All iPads Is anyone else happy with IpadOS as it is?

[cupcakes2000]

Agreed. To add to that I don’t think Apple wants it to replace the Mac. They’re happy with it being the in between device. I don’t think it ever will get to the stage where you can do dev work or terminal stuff and that’s fine.

It’s always been placed as an inbetween device. It can and does replace a computer for many, and that’s cool. For others it’s being turned into an extremely handy laptop ‘lite’ which seemlessly (sometimes ?) can liaise with your main desktop or laptop machine, your phone, whatever.

I get accused of being an Apple ‘apologist’, whatever that is. Really I’m just a tech fan. The Apple eco system - which you do need to buy into - is really leading the industry here. The iPad is my main access point to my Mac mini and my synology server. It works on its own for most normal tasks. On its own it excells over a traditional system for many things.

The fact of the matter is that without the iPad my entire computing experience - which is now modular - would be fragmented and not possible in its current state.

To hear a bunch of so called tech enthusiasts whine and lament about it so constantly is laughable. It should be applauded. For me it’s the most useful and integral part of my life.

That’s their ultimate goal, and if you look at apples history this is them beginning to realise their dream. Those that can’t see this really don’t understand Apple.

 

[sparksd]

It’s always been placed as an inbetween device. It can and does replace a computer for many, and that’s cool. For others it’s being turned into an extremely handy laptop ‘lite’ which seemlessly (sometimes ?) can liaise with your main desktop or laptop machine, your phone, whatever.

I get accused of being an Apple ‘apologist’, whatever that is. Really I’m just a tech fan. The Apple eco system - which you do need to buy into - is really leading the industry here. The iPad is my main access point to my Mac mini and my synology server. It works on its own for most normal tasks. On its own it excells over a traditional system for many things.

The fact of the matter is that without the iPad my entire computing experience - which is now modular - would be fragmented and not possible in its current state.

To hear a bunch of so called tech enthusiasts whine and lament about it so constantly is laughable. It should be applauded. For me it’s the most useful and integral part of my life.

That’s their ultimate goal, and if you look at apples history this is them beginning to realise their dream. Those that can’t see this really don’t understand Apple.

I've long been a skeptic of the Apple ecosystem but now find myself the owner of a 2021 12.9 iPad Pro, a 12 Pro Max iPhone, and an S6 Apple Watch. hmmm, they do all work well together. Da**nation! This ecosystem thing is something to appreciate! But I'm sticking with my Win10 laptop and desktop ...

 

[cupcakes2000]

I've long been a skeptic of the Apple ecosystem but now find myself the owner of a 2021 12.9 iPad Pro, a 12 Pro Max iPhone, and an S6 Apple Watch. hmmm, they do all work well together. Da**nation! This ecosystem thing is something to appreciate! But I'm sticking with my Win10 laptop and desktop ...

It’s fair enough, what you say. Sometimes you need what you need. The eco system is lacking plenty of stuff, but regardless, anything windows is getting left behind unless Microsoft adapt to it. I don’t need anything from them so for me I’m happy to have everything (mostly) within the Apple world. I can get what I need from them. If that day ever comes for you then you’ll find adding macos to the mix will compliment the stuff you already find useful. If not, then cool! There are always workarounds.

 

[sparksd]

It’s fair enough, what you say. Sometimes you need what you need. The eco system is lacking plenty of stuff, but regardless, anything windows is getting left behind unless Microsoft adapt to it. I don’t need anything from them so for me I’m happy to have everything (mostly) within the Apple world. I can get what I need from them. If that day ever comes for you then you’ll find adding macos to the mix will compliment the stuff you already find useful. If not, then cool! There are always workarounds.

What I've found is that I don't need integration between my iOS and and Windows devices - what I do between the two systems is wholly separate, only needing very occasional bridging with file copies easily handled over SMB. As a retired S/W & H/W engineer who started in '71, I have used Apple devices (and virtually every other kind) since their earliest manifestations and never felt a need or desire to migrate to their laptop or desktop offerings in my own environment.

 

[cwosigns]

I love my iPad Pro (2020, 1 TB, WiFi/Cellular). I also have an iMac (first desktop since the G5), and an M1 MacBook Pro (and an iPhone, Apple Watch, etc.). I'm all in with Apple and quite satisfied.

