Apple mail, but this is something I see far too frequently on the Mac in various apps. There was similar problems on iPadOS immediately after 13 first launched last Sept/Oct, but thankfully the iPad is now back to being instantaneous as before
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All iPads John Gruber’s iPad rant
- Thread starter Rogifan
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Yikes - two iPads side by side? Not ideal, I bet. I must be on those users that is content with just one app occupying y time at any one instance. I find havng to swipe between open apps not wonderful but for the amount I do it its not too bad. Like between my Accuradio app to quickly skip a song or change genres while working on a spreadsheet or something isnt so bad. But, more than one app? Swiping between 3 or more gets rough for sure.
Ive always loved the iPad for being what it is - a great tablet. It didnt try to just be a bigger phone and it didnt try to be a handheld MacBook Pro either. Its just a tablet. Its tough to keep making it more and more powerful only because I worry about it losing its "tablet-ness" if that makes sense.
Well, I experience frustration when I want to write a report or create a document while referencing numerous other apps and documents. MacOS has floating windows, so you can rapidly move from document to document while you create. This process is much less seamless with iPadOS.
I am not knocking the iPad or iPadOS. Just saying that it is not optimized for rapid movement between documents using mouse and keyboard....ergo frustration. I think this is the reason most college students prefer laptops. They frequently write papers and need to reference multiple source documents. I think an iPad would be frustrating, in comparison to a laptop, for this type of work.
BTW - I don’t view this workflow as a niche use case just for “Pros”. I think it is a pretty common everyday computing requirement.
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For me things are actually still pretty straightforward. It all depends on what the task at hand is. For some tasks a classic laptop running a desktop OS is better, for other tasks a tablet is better. Another important factor are the applications available that each individual requires for his/her job.
I for example couldn’t imagine just using my iPad Pro for everything I need to do, for various reasons (mainly apps lacking the quality of desktop apps). My main gripe with the iPad is that MS Office applications are just not good, not when compared to their desktop equivalents.
On the other hand, I love using my iPad for casual browsing the Internet and for light productivity tasks. Actually the iPad has become so good, that I will be using it exclusively when on trips. I have also an iMac as my main computer and a MacBook Pro as my second computer. I am also switching from a 13“ MacBook Pro to the 16“ model, so that I can have a device for each task. When I need mobility then I will be using my iPad Pro. When I need power on the road or anywhere at home but my office desk, I will be using my MacBook Pro and when I need a big display and work from my desk, I will use my iMac.
I understand though that this is a luxury situation I am in, so for those of you that need to choose between a single device, I would recommend that you answer the following questions:
I for example couldn’t imagine just using my iPad Pro for everything I need to do, for various reasons (mainly apps lacking the quality of desktop apps). My main gripe with the iPad is that MS Office applications are just not good, not when compared to their desktop equivalents.
On the other hand, I love using my iPad for casual browsing the Internet and for light productivity tasks. Actually the iPad has become so good, that I will be using it exclusively when on trips. I have also an iMac as my main computer and a MacBook Pro as my second computer. I am also switching from a 13“ MacBook Pro to the 16“ model, so that I can have a device for each task. When I need mobility then I will be using my iPad Pro. When I need power on the road or anywhere at home but my office desk, I will be using my MacBook Pro and when I need a big display and work from my desk, I will use my iMac.
I understand though that this is a luxury situation I am in, so for those of you that need to choose between a single device, I would recommend that you answer the following questions:
- Which Apps do I need to use?
- On which platform are those apps available?
- What kind of workflows are required?
- What kind of functions should my computing device have?
I used to find that a problem, but not now that multiple windows of the same app can be open and with split screen and slide-over. In fact I prefer the more ‘structured‘ set-up on the iPad, against windows scattered on the Mac desktop which I find rather messy.
While it is easier to navigate multiple documents and apps with MacOS, I will agree it can get messy. Especially, if you are working on a small screen laptop (i.e. 13.3 in). There are limits to how effectively I can use floating windows on my MBA. Of course, when I plug it into a larger monitor, things get easier.
IPadOS has come a long way, but its roots are really the touch-based one app at a time experience. I use multi-tasking on my iPad as well, and generally it works fine. It gets dicey when I have numerous documents to reference and access. That’s just not iPad’s strength....which is ok. It has other strengths.
I am seeing more iPads and Surface device’s every day in the world. Today our power company was here working on a transfer box and the tech had a new 2020 11 iPad Pro. He was looking at maps of the electric grid, FaceTiming his super at the substation. And checking stats on the electric usages in the area. He said 75 employees have them and testing them. He said hands down everyone loves them. He said one device does the calling, the research, and can take detailed photos. It has cut job times by his guess 25%. As more support becomes available it can improve life.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing. It is interesting to read when those devices really allow people to be productive and efficient you know.
