iPad Pro iPad has become quite useless and I regret purchasing it

[bondr006]

I love reading these iPad posts from people that spend 1k+ on a toy device and then complain it's not a computer. An iPad is used for watching YouTube and other couch/bed activities. No reason someone who wants a real PC should need to buy the most expensive iPad simply because it has "Pro" in the name. They offer these for as low as $329 new, it's not necessary to overpay and then complain about the cost.

What's really sad, is reading the post's of people who don't know how to use the iPad as anything but a toy, or just for "bed activities" that come on forums like this and make broad, baseless claims that pertain only to themselves, when the iPad is capable of so much more. In fact, imo the iPad is the most dynamic, flexible, and versatile device Apple has ever made and cannot be put in a box. It's a fact that not everyone can replace their laptop with an iPad, but everyone can certainly use their iPad as more than just a "toy". My 85 year old mother proves that every day with her iPad.

 

[papbot]

It's a fact that not everyone can replace their laptop with an iPad, but everyone can certainly use their iPad as more than just a "toy". My 85 year old mother proves that every day with her iPad.

When I got the very first ipad I realized pretty quickly that for a lot of people it could be all the computer they need, especially for older folk. Over time that’s become even more apparent. My laptop is essentially a backup to my iPad Pro just in case something arises that the ipad can’t do for me. That rarely happens these days. From financial management, to document storage and signing, foreign language lessons, health records, etc. I can’t think of anything my computer can do for me that my ipad can’t. I even recently redid my will on it. That’s my personal experience, others will have a different perspective.

 

[madat42]

I need to feel some sort of balance when using multiple Apple devices to justify owning them. The 12.9 sits nicely between my iPhone and MBP 16 for the work and fun I use them for. I can use all three devices to do almost the same things but they each excel depending on the situation. I'd rather use the iPad when reading books or reading music/tabs when playing guitar. I'd rather watch movies and Remote Desktop into work on my 16". Social media apps and other quick-check actions work better on my phone.

I could certainly live without the iPad but I love the flexibility it gives me whenever I want to step up from my phone or step down from my MBPro, and I love using it. At this point if I had to ditch one of the above it'd be the MBP.

 

[Curry119]

What's really sad, is reading the post's of people who don't know how to use the iPad as anything but a toy, or for "bed activities" that come on forums like this and make broad, baseless claims that pertain only to themselves, when the iPad is capable of so much more. In fact, imo the iPad is the most dynamic, flexible, and versatile device Apple has ever made and cannot be put in a box. It's a fact that not everyone can replace their laptop with an iPad, but everyone can certainly use their iPad as more than just a "toy". My 85 year old mother proves that every day with her iPad.

Almost everyone's Grandma would be fine with an iPad. Sorry if I miscommunicated that by referring to it as a toy. My main point is that it's not a true computer (Apple's own ads have confirmed this fact), and I believe that people who complain about spending 1k+ for less desktop features than a Mac/PC are missing the point of the iPad. The reality is most people use iPads as toys. YouTube, Books, Games, Porn, etc. It's not the platform you use if you need a desktop class OS. Sure, there are workarounds that allow you to do more, but don't spend 1k on an iPad and then complain about it when apple's own ads specify it's not a computer.

 

[bondr006]

Almost everyone's Grandma would be fine with an iPad. Sorry if I miscommunicated that by referring to it as a toy. My main point is that it's not a true computer (Apple's own ads have confirmed this fact), and I believe that people who complain about spending 1k+ for less desktop features than a Mac/PC are missing the point of the iPad. The reality is most people use iPads as toys. YouTube, Books, Games, Porn, etc. It's not the platform you use if you need a desktop class OS. Sure, there are workarounds that allow you to do more, but don't spend 1k on an iPad and then complain about it when apple's own ads specify it's not a computer.