And...putting the M1 in an iPad Pro that was ALREADY overpowered for what most use it for is...a weird flex? A "look what we can do with our own silicon" thing? It just seems like an odd step if there is no end game. I'm sure there is an end game, it probably just isn't getting FCP on the iPad. It might just be giving developers some massive headroom to see what they can come up with, especially since the RAM limit has been increased.

I guess time will tell what the end game is.

 

[rui no onna]

And...putting the M1 in an iPad Pro that was ALREADY overpowered for what most use it for is...a weird flex? A "look what we can do with our own silicon" thing? It just seems like an odd step if there is no end game.

A lot of the M1's design came from A12X/Z. Sure, M1 added Mac-specific instructions and Apple probably wouldn't have added Thunderbolt to an iPad-only chip. However, raw performance, going by A12, A12X/Z and A14 performance, a hypothetical A14X/Z would've performed the same as M1.

And really, with the Air 4 beating the A12X/Z in single-core, it really isn't a good look if Apple had still stuck with A12Z in the 2021 iPP. Who wants an Intel situation where there was practically no CPU improvement year after year?

 

[nicetriangles]

I'm mostly fine with it but I don't consider the iPad a multi tasking productivity machine. I use it for drawing and maybe watching movies on a flight and that is basically it. Sure iPadOS has room for improvement, but I'm not freaking out about it. The apps I use chugged on my old Pro sometimes so this new one is great.

 

[firedept]

I’m fine with iPadOS.

 

[arobert3434]

Selecting text is excruciating, and has been for all 5 implementations they've tried. That applies to all iOS devices though.

 

[mr_jomo]

I am thrilled with iPadOS on my iPad Pro 11, M1. It supports my tablet uses perfectly: studying, note taking, scientific journals reading, PDF annotation and editing, light Microsoft office work, ebooks, music streaming and the occasional movie or tv-show.

 

[perezr10]

I love my iPad Pro (2020, 1 TB, WiFi/Cellular). I also have an iMac (first desktop since the G5), and an M1 MacBook Pro (and an iPhone, Apple Watch, etc.). I'm all in with Apple and quite satisfied.

And...putting the M1 in an iPad Pro that was ALREADY overpowered for what most use it for is...a weird flex? A "look what we can do with our own silicon" thing? It just seems like an odd step if there is no end game. I'm sure there is an end game, it probably just isn't getting FCP on the iPad. It might just be giving developers some massive headroom to see what they can come up with, especially since the RAM limit has been increased.

I guess time will tell what the end game is.

Well, for those of us who use the iPad professionally, the M1 was absolutely necessary. Extremely complex Excel spreadsheets benefit greatly from multi-threaded processing power. I have complex forecasting spreadsheets that have to calculate standard overhead earned for tens of thousands of SAP work orders per month. When you’re looking up product family & Item on each work order and then matching to standard material, labor, and overhead rates plus other formulaic functions it can take minutes. The M1 is 40% faster than my 10th Gen Intel I5 Dell laptop.

 

[nicetriangles]

Well, for those of us who use the iPad professionally, the M1 was absolutely necessary. Extremely complex Excel spreadsheets benefit greatly from multi-threaded processing power. I have complex forecasting spreadsheets that have to calculate standard overhead earned for tens of thousands of SAP work orders per month. When you’re looking up product family & Item on each work order and then matching to standard material, labor, and overhead rates plus other formulaic functions it can take minutes. The M1 is 40% faster than my 10th Gen Intel I5 Dell laptop.

Yeah the M1 also is a lot faster on 3d modeling related operations like subdividing and voxel remeshing in apps like Nomad Sculpt. People talk about how iPadOS doesn't make use of the processing power... An OS shouldn't max its processor out. That's for apps to do and apps for sure are already doing that. They just might not be the ones some people want or are aware of.

 

[VaruLV]

Apple simply should stop pushing their narrative that iPad or iPad Pro is computer/laptop replacement.
It is not, until they make lots of improvement within iPadOS.
As simple as that. Until they do so, there will be lots of people complaining and rightfully so.

 

[nicetriangles]

Apple simply should stop pushing the narrative that iPad or iPad Pro is computer/laptop replacement.
It is not, until they make lots of improvement within iPadOS.
As simple as that. Until they do so, there will be lots of people complaining and rightfully so.

