M4 iPad Pro Reviews: Incredible Speed and Display Hampered By Software

[Rogifan]

Federico Viticci is quite harsh about iPad OS. I know Apple employees are aware of him and read his site. And this year he was invited to the press event in London. Is Apple just being stubborn about iPadOS or just neglecting it because the iPhone is what matters? Apple made the decision to fork iOS and create iPadOS. Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS? And if Apple has big changes for iPadOS at WWDC it seems like they should have just announced them at WWDC. Add an extra half hour. Make it the one more thing.

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don’t have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn’t get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

www.macstories.net

 

[nutmac]

iPad Pro is indeed great, as the last several generations were. But they are very expensive for all the artificial constraints that are imposed by its software.

 

[nutmac]

Federico Viticci is quite harsh about iPad OS. I know Apple employees are aware of him and read his site. And this year he was invited to the press event in London. Is Apple just being stubborn about iPad OS or just neglecting it because the iPhone is what matters? Apple made the decision to fork iOS and create iPad OS. Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS?

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don’t have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn’t get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

www.macstories.net

I just crossed posted this. This is a perfect explanation of all the artificial limitations of iPadOS. Even if you are happy with iPadOS, you can admit to these failings and the need for iPadOS to address them.

 

[trip1ex]

sounds like it is a thinner faster prettier ipad

 

[coolfactor]

Very confused by this negative perception of iPadOS. If you want a desktop experience, the iPad is not for you. That's why Apple also sells Macs.

What "limitations" are people running into?

 

[roblin]

I used the iPad pro M1 as my primary computer for 2 years. It was amazing. Needed a specific software for a task, so decided to switch to MBA M2. It wasn't the same experience. No longer need that software, so gonna get this iPad M4 and no longer own any laptop.

I prefer the software for iPad over Mac. Lots of apps are better, google docs/google maps, lots of mobile banking, car app etc.

My girlfriend has been using iPad Air as her primary device for 4 years now, when she borrows my MBP she tries scrolling on the screen and gets disappointed it doesn't work..

Once you get used to the software and start thinking desktop it's pretty awesome. Sometimes you have to do some hacks to get some specific tasks done, like zbigz for torrents etc, but once you get used to that you usually prefer it that way.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I just crossed posted this. This is a perfect explanation of all the artificial limitations of iPadOS. Even if you are happy with iPadOS, you can admit to these failings and the need for iPadOS to address them.

Unless we see some real improvement at WWDC with iPadOS features that are ready to roll at release, (instead of having to wait until some future point in time) Apple has created a very niche product with this latest Pro model release, in my opinion. That isn't going to promote Pro sales.

 

[AlexESP]

When it comes to the iPad, I really like both hardware and software. But I have to choose, I’d choose iPadOS. There’s basically no other OS designed from scratch for a tablet. Sure, it will not work for everyone/every use case (just like the Mac), but it does for a huge majority of users/cases, much more pleasantly than a traditional computer. I’d say reviews were very positive - seems like they’re finally understanding what an iPad is, and where it excels as a computer.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

I'll probably settle with apple on the day they make base products 120hz

Iphone 17 should have 120hz, so I imagine the ipad air would too, eventually

The only reason I got an ipad pro is for pro-motion .

Sadly 60hz is rédhibitory , my eyes and brain cannot stand it .

But seriously, this is especially true on ipad for me : drawing, taking notes, editing pdf and papers , reading comics , editing pics/vids .

I'd be totally fine with an a14 and 6gb of ram . That means even the base ipad 9 would do .

Ipad pros are ridiculously overpriced, especially with this iteration

 

[profdraper]

iOS 17 is still a bit of a dog, but, I guess this will be one of the main features of WWWDC, iOS 18 & just how far Apple will go in addressing this. After all, they seem to have invested a lot in the new M4 iPad Pro & Magic keyboard redesigns, right now likely the most advanced product they make & together as a a platform form their new AI.

Also seeing as the recent trends with MacOS seem to be (annoyingly) not so much making it better, but increasingly making it more like iOS, there is some substantial convergence going on here that we are yet to see. iOS 18 should really begin to spell this out, we shall see ... or could well be another nothingburger.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

When it comes to the iPad, I really like both hardware and software. But I have to choose, I’d choose iPadOS. There’s basically no other OS designed from scratch for a tablet. Sure, it will not work for everyone/every use case (just like the Mac), but it does for a huge majority of users/cases, much more pleasantly than a traditional computer. I’d say reviews were very positive - seems like they’re finally understanding what an iPad is, and where it excels as a computer.

It definitely is good at what it does, but the price and power are hard , very hard to justify

 

[Rogifan]

I just crossed posted this. This is a perfect explanation of all the artificial limitations of iPadOS. Even if you are happy with iPadOS, you can admit to these failings and the need for iPadOS to address them.

I appreciate the work Federico puts into this because he’s being thoughtful about it. And he’s someone who uses an iPad as his main productivity device. Most reviewers - like Joanna Stern - take the lazy way out and just whine about iPad not being to run macOS while they’re perfectly happy with their Mac.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Federico Viticci is quite harsh about iPad OS. I know Apple employees are aware of him and read his site. And this year he was invited to the press event in London. Is Apple just being stubborn about iPadOS or just neglecting it because the iPhone is what matters? Apple made the decision to fork iOS and create iPadOS. Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS? And if Apple has big changes for iPadOS at WWDC it seems like they should have just announced them at WWDC. Add an extra half hour. Make it the one more thing.