It's funny that you use that Apple commercial. At the end when her mom asks about her computer, she says "what's a computer", and then immediately up pop the words "iPad Pro". Look starting at timestamp 0:50. iPad is a tablet computer that has all the components of any other modern computer and more, along with the tablet computer OS to run it. Claiming the iPad is not a computer doesn't make it not a computer. It's a modern tablet computer that you can do more things with than a traditional computer can do. I run my real estate and property management business just with my iPad Pro. Many businesses and professions use the iPad. Stock and inventory, database, record keeping, lawyers, doctors, police, military, artist's, photographers, banks, cpa's, IT, all use it for ease of use, portability, and in ways traditional computers just can't easily be used, and the list goes on. It is definitely a modern computer that in some ways is even more advanced than a "traditional computer".

 

[Curry119]

It's funny that you use that Apple commercial. At the end when her mom asks about her computer, she says "what's a computer", and then immediately up pop the words "iPad Pro". Look starting at timestamp 0:50. iPad is a tablet computer that has all the components of any other modern computer and more, along with the tablet computer OS to run it. Claiming the iPad is not a computer doesn't make it not a computer. It's a modern tablet computer that you can do more things with than a traditional computer can do. I run my real estate and property management business just with my iPad Pro. Many businesses and professions use the iPad. Stock and inventory, database, record keeping, lawyers, doctors, police, military, artist's, photographers, cpa's, all use it for ease of use, portability, and in ways traditional computers just can't easily be used, and the list goes on. It is definitely a modern computer that in some ways is even more advanced than a "traditional computer".

And then there is this...

Apple themselves have previously said it's not a computer in their own ad/marketing. I never doubted that the iPad has many applications and usage scenarios. I work in IT and personally use the iPad as my toy device as most iPad users do (very happy with it for this purpose). The folks that buy an iPad Pro for 1k+ expecting it to work the same as a Mac will never be satisfied. Eventually Apple might change that in the future, but for now an iPad is not a Mac computer and cannot run desktop apps directly onboard (even if it says "Pro" in the name). The folks that are cost sensitive and complain about the Pro's limitations could easily purchase a real Mac for their work and could buy the $329 iPad for the couch/bed and stop complaining about price.

 

[1BadManVan]

What's really sad, is reading the post's of people who don't know how to use the iPad as anything but a toy, or for "bed activities" that come on forums like this and make broad, baseless claims that pertain only to themselves, when the iPad is capable of so much more. In fact, imo the iPad is the most dynamic, flexible, and versatile device Apple has ever made and cannot be put in a box. It's a fact that not everyone can replace their laptop with an iPad, but everyone can certainly use their iPad as more than just a "toy". My 85 year old mother proves that every day with her iPad.

I completely agree, while I come to realize I prefer the MacBook now, ive had no issues using an iPad for years as a main computing device, and my mother is the exact same. Got her a 9th gen for Christmas to replace her 5th gen and thats all she's been using for years. A month after she got her iPad 5th gen a few years back, she literally packed up her computer and never been seen since lol.

My good friend who runs her own accounting/book keeping business has also replaced her laptop with a 9th gen iPad and a logitech keyboard case and its been perfect for her on the go work and she can still remote access her main pc from home for the tax software on the go.

Apple did an amazing job with the iPads, thats why people keep wanting more, they see the potential in them.

 

[bondr006]

Apple themselves have previously said it's not a computer in their own ad/marketing. I never doubted that the iPad has many applications and usage scenarios. I work in IT and personally use the iPad as my toy device as most iPad users do (very happy with it for this purpose). The folks that buy an iPad Pro for 1k+ expecting it to work the same as a Mac will never be satisfied. Eventually Apple might change that in the future, but for now an iPad is not a Mac computer and cannot run desktop apps directly onboard (even if it says "Pro" in the name). The folks that are cost sensitive and complain about the Pro's limitations could easily purchase a real Mac for their work and could buy the $329 iPad for the couch/bed and stop complaining about price.

