Is iPad's problem iOS?

[TheRealAlex]

This article over at ZDNet pretty much sums up my feelings about the iPad, particularly the Pro:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-is-right-the-ipad-is-a-kids-toy/

I have tried to use the iPad (I've owned four) over the years as more than just a reader of stuff, but the limitations of iOS make it pretty much useless to me for the other things I do. The article suggests that maybe Apple should put macOS on the Pro, which would certainly make me take a second look at it. I will be looking for a new laptop in the next year or two, and something like an iPad Pro running macOS would be nice.

iOS on the iPad Pro is an asset.

#1. Safe and Secure

#2. The eco system Backup to iCloud and all your settings and files and picutres and music and movies come back.

#3. Robust developer support and optimized applications.

#4. Good enough. Need to write a paper or create a presentation or edit a video On top of that you can go to an Apple store and they will help you.

#5. It’s a Toyota Camry it’s a Ford F-150 the two best selling cars on the planet. They get the job done for 90% of us. The same can be said for iOS on the iPad Pro.

#6. Limitations are good. Not every car like a Toyota Camry car win the Indy 500 it has limitations. Just like iOS and the iPad Pro. Thanks to a new A12X CPU and Xbox One S class Graphics with 10 hour battery and USB-C those limitations are far fewer. If a person needs More than iOS on the iPad Pro by all means explore other computers.
Professional Photo Editing start with a $1,000 Display
Professional Video Editiing will need Expensive Software and Hardware.
Professional Music Recording and Mastering Even more Expensive and specialized gear.

#7. Continued support.

But for $799 you can have a device that can do some of all of that. In fact 10 years ago the current iPad Pro can do more than any Professional Equipment costsing thousand of dollar more could do.

 

[secretk]

iOS on the iPad Pro is an asset.

#1. Safe and Secure

I have Android phone and Windows laptop. They do not feel any less safe or secure than my regular 2018 iPad so I am not that impressed with this. It might have been true in the past, but it's not anymore.

#2. The eco system Backup to iCloud and all your settings and files and picutres and music and movies come back.

This eco system exists only if you pay for it and you use only Apple devices. As it is I don't use this either because Apple has never convinced me that I have to have Mac or iPhone. They might have been better in the past, but this is no longer the case.

#3. Robust developer support and optimized applications.

I would not agree with this either. I bought my iPad just 2 months ago and I had issues with Apple's own Notes app. Simple google search revealed this to be actually an issue that happens enough. Apple can't make their own apps working properly, let alone talking about other Developers. It's two months after the new iPad Pro came out and Developers still have not optimized their apps for the new design.

#4. Good enough. Need to write a paper or create a presentation or edit a video On top of that you can go to an Apple store and they will help you.

It's not because any typing involves text editing and iOS sucks at this. It's just slow and inefficient.

#6. Limitations are good. Not every car like a Toyota Camry car win the Indy 500 it has limitations. Just like iOS and the iPad Pro. Thanks to a new A12X CPU and Xbox One S class Graphics with 10 hour battery and USB-C those limitations are far fewer. If a person needs More than iOS on the iPad Pro by all means explore other computers.
Professional Photo Editing start with a $1,000 Display
Professional Video Editiing will need Expensive Software and Hardware.
Professional Music Recording and Mastering Even more Expensive and specialized gear.

Photo editing makes sense if you can easily plug in external drive into iPad. Easily excludes paid apps and dongles. iPad cannot do this.

Music editing includes being able to plug in headphones so that you can hear clearly. With the new iPad Pros this is not possible.

Video editing includes being able to plug in headphones so that you can hear clearly too. See above.

People that can't sense the latency when it comes to Bluetooth devices, can use a simple app on any phone/computer to edit music/video and would not feel the difference.

#7. Continued support.

And continued bugs. Again Apple's own Notes app crashes in a way where I need to restart my device. If that's the support they want to give me, they better not give me any support at all.

 

[NickPhamUK]

If the second generation iPad Pros were slow then yes it makes sense for Apple first to develop the hardware and then for Developers to make the software. That's not the case. Even previous generations of iPad Pros do not get utilized enough because there is no such use case. No one wants a tablet that is more powerful than their powerful laptop machine. No regular person complains about not having powerful enough machine to do their work.

I understand your point that the software is gimping the hardware, but we won't probably see MacOS or something similar on an iPad any time soon.