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don’t have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn’t get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

www.macstories.net

Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS

To avoid EU regulations haha

 

[AlexESP]

Unless we see some real improvement at WWDC with iPadOS features that are ready to roll at release, (instead of having to wait until at some future point in time) Apple has created a very niche product with this latest Pro model release, in my opinion. That isn't going to promote Pro sales.

Is the MacBook Pro a very niche product? I would say, based on revenue, it’s difficult to guess that the iPad Pro is more niche than the MBP (sold units).

 

[coolfactor]

Federico Viticci is quite harsh about iPad OS. I know Apple employees are aware of him and read his site. And this year he was invited to the press event in London. Is Apple just being stubborn about iPadOS or just neglecting it because the iPhone is what matters? Apple made the decision to fork iOS and create iPadOS. Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS? And if Apple has big changes for iPadOS at WWDC it seems like they should have just announced them at WWDC. Add an extra half hour. Make it the one more thing.

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don’t have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn’t get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

www.macstories.net

Great insight into some of the challenges people face with iPadOS. Could some of these issues also affect iOS, such as the delay in accessing iCloud-stored files?

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Call me a 40-year-old boomer but...

This would be a perfect scenario for Steve Jobs to give a live keynote and at the end say that there's "One More Thing…"

And then he says, "In a secret area of our offices, in that building, we have been creating a version of macOS that runs on iPad. We have done it with every release. And with macOS 15, we think we have it right. Introducing macOS on iPad."

And then the crowd starts cheering.

And I would also guess that only people roughly my age or older can truly appreciate this dream as it reminds us of the PPC transition Keynote and the reality that the Mac and the Mac OSes are what's made all this possible. Those who don't understand, I humbly predict, never had a Macrumors account pre-iPhone or stared in appreciation at a pulsing Aqua blue OK button when Mac was awake and a pulsing white light when Mac was asleep.

Unfortunately, Steve isn't alive anymore, nor is his spirit . Been dead long ago

 

[now i see it]

iPad OS is intentionally dumbed down so that people will buy BOTH an iPad and a Mac.

 

[macabrumorsab]

I have an iPad and a Samsung tablet (Tab S8 Ultra). No matter what Apple claims: iPadOs is really a toy operating system. The One UI combined with DeX on the other side converts the Tab S8 Ultra into a notebook: it just feels and behaves like a notebook, in every aspect.
There are people who need a few specialised software available for iPad Pros. But for the majority of people the vanilla iPad is the only iPad which is worth the money. The rest should just buy a MacBook, or a Windows notebook, or a Samsung tablet.
It is embarrassing what Apple has been doing in the last few years with iPad Pros: it has been all about spec-bragging and hardware, but no real improvement in the OS. And no, that ridiculous Stage Manager has nothing to do with a Desktop Experience.

 

[TheLinkster]

Sadly 60hz is rédhibitory , my eyes and brain cannot stand it .

Aside from the over-exaggerated motion brought to us by the likes of Samsung and Panasonic, that anyone would need a refresh rate greater than 60Hz, or find it difficult to look at, is hard to believe.

 

[gleepskip]

Federico Viticci is quite harsh about iPad OS. I know Apple employees are aware of him and read his site. And this year he was invited to the press event in London. Is Apple just being stubborn about iPadOS or just neglecting it because the iPhone is what matters? Apple made the decision to fork iOS and create iPadOS. Why do that if it’s largely going to remain iOS? And if Apple has big changes for iPadOS at WWDC it seems like they should have just announced them at WWDC. Add an extra half hour. Make it the one more thing.

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don’t have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn’t get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

www.macstories.net

The main purpose so far for forking iPad OS is to allow Apple to neglect the iPad and only put the latest software features on iPhone. I hope 2024 is the year that iOS gets overshadowed.

 

[Populus]

On the Dave2D video, the PWM on the iPad screen is pretty noticeable on certain takes… I’m afraid I’ll get stuck with my 11” M2 iPad Pro.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Aside from the over-exaggerated motion brought to us by the likes of Samsung and Panasonic, that anyone would need a refresh rate greater than 60Hz, or find it difficult to look at, is hard to believe.

It did always bother me, to be honest . Perhaps am I a dragonfly

 

[Sippincider]

iOS on iPad made sense in 2010. But we're long, long past due for a real iPad OS.

Not a rebranded iOS, not macOS. A dedicated tablet OS. Though probably no chance of that happening with the AI rush now.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

On the Dave2D video, the PWM on the iPad screen is pretty noticeable on certain takes… I’m afraid I’ll get stuck with my 11” M2 iPad Pro.

I wished apple would allow DC dimming to mitigate with pwm issues. Many of us do not care about color degradation for our workflow

 

[hovscorpion12]

Like the "crush" ad, here's hoping the reviewers force Apple to wake up with iPadOS. If you think we want MacOS on iPads, I'm sure Apple is sick of hearing reviewers complain.

Time to meet in the middle.