I don't have major complaints with the Pro, but I absolutely agree with this. iPadOS does not deliver a laptop replacement experience. They should stop BSing like it does.

 

[Seanm87]

Apple simply should stop pushing their narrative that iPad or iPad Pro is computer/laptop replacement.
It is not, until they make lots of improvement within iPadOS.
As simple as that. Until they do so, there will be lots of people complaining and rightfully so.

But for many people it can be

 

[VaruLV]

But for many people it can be

So many "but"s and "if"s just to justify Apples inflated marketing claims.
It is not, in a "true" sense computer or laptop replacement, just like an iPhone isnt, just like Samsung's DeX isnt etc.
Just because, say, VW Golf has four wheels, 5 seats and a trunk, doesnt mean its a school bus(if this example made sense), its the same for iPad/iPad Pro, you can do lots of cool stuff with one, but its still lacking in so many departments compared to real laptops and desktop computers and its not the power, its artifical iPadOS limitations that Apple has set.

If we continue down this path, one could argue that, in a way, Nokia 3310 could be ones computer as well, if only things required are ASCII messaging, calculator and primitive Snake game and voice calls.

 

[perezr10]

So many "but"s and "if"s just to justify Apples inflated marketing claims.
It is not, in a "true" sense computer or laptop replacement, just like an iPhone isnt, just like Samsung's DeX isnt etc.
Just because, say, VW Golf has four wheels, 5 seats and a trunk, doesnt mean its a school bus(if this example made sense), its the same for iPad/iPad Pro, you can do lots of cool stuff with one, but its still lacking in so many departments compared to real laptops and desktop computers and its not the power, its artifical iPadOS limitations that Apple has set.

If we continue down this path, one could argue that, in a way, Nokia 3310 could be ones computer as well, if only things required are ASCII messaging, calculator and primitive Snake game and voice calls.

You‘re making the exact same type of argument that professional photographers make about the iphone camera. And yet, more and more people are content with their phone as their main camera. Can an iPhone replace a DSLR? No, but it’s good enough for most.

 

[harriska2]

I hate my ipad pro. Like a drug, it lured me into an iphone, watch, and mac mini. Damn you, Apple! Yeah, ipadOS has lots of areas to improve, especially for the 12.9 screen real estate. Windows are still clunky to me.

 

[macsound1]

I have the low end $329 iPad and for what I do on the iPad, iPadOS works just fine. Nothing against people that use the iPad professionally, but aside from taking notes in a meeting I don't think its as useful as a MacBook Pro.

Right there with you.
It works great for the place in my life that makes sense for an iPad. I have no interest in using a keyboard and mouse but I absolutely use the pencil.
I'm also very happy with the way the OS works except that I have an iPad with a home button and I'm still able to swipe up to go home, for some reason. I wish I could turn that off or give it another feature.

 

[symphony]

Floating windows are the only answer in bringing smaller sized apps without making them comical on a big screen such as the iPad. Calculator, Weather, etc, can exist without looking stupid on a 12.9” display.

Also, floating windows already do exist. Slideover apps and PiP are floating windows, as well as iPadOS 15’s new floating center window. It’s just way too limited right now and annoying compared to being able to manual control it like on macOS, for example, there’s barely any freedom.

also also, I’ve dealt my fair share of people who have been stubborn about iPad changes over the years, because they resemble too much like a Mac, and they tell people to just buy a Mac instead. But chances are, they like and use many of the features that came from Mac recently. Dark mode, spotlight, file manager, multitasking, keyboard shortcuts, drag and drop, context menus, sidebar, etc.

so frankly, i vouch for more basic fundamental features be brought over from Mac to iPad, such as floating windows. Other users who oppose just don’t know better imo, until Apple does it, they start to look the other way eventually.

But I guess people are rich enough nowadays to buy a an iPad, MacBook, and Mac, being able to use the device they need whenever it is convenient for them, in any situation, at any location, having all those devices ready to use at their disposal. Let’s not hold back the iPads potential, floating windows is not what makes a Mac a Mac, that’s just people think it is.

floating windows are much more simpler to manage than what iPad does already, since split screen multitasking apps are bound together, sometimes slideover apps revert back to full screen or disappear from the slideover’s app switcher, slideover apps closes when you go to the Home Screen, slideover apps will more than likely block important UI of apps behind it, you can’t have more than 2 apps without partially blocking one of them, I can keep going on and on. But people here just won’t understand the quality of life changes here.