Although Tim Cook & Co said that iPad is a "computer replacement", it was purely a PR stunt. Apple did not have any intention of making the iPad a "computer replacement", nor they will in the future. Doing so will cannibalize Mac sales. If you read the financial results of last quarter, you'd realize that the revenue from Mac devices were almost twice that of iPad.

Apple doesn't want consumers to replace computers with an iPad. Apple wants each consumer to buy an iPhone, an iPad, and, a Mac device (at minimum!)

I don't believe adding computer-like features (the ability to connect with external devices, a full file management system, desktop browser etc.) to an iPad is such a difficult task, especially for a company full of talented engineers. Apple just doesn't want to.

 

[secretk]

I understand your point that the software is gimping the hardware, but we won't probably see MacOS or something similar on an iPad any time soon.

Most probably yeah. I don't think that Apple wants to do this.

Although Tim Cook & Co said that iPad is a "computer replacement", it was purely a PR stunt. Apple did not have any intention of making the iPad a "computer replacement", nor they will in the future. Doing so will cannibalize Mac sales. If you read the financial results of last quarter, you'd realize that the revenue from Mac devices were almost twice that of iPad.

That does make sense . I get why they would not want to fully replace their laptop line with iPads. However it's also normal that people react to their PR stunt. And as it seems there is some negative reaction because of their PR stunt. Not surprised about this.

Apple doesn't want consumers to replace computers with an iPad. Apple wants each consumer to buy an iPhone, an iPad, and, a Mac device (at minimum!)

Exactly! I do have phone, laptop and iPad. Of course however I would not buy iPad Pro because it will still be the device in the middle between my phone and my laptop. As it is the iPad Pro for me is just weird as a concept. It's still a complementary device. If I will need laptop anyway, I would invest more in my laptop. I guess others might feel the opposite - having cheaper mediocre laptop (to handle the tasks that the iPad can't do) and the newest iPad Pro.

I don't believe adding computer-like features (the ability to connect with external devices, a full file management system, desktop browser etc.) to an iPad is such a difficult task, especially for a company full of talented engineers. Apple just doesn't want to.

Yep and most probably this is why we see articles like this one. People are aware that Apple does not want to do it so they generate more and more talk about this in an attempt to push them to do it.

 

[TheRealAlex]

I understand your point that the software is gimping the hardware, but we won't probably see MacOS or something similar on an iPad any time soon.

Although Tim Cook & Co said that iPad is a "computer replacement", it was purely a PR stunt. Apple did not have any intention of making the iPad a "computer replacement", nor they will in the future. Doing so will cannibalize Mac sales. If you read the financial results of last quarter, you'd realize that the revenue from Mac devices were almost twice that of iPad.

Apple doesn't want consumers to replace computers with an iPad. Apple wants each consumer to buy an iPhone, an iPad, and, a Mac device (at minimum!)

I don't believe adding computer-like features (the ability to connect with external devices, a full file management system, desktop browser etc.) to an iPad is such a difficult task, especially for a company full of talented engineers. Apple just doesn't want to.

I use Best In Class Only and Best Value for Money. Combined

Best Tablet = IPad Pro 11”
Best Computer = Windows 10 Gaming PC it can do everything.
Best Phone = Note 9, I tried an iPhone XsMAX and the Intel Radios just can’t compete with a Qualcomm 845 Chipset.
Best Laptop = None Money Saved by having an iPad Pro.

There’s no sense in using ALL Apple Products and putting all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Falhófnir]

Well with iOS 13 meant to be a big redesign, either the features you crave are already on the way, or anything iPad is going to be pushed back to at least iOS 14...

 

[Loge]

Problem with the iPad is more the lack of third party apps - we're seeing some progress with the promised Photoshop, but that still leaves many areas not catered for (examples such as pro level maths software like Mathematica and Matlab). And that coding on the iPad is still extremely limited. Many reasons, but not least it is not financially viable for companies to rebuild decades old software for new platforms.

 

[ericwn]

Well with iOS 13 meant to be a big redesign, either the features you crave are already on the way, or anything iPad is going to be pushed back to at least iOS 14...

Well have a better idea how big a change that will be once the beta comes out. Until then I doubt that it will change things fundamentally or add much additional features for productivity. To some adding a dock was a big change already, so it’s always in the eye of the beholder.