managing a portfolio of several software projects and supporting QE testing. I also do my own personal photography and video editing on them. I have a USB-C mini-hub that connects to my iPad; with it in the Magic Keyboard, I use external mics (DJI), vertical mouse, and a 49-in 4k monitor - all connected through that one port. When I‘m done working, I just disconnect the hub, and I have a 1lb or so tablet at my disposal. These more powerful iPads have made keeping a MBP around unnecessary for me - I’ve “downgraded“ to a MBA. Any limitations I’ve found with apps has usually been down to developers supporting features, or just optimizing their apps - never really an OS limitation. Sometimes I just prefer a desktop version of an app - that’s (again) down to the developers more so than Apple or the OS. I’m thinking squarely of Adobe and MS here.
Would I like to see a more… normal? multi-tasking system with iPadOS? Absolutely. Stage Manager has improved quite a bit - the 4 window limit is a bit arbitrary, and annoying. But that can be fixed/lifted - it’s clearly not a horsepower issue. A more common thread between apps (e.g. a statusbar-like standard set of familiar options and app-specific Settings, perhaps by holding the app icon)? Sure. Continued refinement of the Files app, with previews and more intuitive navigation? 100 percent. But MacOS, or dual-booting, isn’t happening. So I’m in for Apple continuing to add features to iPadOS. I genuinely don’t get the “it’s a big phone still” vitriol - it’s inaccurate and lazy. 🤷🏾♂️
“iPad can’t do X”: I personally find very few - if any - things the iPad just absolutely and LITERALLY cannot do; do them exactly as I‘m used to, or even prefer - that’s a different thing.
”Pro workflows…”: what exactly are those? Are there certain professions or things being done that people have in mind? I see this reiterated over and over, but no one clarifies. I use my iPad professionally, managing a portfolio of several software projects and supporting QE testing. I also do my own personal photography and video editing on them. I have a USB-C mini-hub that connects to my iPad; with it in the Magic Keyboard, I use external mics (DJI), vertical mouse, and a 49-in 4k monitor - all connected through that one port. When I‘m done working, I just disconnect the hub, and I have a 1lb or so tablet at my disposal. These more powerful iPads have made keeping a MBP around unnecessary for me - I’ve “downgraded“ to a MBA. Any limitations I’ve found with apps has usually been down to developers supporting features, or just optimizing their apps - never really an OS limitation. Sometimes I just prefer a desktop version of an app - that’s (again) down to the developers more so than Apple or the OS. I’m thinking squarely of Adobe and MS here.
Would I like to see a more… normal? multi-tasking system with iPadOS? Absolutely. Stage Manager has improved quite a bit - the 4 window limit is a bit arbitrary, and annoying. But that can be fixed/lifted - it’s clearly not a horsepower issue. A more common thread between apps (e.g. a statusbar-like standard set of familiar options and app-specific Settings, perhaps by holding the app icon)? Sure. Continued refinement of the Files app, with previews and more intuitive navigation? 100 percent. But MacOS, or dual-booting, isn’t happening. So I’m in for Apple continuing to add features to iPadOS. I genuinely don’t get the “it’s a big phone still” vitriol - it’s inaccurate and lazy. 🤷🏾♂️
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Ditto. Though not all iPad critics are pitting the iPad against the Mac. I see many people who genuinely love the iPad and want to use it for everything possible. Their criticism is focused on identifying real issues for them and having ideas on how to solve them while still respecting Apple‘s judgment on how to address those issues. I know you see that too because I’ve seen and commend your engagement with folks to elicit specifics that are constructive. That’s legit, respectful criticism and engagement that’s conducive to a healthy, instructive and fun community.
At first, I got triggered by “iPad is just a large iPhone”. Not anymore. iOS is the most popular and beloved OS in Apple lineup and making iOS into a more useful OS for the bigger screen and accessories seems like a great business idea. iPadOS is iOS+ rather than MacOS- and there is nothing wrong with that.
Too many posts to quote an reply to, so I'll add my 2 cents here.
I don't believe that Apple's commercial mean anything, definitely not that the iPad is a laptop replacement. It's more the M1 and the Magic Keyboard that have made people want MacOS, because, let's be honest MacOS in dual boot is absolutely possible in the 8GB RAM version M series iPads and MacOS virtualised is possible in the 16GB model. But as some said that makes zero commercial sense for Apple so it's never happening. Would it be good for some people? Sure. Only carrying one device and having a tablet and a Macbook in one device (dual boot or virtualised).
Would it be good for the iPad long term? No, it would kill incentives to develop pro apps for iPadOS. So, personally I am ok with that never happening.
What I am not ok with is the slow pace with which Apple has been adressing some (sometimes basic) iPad shortcomings, like no audio from the iPad when connected to a monitor (adressed in iPadOS 17) etc., the poor RAM limitations of Safari even with 16GB RAM (not addressed yet) etc. Also why not Sidecar or Universal control between iPads? At least some for or remote desktop into iPad will come with iPadOS 18 (has been possible for years for Apple employees)
I don't think they do it on purpose, I just think they don't devote enough resources to iPad sadly.