Also also also, I don’t want to tarnish how you perceive iPad to be a simple operating system. Because it is not as simple as you think. Multitasking & split screen gestures, Apple Pencil scribble, etc, is very complicated than simple. People who find them simple is because they taught themselves to be efficient at it. People by now should know how to operate a desktop computer like Mac or Windows, that should be way more simpler than what new things Apple wants you to do with every new feature.

 

[sparksd]

So many "but"s and "if"s just to justify Apples inflated marketing claims.
It is not, in a "true" sense computer or laptop replacement, just like an iPhone isnt, just like Samsung's DeX isnt etc.
Just because, say, VW Golf has four wheels, 5 seats and a trunk, doesnt mean its a school bus(if this example made sense), its the same for iPad/iPad Pro, you can do lots of cool stuff with one, but its still lacking in so many departments compared to real laptops and desktop computers and its not the power, its artifical iPadOS limitations that Apple has set.

If we continue down this path, one could argue that, in a way, Nokia 3310 could be ones computer as well, if only things required are ASCII messaging, calculator and primitive Snake game and voice calls.

I guess all of those machines I worked with in the early 70's weren't computers, either. Based on what I've seen and worked with in my near 50 years of professional computing experience, I'd call the iPad a computer.

 

[jt1968]

Nope, and the two weeks I spent with the M1 Pro made me hate it even more. It's like buying a Ducate and sticking bicycle tires on it. Apple has lost its mind.

I’ve been thinking about buying an M1 Pro in 11”. What didn’t you like about it? Were there any compatibility issues with apps? I’d like to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

 

[VaruLV]

I guess all of those machines I worked with in the early 70's weren't computers, either. Based on what I've seen and worked with in my near 50 years of professional computing experience, I'd call the iPad a computer.

Obviously its hard to comprehend what Im talking about.
Is it 70s, still? Im sure, compared to those times even Apple watch would kick ass in computing, but, newsflash, its 2021, its time to move on.

 

[RazvanClaudiu1]

To be honest - I'm happy with iPad OS right now.

My workflow doesn't involve the transfer of large files or multi-tasking. Single-tasking is actually good for me, as I get to focus on a single thing. Sometimes I open Kindle in a window and a note-taking app in another and it works perfectly.

There is nothing I could do on the Mac that I couldn't do on the iPad to be honest, in MY workflow. As I am an marketer, most of my work revolves around researching, brainstorming and writing. All these three can be achieved with ease on iPad OS as it is right now. I don't need Final Cut Pro. I don't need DaVinci Resolve. I don't need to open a terminal or even sideload apps.

The biggest problem would be the Files app which I don't really use. This is because most of my file organization is done in my software of use. For example, I organize my notes in the Apple Notes app and my copywriting in the Apple Pages app.

Yeah - I honestly don't feel limited at all by iPad OS. And it allows me to do more thanks to the Apple Pencil.

 

[RazvanClaudiu1]

I think think people on tech forums know exactly who these iPads are aimed for:

Low End iPad: Aimed at people with much simpler needs
High End iPad: Aimed at rich people with much simpler needs

Seriously though, people out here do know exactly what the product is and often recommend it accordingly. But at the same time, these same people also know that we had the AX/MX series chips for years before the Mac yet there is so little (especially directly from Apple) that utilized that power.

So, if our understanding of its limitations hasn’t stopped us from still buying high end models then what exactly is wrong with wanting a powerful device to actually reach its potential?

It's true to some degree but how those needs are fulfilled also matters.

A $300 iPad can do in theory what an $1500 does.

For example, you can do Facetime. But on the $300 iPad, the camera sucks. On the $1500 one it is actually very good.
Both can edit video in LumaFusion. The export time on the M1 will be a lot faster (although the A12 works just fine).
Both can be used for media consumption - but one is far better at this than the other one.
Both can be used to listen to music - but the speakers on the Pro are superior.

And the list goes on and on. It's true that all iPads can fulfill basically the same needs. But there are big differences in the way those needs are fulfilled.