That being said that kind of proves that devices like iPads and Surfaces have their uses cases (different than the laptop/desktop case) and for me this was not so much the question. The question was can we have only one device that can do both the work of the tablet and the laptop/desktop.
This is why the iPad camera(s) are in fact important to some people!
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I like Gruber, but he is a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to the iPad. He complains and moans about it but then constantly tweets about how he is constantly using is iPad Pro + Magic Keyboard (so am I - it is an excellent product). I’ve said this many times - I can easily replace my Macbook with a Windows laptop but I can’t replace my Ipad with any competitive product
Exactly. Nothing comes close to the raw power and capability of the iPad Pro.
What kills me about the iPad is that all our gripes are completely solvable, it’s just that Apple has to balance the capabilities of the iPad with the MacBook lineup. They COULD make Files act much more like Finder. They COULD create even more robust multitasking. But they don’t because they’re not a one-trick pony.
Hands down I enjoy the iPad experience more than the MacBook. My iPad Pro feels sleeker, doesn’t have a fan, never gets hot, and I can hold it in whatever orientation I want. I can slip it into my bag and barely feel it, and when I want to use it, I just tap on the screen, swipe up and I’m off. Face ID runs invisibly in the background. The device almost never lags and the one-app-at-a-time paradigm (multitasking aside) is much more engrossing than the multi-window layout of a laptop. All of these are reasons why we all have probably tried to rely on the iPad as our main computing device. It’s just a joy to use. Unfortunately, it’s hampered by software limitations that don’t have to be there. That’s not to say I’m ever going to stop using mine. I won’t. But, I also won’t stop craving to want to use this as a laptop replacement.
Hands down I enjoy the iPad experience more than the MacBook. My iPad Pro feels sleeker, doesn’t have a fan, never gets hot, and I can hold it in whatever orientation I want. I can slip it into my bag and barely feel it, and when I want to use it, I just tap on the screen, swipe up and I’m off. Face ID runs invisibly in the background. The device almost never lags and the one-app-at-a-time paradigm (multitasking aside) is much more engrossing than the multi-window layout of a laptop. All of these are reasons why we all have probably tried to rely on the iPad as our main computing device. It’s just a joy to use. Unfortunately, it’s hampered by software limitations that don’t have to be there. That’s not to say I’m ever going to stop using mine. I won’t. But, I also won’t stop craving to want to use this as a laptop replacement.
Yes, they could solve many limitations if they want. Remember that iPadOS evolved from iOS which is a small screen Phone OS and not MacOS. iPadOS is likely to evolve and replace MacOS for lots of users and therefore need to distance itself from iOS by being more MacOS like (minus the terminal). We will get floating windows on iPadOS when we get screen sizes >13 inch on the iPad (ie desktop iPads).
Not related to your post but to the thread in general: I am so tired of know-it-all (Gruber et al) who want the iPad to be an exact copy of a MBP and MacOS.
Those that want the iPad to get more Mac features need to remember that 95% of users just use the iPad as a simple consumption device. I think it is great that Apple has added all theses cool features while for the majority, keeping as easy to use as when it first came out. Anyone that knows the iPhone can pick up and use an iPad with ease. Features like multi tasking are largely hidden.
I think Apple has got to be careful that in adding new features for ‘power users’ they don’t detract ease of use for the majority
I think Apple has got to be careful that in adding new features for ‘power users’ they don’t detract ease of use for the majority
That is true! However for me that is true also for laptops and desktops. People can use those devices in different ways. Some use it for browsing and consumption, others use it as powerhouse. Whatever the OS is, it needs to be designed in a way to allow both types of usages without compromising either use case.
It is also about Apple marketing though. Like do they want to target the consumers that use the iPad as a consumption device or something more. Because if you ask me the ones that use the iPads as a consumption device are already sold on the bandwagon. They do use iPad and do buy iPads. IMO Apple continues with this computer replacement slogans because they target the rest - the people that are still not sold on the iPad bandwagon and their assumption is that those people do not want consumption device, they want something else.
I think it is also fair to assume that the profit for Apple from the iPad Pro is considerably more than the regular iPad, so that is where they concentrate their energy in development and marketing.
In terms of potential profit due to the price yes. I mean obviously iPP are more expensive. However I think that far more people buy the regular iPad or the mini or even the Air 3 then the pros. So I cannot say if they receive currently more profit from the Pros or not.
I do think that Apple tries to find ways to motivate more people to buy the pros though because then they can indeed increase their profit.
They likely increase profit far more with their services. Regardless of whether it’s a cheap or expensive iPad, that additional storage or Apple Music subscription is just as valuable
They likely increase profit far more with their services. Regardless of whether it’s a cheap or expensive iPad, that additional storage or Apple Music subscription is just as valuable
Good point indeed!