Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Pro If iPad Pro could run MacOS, would you bother with iPadOS?
- Thread starter drumcat
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
For me, I would still prefer to use iOS on my iPad, because it’s touch-friendly interface would make for easier interaction when I am on the go.
I have a crazy theory;
I don’t think Apple will ever let the iPad straight run MacOS, but… let you run Mac Apps that are available specifically on the Mac App Store. Then they can make sure it has full functionality and warn users that these apps are mouse & keyboard optimised.
With all that Apple can keep the walls of the garden up and users can enjoy the full functionality of MacOS apps. Would also encourage devs to distribute their software over the Mac App Store.
I don’t think Apple will ever let the iPad straight run MacOS, but… let you run Mac Apps that are available specifically on the Mac App Store. Then they can make sure it has full functionality and warn users that these apps are mouse & keyboard optimised.
With all that Apple can keep the walls of the garden up and users can enjoy the full functionality of MacOS apps. Would also encourage devs to distribute their software over the Mac App Store.
Frankly, I wouldn't be so cross about it if they allowed Electron Apps. They may be poor performance, but it would cover so much more...
I like use sidecar all time. macOS as an app is a great concept. I wish they would expand a great deal with this idea. Making it so you can enable it from the iPad, cross compatible keyboard and mouse, remote accessible, I’d be all over that. But in conjunction with a mac, not macOS native on the iPad.
I'm generally happy with iPadOS and its optimized for the tablet, where as macOS would not be. It does everything I need it too, I see no reason for lusting after macOS
If I want MacOS, I will open up my MacBook Pro and use it. The form factor of the MacBook is favourable for the sort of tasks I need MacOS for anyway. My iPP is used for casual consumption and browsing, for which iPad OS is more than good enough.
Why use MacOS on a iPad when you can always go to your mac to use it. MacOS on the iPad is a very bad idea.
I would only boot into Mac OS X for things you cannot do in iOS/iPad OS.
An iPad Pro has better hardware than a MBA and a 13“ MacBook Pro.
A lot of which is due to iPadOS and would be irrelevant if booting into macOS
Better how exactly? Last time I checked my MBA has M1 chip and 16GB of RAM. Ain't that the same with the iPad pro?
Does the MBA and MBP have a Pro XDR display, just like their $5000 monitor? Does the MBP and MBA have a 12MP front facing camera? Does the display (which is superior in quality) have touch support?
The 13” MBA and MBP, you buy it basically for OS X and having a build-in keyboard already.
MacOS is better to use at a desk but iPadOS is so so much better for a laptop experience
That’s my thought and why apple would have nothing to worry about offering macOS on iPad Pro. It’ll sell more iPads. More App Store lock in. Even those that choose to use macOS on it will still use iPadOS.
Those saying nope just use a Mac don’t get it. Most users of such an iPad Pro wouldn’t buy a Mac then. If you’re apple you’d love cannibalizing macs with iPads.
My guess is that day is still coming but apple isn’t ready yet probably wanting a generation of m1 iPads sold first.
That's actually pretty genius. I hope they let you do that in a future software update!
It doesn’t feel very Apple-like to offer two operating systems on a device. Disregarding people claiming that Apple won’t do this because they don’t want to cannibalise sales of MacBooks. It just goes against Apple’s principles of simplicity.
In their eyes, it would be an abomination that has no place to exist, even if you argue that users don’t have to use macOS on an ipad if they don’t want to. It’s just not how Apple works.
Close. I think where Apple is going with catalyst is that once a Mac app is done, Apple is hoping that the developer will then be willing to spend a little more work porting that app over to the ipad as well. 90% of the work is already done, the developer only needs to optimise the UI for a touchscreen device.
The magic keyboard is considered an optional accessory for the ipad, and I don’t think Apple desires a situation where you are expected to have a keyboard and mouse in order to use an app optimally.
I don't think it's crazy at all. I'm expecting Apple to go this route eventually. The question is when.
I didn't respond to the poll because the choices are overly simplistic.
If the iPad Pro could run MacOS (and assuming, iPad OS), then I'd use the OS that best meets my needs at the time for that particular task.
I would go so far as to say that if the iPad Pro could run MacOS then Apple should "dumb down" iPad OS to be optimized for mobile use cases. As it currently stands, iPad OS is a mess... having a split personality with no rhyme or reason for the features and functions it has. It is too complex for a mobile OS but too limited to be a desktop OS.
Yes, this is my dream device, if you connect keyboard and pointing device, changes to mac os…otherwise IOS
I agree.
The closest thing to this type of behavior can be found in 2-in-1 chromebooks/tablets. My Pixelbook goes into "tablet mode" when the keyboard is flipped back. My wife's Lenovo chromebook Duet is in tablet mode when the keyboard is detached, but enters traditional chromebook/notebook mode when they keyboard is attached.
Behind that are Samsung tablets that support DeX.
And yet the ability to load windows on a Mac was fine? I wouldn’t have bought past macs otherwise.
Swapping between OSs isn’t exactly rocket science. And the iPad would be great for both.
Let’s get back to this simplicity thing and just not how apple works. Explain Apple Music’s changes. That looks like a clusterf*ck to the average apple user. They need a flow chart to explain it. Spatial audio. Lossless. Dolby atmos.
My wife is still lost trying to figure out multitasking on an iPad.
And let’s not forget how apple kept saying touch interface is silly on a laptop. The whole thing. Having to raise arm to touch screen. But then embraces this very thing with Magic kb for iPad.
How does putting iOS apps on a MacBook make any sense? Abomination? It’s better to do the reverse and makes much more sense.
You may think apple has principles of simplicity or whatever but their actions say otherwise.
I would want iPad OS, But I would like to see the M1 iPads to be able to run M1 apps. There is no reason the new iPad cant run M1 apps, this will give us the ability to pretty much run full desktop apps like Photoshop while running iPad OS.
It would be handy, because I could bring one device boot into MacOS when needed.