I guess the word toy is subjective. I on the other hand, view my iPad as an important tool for my business and personal life. One, that at this point going without, would make my work and daily life much harder. Some people view their computers as toys instead of tools. I view my Mac Mini as my entertainment device and use it for many of the things most people use their iPads for. Some people view their cars as toys, so yes, the word "toy" is subjective. That, we can probably agree on. But just because it doesn't run MacOS or Windows, makes it not a computer. You ever hear of Linux or Chrome? Both OS's that make the machines they run on just as much computers as the "traditional" OS's do. iPad OS is a tablet computer OS that makes the iPad just as much a computer as the rest of them. Heck, even smartphones are handheld computers, which btw is not a new term or idea.

FYI, my iPad Pro easily replaced my MBP, made my work easier, cut my workflow, and no compromises or workarounds were necessary.

 

[ctjack]

I think all cases are not made equal and everyone will find something good or bad about iPads. Some will be disappointed and some will be happy to ditch other items while people in middle will find it as a nice complimentary product.

I would like to thank everyone for hot discussion and sharing their tips and tricks as well as life stories with iPad usage.

 

[Atomic1977]

Ok here I go on a tangent. An iphone is not a toy and neither is a iPad. They are a piece of technology that can do a lot of things and somethings even better than what the more tranditional computer can do. There for these devices are actually a type of computer despite what they tell you. And that’s that.

 

[Shirasaki]

@George Dawes

OK, so I loaded the most complex Excel file I have, one my wife made for our real estate and property management business, into both Google Sheets and Numbers, and both opened the file and worked fine with it. The file has several layers of links and tables, and everything worked just fine with both apps. You might want to try them to see what your results are.

Does Google Sheet upload the sheet to Google before opening it? Or it opens as if it is a local file?

 

[ctjack]

Does Google Sheet upload the sheet to Google before opening it? Or it opens as if it is a local file?

It is the former - you create a new google spreadsheet, then go to file and click open - select smth from your local computer.

 

[bondr006]

Does Google Sheet upload the sheet to Google before opening it? Or it opens as if it is a local file?

It opens locally in the app on the iPad. You can also use the online Sheets in your browser if you prefer, but I was testing the app locally on the iPad.

 

[TorbenIbsen]

Now, this will depend on the individual use case but I want to share my experience.

I bought iPad Pro 12.9 M1 6 months ago, I had the Air 2 previously. Initially I used to use it as a multimedia/Youtube device and was so impressed by the display and speakers. But as I bought the MacBook Pro 16, the use case of iPad Pro has completely diminished for me.

I mostly use my laptop and don't even pick up my iPad Pro anymore. I knew beforehand that iPad was severely limited in software. I don't know why this even exists anymore. Even the baseline MacBook Air has good value and could do heck more than the iPad.

Most of my gripes are with the software, it just cannot do much. It doesn't even have a good video player where I can watch local dolby vision content, the ones on the App Store are unnecessarily expensive. On my MacBook I can use Subler to convert an mkv DV file with 4-5 clicks and watch it on the QuickTime player. Everything is unnecessarily complicated on the iPad.

The files app is a hot mess as well on iPadOS 14. I haven't upgraded to the 15 as I have read posts about the battery life gone down to the *******. There isn't even the progress bar for copying/pasting files to and from the iPad and It sometimes fails when doing that. Every time I use the files app, I fold my hand and pray for it to go smoothly. The widgets on the iPadOS 15 has messed up the spacing on the home screen as well. Instead of adding some features the update has been an annoyance for the users. ymmv.

I am not an artist or a gamer. I did thought about picking up the Apple Pencil for the heck of it but I read forum posts about how it doesn't jive well with screen protectors so I just gave up on that idea.

Then I thought I could use it to read books but this damn thing is not that easy to hold or read on without getting fatigued eyes and hands.

It's a shame that such a good hardware is just completely hampered by the bad software experience.

For me, this has been the most regretful purchase I have ever made in my life. I am thinking about selling it but I don't know if it will fetch any good value where I live. I wished I had purchased a Mac mini or the Air instead of the iPad. Another Mac could have actually helped me in web development or other hobbies that I like exploring from time to time.

