iPad Pro IPadOS - yuck

[Arquet]

Is there a technical limitation to using desktop class chips for these tablets?

The Surface Pro X is suffering the same fate, maybe even worse. They didn't use an Intel chip but a Qualcomm one, I'm not a hardware designer but why can't the iPad and Surface Pro X just use normal laptop Intel/AMD CPUs ? Power draw? Heat?

 

[rui no onna]

Power draw? Heat?

These two pretty much.

Before I got an iPad, I actually had a chunky Windows tablet with Intel Atom Z-something processor that overheated after 1.5-2 hours of use. Situation's better now but TDP is still high on Intel compared to ARM and last I checked, AMD still used more power than Intel.

 

[Falhófnir]

Is there a technical limitation to using desktop class chips for these tablets?

The Surface Pro X is suffering the same fate, maybe even worse. They didn't use an Intel chip but a Qualcomm one, I'm not a hardware designer but why can't the iPad and Surface Pro X just use normal laptop Intel/AMD CPUs ? Power draw? Heat?

The whole point of the SP X is to get Windows running on ARM out in the wild to help start building a native ecosystem around it. The SP 7 is the Intel version, and the two showcase the difference in microcosm - the X can have a sleeker form factor, but currently has compatibility issues with much of Window's back catalogue of software, the 7 is (relatively) chunkier but maintains full compatibility.

As to why bother, since Skylake (6th gen) Intel has hit a bit of a wall and gone nowhere fast with advancing their chip design, they've been stuck using essentially the same 14nm manufacturing process since then (having just finally broken into 10nm designs in the last few months) while Apple and other ARM chip manufacturers have gone to 10, 7, and are on the cusp of achieving 5nm designs. This means cooler and more energy efficient chips pumping out (relatively) tons of power - ideal for phone, tablet and small laptop form factors, which is where this is probably going in the near-medium term. In the long term, if Intel can't get its mojo back they're even going to be threatened in their stronghold of high end workstations and gaming computers, considering the trajectory of at least Apple's chips compared to their own. This makes it more likely (and it's indeed rumoured for next year) that at least compact Macs like the MacBook Air will switch over from Intel to Apple's own ARM chips (of course different to the ones used in iPhones and iPads, allowed to draw more power, get hotter and probably actively cooled with a fan).

As for the iPad, it's much better off using Apple's own CPUs considering they're nipping at the heels of Intel's best 45W H series chips which are far too hot and power hungry to go into something that thin and light, let alone without a cooling fan altogether! Like the SP X in reverse, it would also break compatibility with the 1,000,000+ iPad apps in the app store to use an Intel processor, requiring either emulation or recompiling and tinkering by the developers to make them work.

 

[Ludatyk]

This makes it more likely (and it's indeed rumoured for next year) that at least compact Macs like the MacBook Air will switch over from Intel to Apple's own ARM chips (of course different to the ones used in iPhones and iPads, allowed to draw more power, get hotter and probably actively cooled with a fan).

Agreed, I like how Apple has approached the likely transition. Adobe, Google and Microsoft suites are working on the iPad using ARM chips... as well as introducing Mac Catalyst. We all can see where it’s heading... its refreshing to see a plan being executed. But Apple won’t rush the process.

 

[MacManiac76]

Are you referring to the name change to “ipadOS”? Because unless I’m missing something, that’s all it is—a name change. Yes, there are new iPad-specific features with this iOS version, but as usual. iPad has been getting unique features in iOS basically since the beginning. (And it’s still iOS.) This is simply a continuation. The name change is superficial, nothing fundamentally different as far as I can tell.

I am referring to the new features added in iPadOS 13.

 

[subjonas]

I am referring to the new features added in iPadOS 13.

ipadOS has some nice new features but I wouldn’t say it’s the iPad’s most significant upgrade when you look back at so many important features that have been added over the years like share sheet, multi-tasking, continuity, notification center, control center, spotlight, airplay, siri, icloud backup, activation lock, touch id, apple pay, retina, apple pencil, etc.

 

[Ludatyk]

ipadOS has some nice new features but I wouldn’t say it’s the iPad’s most significant upgrade when you look back at so many important features that have been added over the years like share sheet, multi-tasking, continuity, notification center, control center, spotlight, airplay, siri, icloud backup, activation lock, touch id, apple pay, retina, apple pencil, etc.

Uhhh... iPadOS is the most significant upgrade compared to previous upgrades. I mean, there’s iOS 9 when Apple introduced multi-tasking on the iPad. But I can point to one specific feature of iPadOS whereas it’s plenty to choose from... External Drive support. That alone, makes it the most significant. Everything else is refinements and I can only imagine what they plan on doing for the next iteration.

 

[sracer]

How can you tell Steve Jobs is dead and Jony Ive left the building - iPadOS and iOS13. Both are suffering from design bloat and slight - but annoying - interface changes.

Changing the way multitasking/multiwindow works with every single major release of iOS/iPadOS since it was first introduced is indeed annoying.

The inconsistencies in the interface continue to grow with each release. 10 years later the user still needs to look in two places for an app's settings.

