Do we think Apple even wants people to just use an iPad?

[baconcat_8964]

I think people should not be suprised that many people don't have a computer/PC/Mac besides their workplace.

If the iPad can meets their daily computing needs, then they don't need a computer/PC/Mac.

 

[snipr125]

“What’s a computer?” Remember that nauseating ad?

In all seriousness after 15 years of cars and trucks analogy it hasn’t panned out. Many recent quarters where the Mac made more money on less units sold. The issue is the snail pace development of iPad OS and file and window management on it. Consumers en masse are not using iPads at the same level a Mac user uses a Mac. Then add price sensitivity to the mix. Tim thought the iPad was the darling of Apple’s future and the era of Mac neglect began. Then they reversed course.

The clamshell form factor of the laptop and the robustness and ports of the Mac make it what it is. The pinto the majority is an awesome bigger screen iPhone that they do the same things on. They don’t see the iPad the way a Macrumors member would. And they don’t care.

The way I look at it personally, what could go away tomorrow and have the least impact? The iPhone, the iPad, or the Mac? The iPad is a clear answer for me. The Mac is the foundation of everything  does and builds in Cupertino. It’s been 15 years and to me, I don’t see the iPad becoming what everyone predicted it would. For it to become that, it would essentially be a touchscreen Mac. And at the of the day, it would still be a Mac. Just my 2 cents.

If I was in university doing everything on an iPad, the iPad would feel like a clunky 18 wheeler, and the MacBook would feel like the Ferrari.

As a musician/guitarist, the iPad is incapable of doing what the Mac can. I don’t see that changing in the next 15 years either. I will bet against the iPad any day on many fronts. It has more to do with Apple than it does the device itself and what could be that won’t be.

From Apples perspective though, the iPhone and iPad are their main financial priorities because they are locked and monetised to the App Store. They made a big statement with iPad OS 26, you cant deny that. The Mac is the foundation in terms of development of course, but it significantly makes them the least money overall.

 

[richpjr]

I think people should not be suprised that many people don't have a computer/PC/Mac besides their workplace.

If the iPad can meets their daily computing needs, then they don't need a computer/PC/Mac.

I've got a work MBP and for personal use, a Mac Studio, an 11" iPad Pro, a 13" iPad Pro and a Windows gaming PC that I use for specialized things. My 2 daughters have work laptops and PCs. Maybe it's an age thing.

 

[Astuces iOS]

I have both, very happy, have a nice day everyone !

 

[CyberDavis]

Apple wants you to buy both a Mac and an iPad

I Apple would like people to but at least one.
I for many users an iPad would cover their usage, but for others the iPad might not quite be able to do everything.

I think my biggest hurdle was my photography workflow.
Whilst there are good options for editing photos on iPad I could never get to point of it being slick enough to get pictures off my camera, edited and stored on external drive etc.
But I’m sure many others have a workflow that works.

I guess, however, that Apple may just want us as the users to declare the iPad enough for ourselves and so maybe one shouldn't be waiting from a clear official nod from Apple? Waiting for the latter is probably a misplaced hope - Apple gains from the strategic ambiguity.

Apple will never explicitly say one device fits all as that would not fit the business model.
And to be fair, if they did then people would complain.

I guess the challenge is for Apple to make it clear where each device excels, and why that’s the device a person needs.
👍

 

[chiltonwebb3]

Apple could offer an all in one OS, and they've been able to create one for decades. iOS is based on the same underlying tech as macOS. There would've been some minor variations early on, but this would've been very doable.

Then you'd just have to pick a form factor, whether it's a laptop, desktop, iPad, or iPhone.

But they realized at some point that simplifying people's lives does not make money. And unifying the OS means developers would end up lazy porting apps, so you'd have the same layout just bigger buttons, etc. Not what Apple wants, either.

So they prevent MacBooks from having touch screens and stylus support.
They prevent iPads from having a normal file system and from being able to compile iPad apps.
They prevent iPad and iPad mini from having a phone app, despite having the ability to have a SIM card.
They prevent iPhones from having a stylus

etc.

Apple is a hardware company. They are not in business to sell less hardware, so they're going to separate what their hardware can do, and say they're making a tool that is specific to what you NEED.

 

[TechnoMonk]

Apple could offer an all in one OS, and they've been able to create one for decades. iOS is based on the same underlying tech as macOS. There would've been some minor variations early on, but this would've been very doable.

Then you'd just have to pick a form factor, whether it's a laptop, desktop, iPad, or iPhone.

But they realized at some point that simplifying people's lives does not make money. And unifying the OS means developers would end up lazy porting apps, so you'd have the same layout just bigger buttons, etc. Not what Apple wants, either.

