Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Having made the jump from an iPad Air 5th gen, the M4 Pro 11 inch is a real shocker in every way to me. The only thing I dislike about it is the requirement to buy a new Magic Keyboard. I fail to see how this version of the iPad is a “flop”.
 
it makes sense to buy the lower priced model, or to just hold on to the older model for longer, as the products last longer and new models are incremental.

Both the iPhone and iPad are now "mature" products with, as you say, generally incremental updates. If a lower priced model meets your needs there is no reason to buy a more expensive model.
 
I guess the only problem the iPad Pro has is .... that the standard iPad is too good. Yes, it's a shockingly amazing device seeing and using it first hand. Yes, the screen is something else. Yes, it really is that thin.

But! there is hardly if anything the general public would do on such a device they can't do a standard iPad, and the professional crowd that would "need" it is vanishingly small. For everyone the standard iPad as a companion device really is good enough. Unless they actually make it a viable Laptop replacement (and no, it isn't) .... it'll remain a niche product. And so far Apple has chosen to keep it that way for probably good reasons - at least from their perspective.

Basically: if you can or want to cough up the price, especially for the shockingly good nano display option .... it's leap and bounds ahead of anything else. But it's nothing you need. It's something you'd want. And something that doesn't come for "free" with your carrier and that isn't a status symbol like the iPhone .... you simply don't want enough to cough up the money for in most cases.
 
  • Like
Reactions: seggy and schnaps
It’s a mainstay in my workflow but I do agree.
8321F7F6-4A3F-4A60-9C1C-7A8EF20D30DA-6672-0000035BFC49C338_Original.jpeg
06458183-BB21-4C59-B4AC-9169C6639E0E-6672-0000035B77ED4AE4_Original.jpeg
584DA3FA-E310-4ACE-83A7-272127FBDDB9-6672-0000035B55951867_Original.jpeg
 
Other than a few fancier features, my M4 iPad Pro doesn’t really do anything differently than my brother's $350 10th gen iPad. It's a nice product, but most people aren’t going to pay the premium for it when a $350 iPad or even the 5 year old M1 iPad Pro are perfect for them.
 
hardware is fine. apple just need to give it a some more powerful OS features. there's no reason it can't run a proper desktop like a Mac, not this stage manager garbage. there's no reason apps need to be terminated if running in the background while on AC power.
 
The iPad pro as a tablet is fantastic, but when plugged through an external monitor, it still an overall not so good experience. I don't want macOS on it, but at least a proper solution that it feels like a computer when plugged to a monitor like a proper mouse icon and not this unusable circle icon that isn't precise at all. I need my games to be full screen and the ability to be in clamshell mode. It's kind of ridiculous that I prefer to use my steam deck on desktop mode (basically its linux) as a portable computer solution when plugged to a monitor rather than my way more expensive iPad pro. At least with my Steam deck I have a real desktop experience on the monitor. That's literally the only thing I ask. Oh and no simultaneous audio is also another drawback on iPad in general that stop me to consider it other than just a consumption device.
 
Too expensive for what it does. At the core it doesn't really do much different than the 10th Generation iPad. Then if you want the keyboard with it you're looking at MacBook Pro level prices, at which point, just get a MacBook. It's a beautiful device but I've never been able to justify the price in my mind. There's always a better use of the extra dollars on other electronics.
 
iPad pro 12.9 has been the best selling device over the last couple of years...
Yeah this is a bunch of crap. Anyone who knows pricing and the market knows the lower priced parts sell more. Entry level way oversells in general, and Cook himself said in the call it wasn't Pro driving the revenue but Air instead, which makes sense. Most consumers are price conscious.
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane
I don’t know if the M4 iPad has been a financial flop for Apple or not. If so, I’d think it’s due to the pricing taking such a jump. Not only the iPad itself, but the accessories (Magic Keyboard case $299 - 11 inch) and the need for most to buy a new Apple Pencil.