I don't believe that Apple's commercial mean anything, definitely not that the iPad is a laptop replacement. It's more the M1 and the Magic Keyboard that have made people want MacOS, because, let's be honest MacOS in dual boot is absolutely possible in the 8GB RAM version M series iPads and MacOS virtualised is possible in the 16GB model. But as some said that makes zero commercial sense for Apple so it's never happening. Would it be good for some people? Sure. Only carrying one device and having a tablet and a Macbook in one device (dual boot or virtualised).
Would it be good for the iPad long term? No, it would kill incentives to develop pro apps for iPadOS. So, personally I am ok with that never happening.
What I am not ok with is the slow pace with which Apple has been adressing some (sometimes basic) iPad shortcomings, like no audio from the iPad when connected to a monitor (adressed in iPadOS 17) etc., the poor RAM limitations of Safari even with 16GB RAM (not addressed yet) etc. Also why not Sidecar or Universal control between iPads? At least some for or remote desktop into iPad will come with iPadOS 18 (has been possible for years for Apple employees)
I don't think they do it on purpose, I just think they don't devote enough resources to iPad sadly.
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Certain posters really seem to get bent out of shape when people comment about this.
Unfortunately, after years and thousands and thousands of dollars spent on apple technology, I’m on the conclusion that keeping the iPad away from functionality levels you would get on the laptop is purely a marketing decision. Clearly they must have the program could tweak iPadOS to function more life, you get with a laptop. There’s also just weird clumsy things with this new M4 13 inch when using it with their keyboard. One thing I have to go in and make adjustments to keyboard settings just to be able to type in the browser of otherwise it’s disabled. or forced to go between the little widgets at the bottom of the screen when using the keyboard back-and-forth keyboard, touch, keyboard, touch, help, help touch, keyboard saving files to folders is so convoluted it’s ridiculous. I have to upload and load things to get them where they need to go. is that Lil cursor that is so thick it covers what I need to see underneath it half the time. 13 minute screen should be able to have an arrow instead of that round ball. It’s true. I have forced a lot of laptop product onto this iPad. I’m running the full office. Suite teams SharePoint power VI the full Adobe suite including Acrobat pro. Acrobat pro on this iPad has been the most frustrating trying to manipulate store files in the sophomore file system is terrible. You have to ask yourself. Where do they wanna go with this product and where do you consumers wanted to go. Relate to me. It’s just gone from being a device with some drawing capabilities that started out around $700 and they just made it look prettier slimmer, etc. while they ramp the pricing up to where I’ve got $2500 invested. This is my fault for some reason I love the form factor of being able to carry this versus my 13 inch laptop. it just can’t keep up.
Either way, Apple itself is what is interesting here. No matter how badly there are those of us who want MacPads, Apple is the one saying it ain’t gonna happen. Like that’s it! Pack her up!
But it can be freeing. I actually like having a MacBook Pro and iPad Pro to complement each other. One works as a travel monitor for the other. One is a top notch desktop OS and the other is the best tablet OS.
But it can be freeing. I actually like having a MacBook Pro and iPad Pro to complement each other. One works as a travel monitor for the other. One is a top notch desktop OS and the other is the best tablet OS.
And the iPhone finally received the ability to move icons around freely lol… point being, that’s always been Apple strategy to bring on features at a slow pace, not sure why the iPad gets the short end of stick.
Not to say I disagree with you that iPadOS needs improvements, but the iPad has been out roughly 14 to 15 years... Compared to traditional OS (Windows & Mac) that has been out for 40 years (for which is still improving).
iPadOS (13) was a big jump (external storage, mouse support, desktop safari, much better split view and slide over, etc). Since then improvements have been way slower, I would say that 14 to 18 is barely more than 12 to 13. Some features have even been removed like more icons in the home page and home view, but that's not a big deal....
So, for me the comparison with Windows and Mac is not really relevant. They did a lot with the first iPadOS and did very little the following years (some years more others almost nothing).
I am sure if pushed by competition and with enough resources they could have done a lot more (and I have a long list of feature requests, corrections etc) but resources when to other things like the more lucrative iPhone or the (potential) next big thing, Vision Pro. I mean even the Mac, that brings in roughly as much money as the iPad, got way more over the past years, and some of the biggest features iPad got are more as a "Mac companion" (sidecar, universal control etc) than as a standalone device.
They definitely seem to focus on bringing features that are cross device and focus less on iPad specific features.
And when they did, This year, they were focussing more on pencil stuff like the math notes, the notes app and Freeform
I'd argue iPadOS 16 wasn't a minor update (external monitor support and better multitasking with Stage Manager). And iPadOS 17 brought along Enhanced AutoFill for PDFs and profiles with Safari (more responsive searches too).
Because I think people are looking for major updates every year for the iPad... but that's never been the case. It's like a tick-tock cycle, some updates are minor... while some can be big.
I think this year was a minor update for iPadOS because Apple was heavily focus on AI... but luckily, it's coming to iPadOS as well. Imagine, it only came to the iPhone and Mac... while leaving the iPad out of it (whereas Vision Pro is not supported).