So they prevent MacBooks from having touch screens and stylus support.
They prevent iPads from having a normal file system and from being able to compile iPad apps.
They prevent iPad and iPad mini from having a phone app, despite having the ability to have a SIM card.
They prevent iPhones from having a stylus

etc.

Apple is a hardware company. They are not in business to sell less hardware, so they're going to separate what their hardware can do, and say they're making a tool that is specific to what you NEED.

If that was the case, competition would have cannabilized apple. Microsoft tried, their device was more closer to laptop with a terrible tablet. Apple could do the same, but it’s a subpar experience as some one who tried Microsoft and Apple iPad Pro/along with Mac. A perfect 2 in 1 is a myth right now.

 

[chiltonwebb3]

If that was the case, competition would have cannabilized apple. Microsoft tried, their device was more closer to laptop with a terrible tablet. Apple could do the same, but it’s a subpar experience as some one who tried Microsoft and Apple iPad Pro/along with Mac. A perfect 2 in 1 is a myth right now.

How? No one can compete with Apple on their own turf.

Microsoft isn't getting close under any circumstances, unless they can get into the Apple ecosystem. Why would I add a Windows machine that can't do things like use handoff? And their setups are decidedly un-Apple-like. Just the shortcut keys are enough to deter most people from switching. Plus, Microsoft's hardware offerings have been weird as hell.

 

[TechnoMonk]

How? No one can compete with Apple on their own turf.

Microsoft isn't getting close under any circumstances, unless they can get into the Apple ecosystem. Why would I add a Windows machine that can't do things like use handoff? And their setups are decidedly un-Apple-like. Just the shortcut keys are enough to deter most people from switching. Plus, Microsoft's hardware offerings have been weird as hell.

Why would Microsoft get in to Apple ecosystem? Makes no sense. What Microsoft tried was to build a 2 in 1 to bring iPad/mac customers to a single windows device. If they would have made a perfect tablet/laptop combo, it would have been an easy sell. Microsoft ended up with a laptop that could do some tablet things. If Apple tried the same they would either end up like a surface laptop with some tablet features or basically an iPad Pro with some laptop features. Apple chose the later, Microsoft chose laptop with some tablet features.

 

[Ipadonly1]

Of course they want people to buy and use iPads. If you design and sell a product, you want people to buy and use it, and feel they weren’t cheated. Otherwise you wouldn’t have many customers and you’d go out of business.

Apple want people to use iPads.

They don’t want people to use iPads only. They want people to use a Mac ( and preferably two Macs, a laptop and desktop), an iPad, an iPhone and a Watch. And they want people to pay for services to integrate all these devices.

They know not everyone will buy from all categories, but they definitely want the average customer to buy at least two + some services.

Realistically, a lot of people could get away with only owning an iPhone, if you could connect that iPhone to a monitor, keyboard and mouse, and if all the software you needed was available, but there’s far less profit in that model.

Nokia’s big mistake was making a range of phone that gave people every everything they wanted from a phone at that time, and didn’t need any upgrading or upselling.

Apple have made sure they don’t make that mistake.

I guess we can probably say that Apple isn’t content with a customer only buying one product, but how sure are we that 2 is fine and not 3? Is one of those devices Apple expects people to buy a Mac?

 

[Ipadonly1]

I think people, especially on these types of websites seriously underestimate how many people, not “geeks”, your regular doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents, flight attendant, office manager, etc never, ever touch terminal, Xcode, Final Cut Pro, etc ever in their life.
i’d argue that for the vast amount of consumers, not Mac users but just consumers in general, the iPad is perfectly fine and has been perfectly fine since at least the first iPad Pro.
besides price point, there is a reason Apple sells 20 million Macs for every 60 Million iPads.
They’re perfect first time computers, they are perfect computers for people who have retired, they are perfect computers for the casual consumer.
most average consumers don’t even understand what the file system even is.
i’d even say that it’s likely that the vast majority of the 2 billion iPhone users wouldn’t know the difference between “Finder” and “Spotlight”, and think “Terminal.app” is a type of game or something. Steve was right, people just… Do not want to have to deal with that.

That’s a very useful stat to bear in mind. I didn’t realise the ratio was quite so high. Think it shows that Apple must keep pushing the iPad to be a proper computer.

 

[Ipadonly1]

As Steve said - the future is people who do not need macOS to use something that is safer and easier to deal with.

The cars vs. trucks analogy.

macOS is the truck
ipadOS is the car

Not everyone needs or wants a truck, but the world still does need trucks!

Where i work we are actively considering whether or not most of our end users could get by with an ipad pro, the folio and an ultra-wide monitor (32x9, 49" to give same usable space as 2x 27" displays).