Apple Marketing has worked hard to make potential customers look at the iPad as some kind of MacBook Lite and that the iPad can be a MacBook replacement. So you are probably a victim of that marketing. - But if you look at the iPad as an iPad and not as a MacBook there will be a ton of use cases for the iPad. Because there are a ton of things/apps you can only do on the iPad.

I have a 12.9" iPad Pro (elderly, 2nd gen but running IOS 16 just fine) and an iPad Pro 11" 3rd gen (with LIDAR). In some situations I want the big screen (like for vector drawings) and sometimes the smaller screen. It depends on what I do and where I do it. - The size of any iPad model is both it's advantage and disadvantage. So what we really want is a "Harry Potter" model which automatically sizes itself according to the situation.

I don't use the iPads as "MacBook Lite" devices. I use either my M1 iMac 24" or my 2018 Intel MacBook Pro when I need MacOS and the Mac features. But I really love my iPads doing all the things which cannot be done on the Macs.

 

[NastyMatt]

Almost everyone's Grandma would be fine with an iPad. Sorry if I miscommunicated that by referring to it as a toy. My main point is that it's not a true computer (Apple's own ads have confirmed this fact), and I believe that people who complain about spending 1k+ for less desktop features than a Mac/PC are missing the point of the iPad. The reality is most people use iPads as toys. YouTube, Books, Games, Porn, etc. It's not the platform you use if you need a desktop class OS. Sure, there are workarounds that allow you to do more, but don't spend 1k on an iPad and then complain about it when apple's own ads specify it's not a computer.

You misunderstood that ad completely.

 

[spiderman0616]

Apple themselves have previously said it's not a computer in their own ad/marketing. I never doubted that the iPad has many applications and usage scenarios. I work in IT and personally use the iPad as my toy device as most iPad users do (very happy with it for this purpose). The folks that buy an iPad Pro for 1k+ expecting it to work the same as a Mac will never be satisfied. Eventually Apple might change that in the future, but for now an iPad is not a Mac computer and cannot run desktop apps directly onboard (even if it says "Pro" in the name). The folks that are cost sensitive and complain about the Pro's limitations could easily purchase a real Mac for their work and could buy the $329 iPad for the couch/bed and stop complaining about price.

All this “iPad is just a toy” stuff is nonsense and also kind of insulting. I regularly manage work projects, attend meetings, take notes, answer calls, etc on my iPad during the work day. Am I just doing toy work then?

The iPad is its own thing. It is also probably the most versatile device Apple makes other than the iPhone. I get plenty of work AND play done on my iPads in fact, I even answer work emails in Outlook for Apple Watch sometimes. Are those just toy emails because they weren’t sent from my traditional notebook computer? Are my graphic design projects or OneNote notebooks any less valid if they were done on an iPad or even iPhone instead of a Mac?

Please. Everything we use these days is a computer, a robot, AI driven, or a combination of all of the above. It’s all a computer. Just pick the one you like working with best. Doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks is correct.

 

[bondr006]

Apple themselves have previously said it's not a computer in their own ad/marketing.

Where's the beef? Please post some links. Don't bother posting the "What's a Computer" video again. That was Apple's response to challenge people's antiquated, traditional views of what a computer is.

No one has said the iPad is a Mac, or even that it can replace everyone's main computer, but the iPad IS a very capable and versatile modern computer, and definitely NOT a toy.

In the mean time...

"Apple's iPad is now the most popular computer in the world, according to CEO Tim Cook."

“I think if you’re looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?” Cook told the British publication. “Yes, the iPad Pro is a replacement for a notebook or a desktop for many, many people. They will start using it and conclude they no longer need to use anything else, other than their phones.”

Read this on Apple's website and still make the claim iPad is not a computer, or that it's just a toy. It does many things a traditional computer cannot do, and many things a traditional computer can do, the iPad does better.

And then there is this...Another Apple challenge to people's antiquated, traditional views of what a computer is.

5 Reasons iPad Pro can be your next computer - Apple

And this....

