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UBS28

macrumors 68030
Oct 2, 2012
2,893
2,340
Sure, for little things like typing a long email. But for most serious uses you should still get a laptop. I’ve seen more than a few cases of people going through multiple Magic Keyboards Because they try to do too much with it.

Why? An iPad Pro is superior to a MacBook Pro and Air because it has better hardware and touch screen support.

And if you do more “serious uses” like music production, with touch support you can actually touch all the knobs and sliders, rather than moving them with a mouse, which is less intuitive. You can probably even play the instruments with the touch screen rather than using an external midi keyboard if you are on the go.

If Apple actually opens up the iPad Pro to OS X, the 13” MBA and 13” MBP are dead basically.

But that is the reason why Apple will never “unleash” the iPad Pro as it would hurt the MAC sales.
 

cmaier

Suspended
Jul 25, 2007
25,405
33,474
California
Why? An iPad Pro is superior to a MacBook Pro and Air because it has better hardware and touch screen support.

And if you do more “serious uses” like music production, with touch support you can actually touch all the knobs and sliders, rather than moving them with a mouse, which is less intuitive.

If Apple actually opens up the iPad Pro to OS X, the 13” MBA and 13” MBP are dead basically.

Also probably hyperbole. MBP/A have advantages for some people (more flexible keyboard/tilt screen, ports, etc.) In any event, when Apple re-designs MB’s for M1, we will see macos machines that have their own competitive advantages.
 

leman

macrumors Core
Oct 14, 2008
19,521
19,679
So, I'm sure the usual lines will be said about this, but it's becoming patently ridiculous that you can't run Mac OS on the iPads.
This thing completely kicks the Microsoft Surfaces ass, but you cannot run professional video and audio applications on it. In audio specifically, plug ins are absolutely better to operate on touch screens, and it's getting frustrating watching Apple beat MS and others in the chip market, have arguably better touch screens on their iOS hardware, yet not allow the Mac OS merger. Running Logic X on this would be great, if you could...

Or more to the point, what is the point of a ridiculously fast chip and new connectivity if it's to be used only for dumbed down iOS apps only?

Different input interface. Regular macOS is not made for touch and it would be a crappy experience altogether. I don't think that Apple is ready for any compromise in this area.

What they want you (the developer) to do instead is to build adaptive software which will adjust the UI and the input method to the device. SwiftUI and APIs like Catalyst make it fairly easy. Sure, it's more work but you'll get much more polished software that will actually feel at home on the iPad.
 
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neinjohn

macrumors regular
Nov 9, 2020
107
70
If Apple actually opens up the iPad Pro to OS X, the 13” MBA and 13” MBP are dead basically.
It can also kill the present and the potential for the iPad, iPad mini and iPad Air which they are trying to change with a standalone system not 100% connected to iOS and, very importantly, is their more affordable gateway for computing which was the initial Apple proposal for the iPad.
 

Bodhitree

macrumors 68020
Apr 5, 2021
2,085
2,217
Netherlands
Ah, the old “what *I* do is real work but these other people doing paid work on this device are only doing fake work” theory.
You seem to have misinterpreted my post. Its nothing to do with my work, other people are finding the magic keyboard insufficient for long writing assignments on iPad Pro. Simple enough.

I totally understand that some people are attached to the idea of being able to do everything on an iPad Pro, but I think that is a pipe dream. It is in Apple’s interest to sell you as many devices as possible, which means they want you to buy a Mac and an iPad Pro.

So I think we will see small incremental improvements, and Apple will let other people make new software for these devices. It’s only when we hear from people like Adobe or Affinity how much use their pro image editing apps get that we really know whether there is an appetite. And sometimes Apple guesses wrong, like with the iphone 12 Mini.
 

mgymnop

macrumors member
Dec 17, 2020
42
30
Vertical camera is stupid. I hate it on my iPad Air. iPadOS is so underwhelming. File managing and multitasking is totally underdeveloped. I pass. Maybe for content creators a good device but as a serious work machine not there yet.
 