Sure. we have engineering workstations, etc. but for the bulk of our end users who do email, web apps and comms - and who already have an iPhone - the ipad will give them a lot of common ground and less risk of malware, etc. than the windows PCs we currently support.


As i've said many times here before, my daily carry is a macbook pro and an ipad air (inc pencil and keyboard).

If i had to give one of them up for the day... well... i've actually gone days without the macbook before when i have been on the road and managed fine. I've also gone without the ipad. ipadOS 26 is going to make the choice even more difficult. Yeah the mac is more powerful but i don't always need it, and the ipad caa do things the mac can't, like sketch diagrams, take notes, etc.

Yes and I think we can see that Apple is now, as they were in 2018, serious about making a good car. I think the interim years still weigh heavily and have impacted my confidence that they don’t want me to get a truck to do proper mileage.

 

[Ipadonly1]

I Apple would like people to but at least one.
I for many users an iPad would cover their usage, but for others the iPad might not quite be able to do everything.

I think my biggest hurdle was my photography workflow.
Whilst there are good options for editing photos on iPad I could never get to point of it being slick enough to get pictures off my camera, edited and stored on external drive etc.
But I’m sure many others have a workflow that works.

Apple will never explicitly say one device fits all as that would not fit the business model.
And to be fair, if they did then people would complain.

I guess the challenge is for Apple to make it clear where each device excels, and why that’s the device a person needs.
👍

Yes I think you’re right

 

[CyberDavis]

Apple could offer an all in one OS, and they've been able to create one for decades.

I imagine the challenge is having an all-in-one OS that does not feel like a compromise in the different scenarios.

 

[pivo6]

The iPad technically is a computer, but it is "gimped" so much, it is more an appliance.

 

[Ludatyk]

Apple will never explicitly say one device fits all as that would not fit the business model.
And to be fair, if they did then people would complain.

I guess the challenge is for Apple to make it clear where each device excels, and why that’s the device a person needs.
👍

From the words of Phil Schiller…

• “The job of the watch is to do more and more things on your wrist so that you don’t need to pick up your phone as often.”
• “The job of the phone is to do more and more things such that maybe you don’t need your iPad, and it should be always trying and striving to do that.”
• “The job of the iPad should be to be so powerful and capable that you never need a notebook. Like, why do I need a notebook? I can add a keyboard! I can do all these things!””
• “The job of the notebook is to make it so you never need a desktop, right? It’s been doing this for a decade.”
• “[The job of the Mac] is to challenge what we think a computer can do, and do things that no computer has ever done before—[it should] be more and more powerful and capable so that we need a desktop because of its capabilities.”

 

[Happy_John]

The iPad technically is a computer, but it is "gimped" so much, it is more an appliance.

Almost everything Apple sells is technically a computer. A HomePod mini is a computer, as are Aipods. That’s not a comparison that means anything.

 

[jclardy]

I think with 26 Apple has solved most all of the "basic computing" problems the iPad has had. Multitasking is now good, background processes are now visible, and the files app is much better (Still no finder replacement though.)

There are still big issues though - for example, some photo/video apps only allow importing from the camera roll (because they are old, or just designed for the iPhone), while on a "real computer" like a mac the default is to import from the file system. Getting things between worlds is still a problem in apps like these, you have to import them to photos, import to the other app, modify, export to photos, then export to the file system. A lot of work, compared to on the mac - opening the file, editing it, then saving it. In the mac world, there is one copy of that file unless you deliberately make a copy, In the iOS world, you now have about 5 different versions of that same image, stored in different places - filesystem, photos app (2x - before/after), inside the app you imported to.

Technically, the problem is with the 3rd party software not allowing files, but this is not a problem a user should have to figure out, Apple could easily extend the system photos picker dialog to allow selection from Files, which would partially solve this issue for "legacy" apps.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

A lot of great tech journalists I follow like Frederico Viticci

This was the journalist that said there’s no way to edit text or view PDF’s on an iPad. If they were using an iPad for ANY number of minutes and didn’t know that, then what they know about iPads is pretty limited.

If Apple wants people to buy an iPad and a Mac, they’re doing a horrible job at it as the iPad outsells the Mac 2 or 3 to one. The real question is, “Do people with Macs feel a need to own and use Macs and things that work like Macs?” Yes. Give them an iPad, and Android tablet or a Windows tablet and, doesn’t matter which it is, they’ll always want it to be more like a Mac. And, I don’t expect Android or Windows to become a Mac replacement just like I don’t expect an iPad to be a Mac replacement.

It’s not surprising. Inthe same way, the Mac wasn’t an Apple II replacement, either. By the time the Apple II ended, there were still things it could do that Macs couldn’t. It was more important to Apple that the Mac became “enough” of a computer for the massive number of folks buying a new computer. They won over some Apple II folks that liked the form or how it worked more than they missed being able to, say, slot in a sound card, but they absolutely lost some customers. I think few would agree that losing those customers hurt Apple MORE in the long run.