 

[PowerPCFan]

I use my iPad more than any of my other devices. I love it!!!!

 

[daimyo52]

Outside of other specialized software, the utility of an iPad for the average user comes down to one main question: Do you really use a core Microsoft app (word, excel, powerpoint, etc) for meaningful work? If the answer is yes, no the iPad can't replace your laptop. The end. Tried it so many times, it's just not going to happen. If you don't use them, then give it a shot.

 

[spiderman0616]

Outside of other specialized software, the utility of an iPad for the average user comes down to one main question: Do you really use a core Microsoft app (word, excel, powerpoint, etc) for meaningful work? If the answer is yes, no the iPad can't replace your laptop. The end. Tried it so many times, it's just not going to happen. If you don't use them, then give it a shot.

I've lived in the Microsoft cloud for all apps and services for the last roughly 13 years for my job and have had equal amounts of success on both the iPad and Mac. Even for pretty complicated shared Excel sheets. I am currently using it as a second screen with Universal Control and it's running my Outlook and OneNote instances. Nothing is crashing or malfunctioning. Just quickly checked an Excel sheet I needed info from as well and that worked too. What am I doing wrong?

 

[bondr006]

Outside of other specialized software, the utility of an iPad for the average user comes down to one main question: Do you really use a core Microsoft app (word, excel, powerpoint, etc) for meaningful work? If the answer is yes, no the iPad can't replace your laptop. The end. Tried it so many times, it's just not going to happen. If you don't use them, then give it a shot.

See, making categorically bold claims like this is what I'm talking about. I am a realtor and property manager, and Office 365 Word is one of my most used apps on my iPad Pro. If it doesn't work for you, that is fine, but don't presume to be able to speak for others that it certainly can and does work for. As I showed above, even Tim realized that the iPad is capable of being the main computing device for many people. Even on Apple's website, they promote MS Office for the iPad Pro. Maybe "the end" for you, but not "the end" for everyone.

 

[floral]

I like to think of the iPad Pro as a bridge between people that just want a beefy device that won't be outclassed for a long time, and people that actually need said power to improve their workflow in something like a job or school.

(personally, I'm more on the side that just wants a tablet to be useful for more than a few years)

 

[rui no onna]

I like to think of the iPad Pro as a bridge between people that just want a beefy device that won't be outclassed for a long time, and people that actually need said power to improve their workflow in something like a job or school.

(personally, I'm more on the side that just wants a tablet to be useful for more than a few years)

I just want lotsa lotsa storage.

64GB stopped being enough for me 10 years ago when apps went retina and my Kindle/Kobo/Nook manga library grew.

But yes, I do appreciate how long lasting iPads have gotten. I used to upgrade every year circa 2011-2017.

 

[floral]

I just want lotsa lotsa storage.

64GB stopped being enough for me 10 years ago when apps went retina and my Kindle/Kobo/Nook manga library grew.

Hehe, yeah.

64gb really isnt anything today, considering the device sucks up half of it for system shenanigans.

I think 128gb is a perfect compromise for me, and it's only found on the Pro currently, so I may just cave and get an M2 pro instead of waiting for an M2 air.

 

[BigMcGuire]

A lot of computing today is being offloaded to the cloud. I've spent a lot of my life doing side IT work for companies and it's interesting to see how many now use an iPad as a terminal to access a website that does everything that used to be done locally - especially medical practices.

For most people an iPad is everything one needs. From an IT perspective (owner's point of view), it requires a LOT less resources to maintain and operate. Security is a huge bump too.

People who bag on the iPad as a toy have always struck me as willingly ignorant (yes, it may not work for them, but for most people...). I used an iPad as my primary computing device for several years - used it with a mouse/keyboard and 4k monitor. It worked. It did everything I needed. I could write pages of text on what I've used my iPad for shocking a lot of people. In the end, I don't need to convince others of my toolset. Some people believe the world is flat. <shrug>. I won't be wasting time trying to prove to them otherwise, lol.