Is the Mac going to fall the iPad?

[PatriotInvasion]

So I owned an iPad 2, but ended up selling it for 2 reasons:

1.) It felt really weird to be using an iPad on my couch with my iPhone sitting on the arm rest. I saw it as Apple overkill. They are the same devices with 2 different screen sizes.

2.) While the iPad has gained things like iMovie and iPhoto, it can't replace the flexibility of a Mac without a file system and ability to download whatever you want off the web and manipulate it as you see fit.

I went back to a notebook, purchasing the 13" rMBP for portability in October and really like it, but with the Mac only representing 10% of Apple's revenue, will it slowly fade away in favor of the iPad?

I can't help but feel like the traditional laptop is teetering on the edge of obsolescence.

When the iPad allows me to downlaod a Flash video from the web, convert it to mp4 and edit it in iMovie, I may be on board. Until then, the Mac is what I want to use.

 

[nitromac]

So I owned an iPad 2, but ended up selling it for 2 reasons:

1.) It felt really weird to be using an iPad on my couch with my iPhone sitting on the arm rest. I saw it as Apple overkill. They are the same devices with 2 different screen sizes.

2.) While the iPad has gained things like iMovie and iPhoto, it can't replace the flexibility of a Mac without a file system and ability to download whatever you want off the web and manipulate it as you see fit.

I went back to a notebook, purchasing the 13" rMBP for portability in October and really like it, but with the Mac only representing 10% of Apple's revenue, will it slowly fade away in favor of the iPad?

I can't help but feel like the traditional laptop is teetering on the edge of obsolescence.

When the iPad allows me to downlaod a Flash video from the web, convert it to mp4 and edit it in iMovie, I may be on board. Until then, the Mac is what I want to use.

I think for the casual consumer, the iPad (or rather, any tablets out there) will take over that market. Laptops will always be around for an enthusiast/hobbyist/professional market. Not many people want to actually edit photos/videos/music or write documents on a tablet. At least I don't. I'll be sticking with computers for as long as they are around. I get bored within a few minutes of using an iPad and always prefer my laptop/PC for even browsing the web. I'm just used to it I guess.

 

[xShane]

So I owned an iPad 2, but ended up selling it for 2 reasons:

1.) It felt really weird to be using an iPad on my couch with my iPhone sitting on the arm rest. I saw it as Apple overkill. They are the same devices with 2 different screen sizes.

2.) While the iPad has gained things like iMovie and iPhoto, it can't replace the flexibility of a Mac without a file system and ability to download whatever you want off the web and manipulate it as you see fit.

I went back to a notebook, purchasing the 13" rMBP for portability in October and really like it, but with the Mac only representing 10% of Apple's revenue, will it slowly fade away in favor of the iPad?

I can't help but feel like the traditional laptop is teetering on the edge of obsolescence.

When the iPad allows me to downlaod a Flash video from the web, convert it to mp4 and edit it in iMovie, I may be on board. Until then, the Mac is what I want to use.

Macs have *much* more flexibility, power, and capability over an iPad.

There is no way Apple will stop producing Macs. They are used in so many fields, by so many types of people (students, engineers, programmers, video editors, casual gamers -- you name it).

 

[robvas]

They will for mom and grandma.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

Macs have *much* more flexibility, power, and capability over an iPad.

There is no way Apple will stop producing Macs. They are used in so many fields, by so many types of people (students, engineers, programmers, video editors, casual gamers -- you name it).

So perhaps the Mac accounting for just 10% of Apple's revenue is simply a function of them selling SO MANY iPads and iPhones over the past 3 years.

I still think most people who own an iPad also own a computer/Mac, but I wonder when people will start getting by in mass with just an iPad and nothing else. Seems like at that point the traditional laptop is in trouble.

To me, aside from power and flexibility, I get tired holding up an iPad for long periods and having to wipe fingerprints off the screen every 20 minutes is incredibly annoying.

 

[xShane]

So perhaps the Mac accounting for just 10% of Apple's revenue is simply a function of them selling SO MANY iPads and iPhones over the past 3 years.

I still think most people who own an iPad also own a computer/Mac, but I wonder when people will start getting by in mass with just an iPad and nothing else. Seems like at that point the traditional laptop is in trouble.

To me, aside from power and flexibility, I get tired holding up an iPad for long periods and having to wipe fingerprints off the screen every 20 minutes is incredibly annoying.

The traditional laptop is not in trouble. Tablets, the iPad in this case, are just far too limiting. Many people use their Macs/MacBook Pros for just reasons and situations that simply can not be accomplished on the iPad, or any tablet for that matter.