Sure, all those drop shadows look pretty, but the design seems to have triggered a performance hit. I am on the latest iPad Pro - so outdated equipment isn’t an issue.

Why are there drop shadows in the first place? I thought that skeuomorphism was dead.

I am not one of those Apple-hater trolls. I use an iPhone, 2 iPads and an iMac, but I am definitely disappointed in some of the design changes where form seems to have won out over function.

There is reason to be hopeful though. By separating iOS from iPadOS, Apple has positioned themselves to be able to customize and specialize each OS for their intended targets.

 

[subjonas]

Uhhh... iPadOS is the most significant upgrade compared to previous upgrades.

Even if you’re just comparing whole iOS updates, which I wasn’t really, that’s an arguable statement. Because using your external drive support example: first, that’s not everyone’s most significant feature; second, it has been around via 3rd party apps; and third, it’s still limited and more just an iteration of the feature.
Any one of the other features I mentioned (multi-tasking, share sheet, apple pencil, etc) may have added as much functionality to the iPad as this ipadOS update—depending on the individual.

 

[Ludatyk]

Even if you’re just comparing whole iOS updates, which I wasn’t really, that’s an arguable statement.

Well, you did mention it. By you responding to the previous post... you were in disagreement by it being the most significant upgrade.

but I wouldn’t say it’s the iPad’s most significant upgrade when you look back at so many important features that have been added over the years

And my point is... the fact Apple even branched out to create iPadOS, that’s big of themselves... whereas plenty would claim it’s just a marketing ploy. It’s still significant

Because using your external drive support example: first, that’s not everyone’s most significant feature; second, it has been around via 3rd party apps; and third, it’s still limited and more just an iteration of the feature.
Any one of the other features I mentioned (multi-tasking, share sheet, apple pencil, etc) may have added as much functionality to the iPad as this ipadOS update—depending on the individual.

I get it. It may not be everyone‘s most significant feature... but any other added features have been improvements to existing features. And yeah, external drive support has been around through 3rd party apps.. however it was limited to its own app. You couldn’t access files outside it’s own app. That’s what makes iPadOS external drive support such a big deal.

 

[subjonas]

Well, you did mention it. By you responding to the previous post... you were in disagreement by it being the most significant upgrade.

I do disagree, but to be clear, the previous posts did not explicitly say ipadOS is the best iOS update ever; it said it is “the best thing to happen to the iPad since...ever” which leaves it open to comparisons to pretty much anything, not just entire iOS updates. It’s possible the poster was only comparing to entire iOS updates, but if so, it was not made clear. But regardless, again, I do disagree with either meaning.

And my point is... the fact Apple even branched out to create iPadOS, that’s big of themselves... whereas plenty would claim it’s just a marketing ploy. It’s still significant

This is also where we may disagree. I see ipadOS as nothing but a name change—not necessarily for marketing purposes, but it also does not signify any fundamental change in Apple’s approach to the iPad software as of this update. iPad has been slowly gaining software features that make it stand apart from iOS for iPhone (multi-tasking, etc), so this may just be the point in time that Apple decided a name change was appropriate. But the name change doesn’t mean the trajectory suddenly changed with it, that it has accelerated (at least not with this update—maybe future updates, who knows). In other words, suppose Apple never changed the name to ipadOS—in 10 years, would iOS 13 have been the year people looked back on and said, “that was the update that really fundamentally changed iPad software to the point that it should have been renamed”? I argue not. This update improves the iPad software and separates itself from iPhone, yes, but just like every year. ipadOS and iOS are still fundamentally the same OS just with a few extra features on the iPad, most of which came about in the past, not with this update. Even external drive support is included in iOS 13 for iPhones—it’s not special to ipadOS.

 

[fireboy60013]

I have an iPad Air 2 that I upgraded to iPados and haven’t been happier. Yeah sometimes mail acts stupid but it’s not that big of a deal. I upgraded my boyfriend‘s iPad Air 2 last night, and so far he loves it too.

 

[huiAPPOAJ]

works on my machine :^)

 

[TomOSeven]

The whole point of the SP X is to get Windows running on ARM out in the wild to help start building a native ecosystem around it.

Yeah, maybe don't do that on a machine that's so prohibitively expensive, only a hand full of users are going to get it.

I'm still hoping for a "Surface Go X" that's ultra cheap and actually pushes adoption of Windows on ARM, but I don't see it happening.

 

[Falhófnir]

Yeah, maybe don't do that on a machine that's so prohibitively expensive, only a hand full of users are going to get it.

I'm still hoping for a "Surface Go X" that's ultra cheap and actually pushes adoption of Windows on ARM, but I don't see it happening.

Seems to be broadly in line with other 13" ultrabooks? Maybe there will be, but I think Microsoft wanted to avoid the ARM devices getting pigeonholed as inherently less capable inferior options [again]. Their preparation for its release has been pretty bad, though. Lack of even the most core native apps and having them just run under emulation (where this device is weakest in comparisons to its competitors) isn't the best strategy for getting momentum behind the platform. I just hope they will actually stick at it and try to get developers on board this time. There's a lot of potential there for new/ exotic form factors if it can be tapped into.