Now, I just upgraded my 11 inch 256GB M1 WiFi iPad Pro to the 11 inch base model M4 ($849), found a Magic Keyboard Case and Pencil Pro (both Open Box-Excellent at Best Buy: $192 and $90 and that’s still a lot: $1,130 🙀. But, I’m selling my M1 iPad Saturday for $525. Then, I’m going to try and sell the Magic Keyboard case for the M1 and the Pencil 2: $175 and $50. So, maybe I’ll net proceeds of $750 on the M1 & accessories and be looking at a net $380 for the upgrade. I’m okay with that.

Sure the base iPad can do almost everything the Pro can do. But, the pro does it better. Sounds better, scrolling is better, display is better, etc, etc, etc…. Many things that add to the user experience that I’m willing to pay up for…to an extent:)
 
Last edited:
I don't care what anyone say except for being able to use a keyboard and pencil which I don't, iPad doesn't do anything different than what they first came out, and I have had every model since then.
Now back to my big iPhone.
 
I don't care what anyone say except for being able to use a keyboard and pencil which I don't, iPad doesn't do anything different than what they first came out, and I have had every model since then.
Now back to my big iPhone.

I also had early iPads. Off the top of my head, I came up with a few things I am doing now that I couldn't with those early iPads:
  • Edit & publish 4K video using LumaFusion (or even play 4K video)
  • Process 40MB RAW images in Lightroom
  • Attach & utilize fast external storage
  • Use my iPad with my 4K monitor
  • Perform LiDAR scans
  • Utilize high-speed 5G mobile connections
But when you view the iPad only as a large phone, of course you will limit yourself to large phone-type usage.
 
Last edited:
I don't care what anyone say except for being able to use a keyboard and pencil which I don't, iPad doesn't do anything different than what they first came out, and I have had every model since then.
Now back to my big iPhone.
That’s just simply not true. What you’re saying is the equivalent of saying “I don't care what anyone says, but other than being able to buy a drink or take a wiz while in-flight, which I never do, an airplane today does nothing differently than that flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright, and I’ve seen them both take off and land”. Does that make any sense?
 
Last edited:
Outside of tech enthusiasts, the iPad pros mass market appeal is arguably as niche as the Vision Pro. That is probably Apple should look at and maybe reevaluate iPadOS capabilities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: turbineseaplane
That’s just simply not true. What you’re saying is the equivalent of saying “I don't care what anyone says, but other than being ably to buy a drink or take a wiz on a flight, which I never do, an airplane today does nothing differently than that flown by Orville and Wilbur Wright, and I’ve seen them both take off and land”. Does that make any sense?
Like I said I don’t care what anyone says.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: sparksd
Yeah this is a bunch of crap. Anyone who knows pricing and the market knows the lower priced parts sell more. Entry level way oversells in general, and Cook himself said in the call it wasn't Pro driving the revenue but Air instead, which makes sense. Most consumers are price conscious.
Is it? Or it's rather a bunch of crap when people makes statements like yours with no data to back it up, while mine was based on statistcs.... Look them for yourself and you'll find them...
 
My two previous iPads were iPadPros as I wanted the 12.9” display. They also had accompanying cases with keyboards (Logitech in my situation) that worked/works very, very well for me. Now that the iPadAir comes in a 13” display size, that’ll likely be my next iPad replacing my current refurb’d iPadPro(4th gen). But even that will be a year or so after introduction as I’ll get one from the refurb’d store when they become available. That’s just me though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DSTOFEL
No, it’s not.
Even putting aside capabilities, the iPad Pro can be found at third parties for as low as $700-800.
And people, regular people, purchase and use them every day.

Agree. And the cost of the Pro line, while high, is eclipsed by the Vision Pro. I'm a retired engineer and heavily invested in tech gear (e.g., I use the 13" M4), but even though I could afford it, the Vision Pro is far beyond what I'm willing to spend.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Digitalguy
Not many retired people would be spending $2-$3k on a iPad pro
One I know uses a iPad 5
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.