 

[palmerc2]

I don't see it happening. There's so much more you can do on a traditional computer (Mac or otherwise) that you can't on an iPad.

Something that comes to mind is pro photographers, pro audio engineers, pro video editors, etc. iMovie is more for documenting a vacation or snowboard trip. Whereas Final Cut Pro, Logic Studio, and Photoshop are for pro users or serious enthusiasts (I personally have Logic Studio for my guitar playing / recording). I do not see any of this vast functionality being available on an iPad, as there's lots of things it can't do. Even if it did come to iPad, you're dealing with a small screen and only has touch controls, which isn't optimal for the laptop experience.

 

[xShane]

I don't see it happening. There's so much more you can do on a traditional computer (Mac or otherwise) that you can't on an iPad.

Something that comes to mind is pro photographers, pro audio engineers, pro video editors, etc. iMovie is more for documenting a vacation or snowboard trip. Whereas Final Cut Pro, Logic Studio, and Photoshop are for pro users or serious enthusiasts (I personally have Logic Studio for my guitar playing / recording). I do not see any of this vast functionality being available on an iPad, as there's lots of things it can't do. Even if it did come to iPad, you're dealing with a small screen and only has touch controls, which isn't optimal for the laptop experience.

Agreed. A lot of these "iPad Versions" of apps are super bogged down versions of their main app that aren't, really, even the same app. Many professional level, powerful applications take training and time to use, let alone master. They have one hundred man teams that spend thousands of hours developing and enhancing features designed for professionals. You can't cram that down into five buttons fitted onto a touch screen.

 

[mslide]

I can't help but feel like the traditional laptop is teetering on the edge of obsolescence.

I still have yet to meet anyone who does actual, real work on a tablet. Traditional laptops aren't going anywhere. Tablets are for browsing the web while sitting on a couch.

I'll be convinced otherwise when Apple employees are using iPads exclusively to develop their products/ads/etc.

 

[robvas]

I still have yet to meet anyone who does actual, real work on a tablet.

I have yet to see someone doing productive work on a laptop

Kidding!

 

[Acorn]

It seems as if my mom never really needed a "real" computer. all she used it for was checking her email and paying bills / surfing the web. she does that now on her ipad mini and hasnt really used her computer since. In a way i think she feels safer with the ipad. with the computer she is always afraid to screw something up. with the ipad if she gets lost or confused she just hits the home button and everything is good with the world.

I dont think the ipad will replace the computer but it has been a nice device non the less.

 

[mpayne2k]

I'd be interested if in the near future the lines converge and you get a dockable iPad into a keyboard stand that has your standard ports (SD slot, thunderbolt, hdmi, usb3, etc) so you can use it as a laptop too!

Problem is you'll always have people that do not want Mac OSX and iOS converging. There will always be the line in the sand between tablets and laptops. Plus, more offerings means more opportunity to make money, right? If they just sold one style device would it sell better than ipads & MBPs combined now?

 

[PatriotInvasion]

Obviously one of the main reasons people choose an iPad over a Mac is price point. For the casual user, even if they preferred a laptop to a tablet, $499 is still much easier to swallow than $999.

To me, that 11" MacBook Air needs to be cheaper. $999 for an 11" 16:9 non-IPS screen and 64GB of SSD space is way too much. I'm fine with the 13" model being priced where it is, but that 11" should be in the $699-$799 range. The margins on that model at $999 must be huge. Thoughts?

 

[chrise2]

It seems as if my mom never really needed a "real" computer. all she used it for was checking her email and paying bills / surfing the web. she does that now on her ipad mini and hasnt really used her computer since. In a way i think she feels safer with the ipad. with the computer she is always afraid to screw something up. with the ipad if she gets lost or confused she just hits the home button and everything is good with the world.

I dont think the ipad will replace the computer but it has been a nice device non the less.

I agree. I've helped setup iPads for people that have stopped using their desktops since getting the iPad. Frankly, ever since I got an iPhone, I haven't used my computer much outside of work. My Mac mini is mostly a place to store my photos, music and movies. I also have an iPad that I don't use much either. I just use my iPhone. I think iPads eat into laptop sales for sure.

 

[PatriotInvasion]

Apple did just devote a lot of keynote time to their Mac lineup in October so they certainly haven't forgotten about it.

I think I'll feel a little better when OS X is updated this year, and we get a clearer view of how they envision OS X and iOS playing together.

PS - Can we finally get wireless sync for Mac iPhoto Events and the iPhone Photos App (or even the iPhoto iOS App)? The fact that I still need to plug in a USB cord to get Events to sync across devices is crazy.

Recorded videos in PhotoStream pulling from your iCloud storage balance is a must as well.