With Apple’s smaller marketshare in all their markets, they rarely have to win over “everyone” to be financially successful. It’s to their benefit that they don’t need EVERY Mac user to like the iPad enough to use it as their only system (but they’re absolutely willing to continue selling Macs to those that prefer Macs).

 

[Unregistered 4U]

From Apples perspective though, the iPhone and iPad are their main financial priorities because they are locked and monetised to the App Store. They made a big statement with iPad OS 26, you cant deny that. The Mac is the foundation in terms of development of course, but it significantly makes them the least money overall.

Yup, looking at their chart of where their profits are coming from every year, the iPad is roughly the same in dollar percentage (which means 2-3 times more in unit sales due to the average lower price for iPads) and, as a result, the iPad is also a decent chunk of “Services” revenue as well. Looked at that way, They make more money from all things “not-macOS” than they do from macOS.

If they ever release a development platform for the iPad, I’m assuming it’d be incompatible with Xcode in some way, but in its own way, would still fulfill the main goal of being able to deliver content to the App Store. Developers will be able to continue to do both for awhile, but the smart ones will be figuring out the new methods.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Technically, the problem is with the 3rd party software not allowing files, but this is not a problem a user should have to figure out, Apple could easily extend the system photos picker dialog to allow selection from Files, which would partially solve this issue for "legacy" apps.

If the third party no longer exists or doesn’t care enough about their customer base to update their app, that’ll always be a third party problem. If they didn’t “fix” backwards compatibility with 32 bit apps, they’re not likely to “fix” this either.

 

[richpjr]

I think people, especially on these types of websites seriously underestimate how many people, not “geeks”, your regular doctors, lawyers, teachers, parents, flight attendant, office manager, etc never, ever touch terminal, Xcode, Final Cut Pro, etc ever in their life.
i’d argue that for the vast amount of consumers, not Mac users but just consumers in general, the iPad is perfectly fine and has been perfectly fine since at least the first iPad Pro.
besides price point, there is a reason Apple sells 20 million Macs for every 60 Million iPads.
They’re perfect first time computers, they are perfect computers for people who have retired, they are perfect computers for the casual consumer.
most average consumers don’t even understand what the file system even is.
i’d even say that it’s likely that the vast majority of the 2 billion iPhone users wouldn’t know the difference between “Finder” and “Spotlight”, and think “Terminal.app” is a type of game or something. Steve was right, people just… Do not want to have to deal with that.

There is definitely some truth to this and to your final point, I'd guess that most people only use a fraction of the capability of what an iPhone or iPad can do. I see it with my kids all the time and they grew up in a house with me, who's entire career in software development and for the last 8 or 9 years in mobile app development. They just don't care about deep dives and figuring out the nuances of a device.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

As Steve said - the future is people who do not need macOS to use something that is safer and easier to deal with.

I think if he were still around, he would have already milked the Mac for all it’s worth and be onto the next thing. I can understand why the current team may have more value for the Mac than he would have and are taking that transition slowly. He told them not to run the company like he would have anyway.

 

[richpjr]

I think if he were still around, he would have already milked the Mac for all it’s worth and be onto the next thing. I can understand why the current team may have more value for the Mac than he would have and are taking that transition slowly. He told them not to run the company like he would have anyway.

The Mac Market is not yet done being milked. In the first quarter this year, Apple had revenues of $19 billion for Macs and $8.1 billion for iPads, despite selling twice as many iPads as Macs.

 

[chiltonwebb3]

I imagine the challenge is having an all-in-one OS that does not feel like a compromise in the different scenarios.

The ModBook showed the world that the MacOS is perfectly capable of

Yup, looking at their chart of where their profits are coming from every year, the iPad is roughly the same in dollar percentage (which means 2-3 times more in unit sales due to the average lower price for iPads) and, as a result, the iPad is also a decent chunk of “Services” revenue as well. Looked at that way, They make more money from all things “not-macOS” than they do from macOS.

If they ever release a development platform for the iPad, I’m assuming it’d be incompatible with Xcode in some way, but in its own way, would still fulfill the main goal of being able to deliver content to the App Store. Developers will be able to continue to do both for awhile, but the smart ones will be figuring out the new methods.

On the development front, Apple expressly denied any tool that could create binaries from the first App Store, and probably since. I don't know about now, but when the app store launched, they shut down Mac developers like SuperCard who wanted to make an on-device development environment, from even putting an app on the iPad.

That's why we didn't get anything like HyperCard for iPad, from Apple.

I don't know what their plans are going forward, but at least a few months ago, they were still mandating this design.