Cookie18

macrumors 6502a
Sep 11, 2014
584
684
France
I was actively annoyed today when they didn't announce Mac OS for the iPad Pro. At this point it's limiting it for the sake of limiting it. It's the same damn thing as all of the M1 Macs they sell right now! Even down to the RAM. I can only assume that they have some truly monumental changes to iPadOS coming in June because otherwise this iPad is basically pointless. It's a Lamborghini for grocery shopping right now.
 

machinesworking

macrumors member
Jan 11, 2015
99
57
Different input interface. Regular macOS is not made for touch and it would be a crappy experience altogether. I don't think that Apple is ready for any compromise in this area.

What they want you (the developer) to do instead is to build adaptive software which will adjust the UI and the input method to the device. SwiftUI and APIs like Catalyst make it fairly easy. Sure, it's more work but you'll get much more polished software that will actually feel at home on the iPad.
Again, this is the single button mouse argument. People are already attaching Magic Keyboards made by Apple to iPads, the argument falls flat right there. I also used a 7 button Logitech mouse years before Apple had their magic mouse...
 

ADGrant

macrumors 68000
Mar 26, 2018
1,689
1,059
Well I’m wondering about that. Why move the market in a direction that the market doesn’t want to go? The iPad excels at certain things, the couch, the bed, as a second screen device behind the tv, outside for professionals on the move. None of that says to me, here is a device that’s going to replace the Mac in the office for serious content creation.

Yes with the M1 processor it has reached computing power parity with the desktop, but the nature of the device constrains what it can do: it is primarily touch-based, it has a screen of limited size, it lacks a mouse. That makes it better at some things and worse at others. Apple should try to embrace that, and find those areas where they can create complementary relationships.

The 12.9" iPad has a similar screen size to both M1 MacBooks (and most Intel MacBooks) and it supports both a mouse and keyboard (as well as touch and a pen). For most web applications, the experience is not that different to most Mac Books. The productivity apps are limited but it could work for some productivity tasks (e.g. photo editing). Obviously it would not be so good for software development and other power user tasks but I don't think a 13" laptop is that wonderful either (though it would work in a pinch).
 

telo123

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2021
318
402
I hope iPadOS 15 really takes advantage of the M1 iPad Pros (like maybe having exclusive features on those devices to really take advantage of the CPU and GPU power).
 

fishkorp

macrumors 68030
Apr 10, 2006
2,536
650
Ellicott City, MD
I was actively annoyed today when they didn't announce Mac OS for the iPad Pro. At this point it's limiting it for the sake of limiting it. It's the same damn thing as all of the M1 Macs they sell right now! Even down to the RAM. I can only assume that they have some truly monumental changes to iPadOS coming in June because otherwise this iPad is basically pointless. It's a Lamborghini for grocery shopping right now.
If that happens it’ll be at WWDC in June. That requires OS changes. They couldn’t show that today if they wanted to.

I’ve been saying for a while now that this iPad Pro will lead to an iPadOS->macOS bridge come June. I hope I’m right.
 
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iPadified

macrumors 68020
Apr 25, 2017
2,014
2,257
Keyboards jockeys as usual do not get the iPad. It is spelled : pencil and absolute mobility.

A thunderbolt port, 6k display support, trackpad and keyboard support, 16 Gb Ram, XDR dependent workflow. This is meant for something else than the coach. It is really is a machine for (high end creative) work just like the Mac Pro.

Dual boot seems logical at this stage. In MacOS - no touch support but input via keyboard and trackpad/mouse. In iPad OS mode -touch.

I do wonder how I will argue the case before my wife for a 1 Tb XDR, 16 Gb RAM iPad monster when a perfectly fine 12.9 inch second generation is my daily companion around the house.

I think WWDC will be very interesting this year as well.
 

leman

macrumors Core
Oct 14, 2008
19,521
19,679
Again, this is the single button mouse argument. People are already attaching Magic Keyboards made by Apple to iPads, the argument falls flat right there. I also used a 7 button Logitech mouse years before Apple had their magic mouse...

Sure, but you still have the problem that some applications are going to be "native touch" and some applications would basically require mouse-like input. It's not about what the iPad can do (because it's certainly capable of running macOS apps). It's about consistency.
 
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