All iPads No evolution or revolution for iPadOS 18

[Ghost31]

Are super feature rich apps on iPad even desirable or would it ruin the intent of the computer experience?

I have always wanted to a have desktop word on iPad and definitely do not like the 365 web version. In reality, if I analyse which features I use, current Word for iPad works to write reports and scientific manuscript (with pictures and tables) so why complicate iPad Word further? Where in the user spectrum am I? Low end, medium end or high end? I do not know.

In my view, iPads should address the functions for medium to low users and leave to high end users for the Mac. Conversely, high end users should recognise what they are and accept the major may not have their needs.

Note, some "low end" users make lots of money so low end does not mean "not work".

probably the best way anybody’s ever worded it 👍

 

[Abazigal]

Are super feature rich apps on iPad even desirable or would it ruin the intent of the computer experience?

I have always wanted to a have desktop word on iPad and definitely do not like the 365 web version. In reality, if I analyse which features I use, current Word for iPad works to write reports and scientific manuscript (with pictures and tables) so why complicate iPad Word further? Where in the user spectrum am I? Low end, medium end or high end? I do not know.

In my view, iPads should address the functions for medium to low users and leave to high end users for the Mac. Conversely, high end users should recognise what they are and accept the major may not have their needs.

Note, some "low end" users make lots of money so low end does not mean "not work".

Very well said.

I am reminded of this article of a girl who used the iPad Pro to help illustrate her first book, and she also explained why she preferred drawing on the iPad compared to using a PC.

How the iPad Pro Changed My Illustrating Career

I am a simple 15-year-old who has loved to doodle for as long as she can remember. I adored my first generation iPad mini, so when the iPad Pro came out I decided I could use an upgrade. What an…

medium.com

It's sometimes worth remembering that the key selling point of a product isn't necessarily always complexity, but simplicity. In an era where computers get more and more complex, maybe having a simplified computing experience in the form of the iPad isn't all that bad (frustrations and limitations and all).

 

[ct2k7]

With the arguments that iPads should address the low to medium, then I also posit that the iPad Pro as a product should not exist, nor should the iPad Air, only the iPad Mini and iPad should. Obviously, Apple doesn’t entirely feel the same, however.

As I continue to use my iPad, and I’ve had an iPad for many, many years, I see that my usage is limited because of what it can’t do; I don’t believe my usage is a necessary reflection of what I could do: there are so many things I want to do, and in my professional life, and even with creatives, there’s significant limitations.

One thing I’m using my iPad for is to remote into a VDI with Citrix Workspace - I can leave it open and multitask on my Mac, however, on my iPad, the app quits in the background or iOS disrupts it, killing the connection. It seems (along with other issues I’ve seen) that iPad is just like iPhone - single task oriented. This fits with the low (not even medium) type usage.

 

[NEPOBABY]

I'm surprised they didn't give us window tiling like MacOS got.

Because it already has Split View and corner tiling would look bad in Portrait orientation or the smallest iPads. Pointless.

It looks bad even on Windows laptops under 15".

 

[Digitalguy]

I still cannot understand why so many people are expecting something that it will never came.

The iPad is NOT a Mac. Or a PC. And it will never will.

They are completely different devices. The iPad is a TABLET TOUCH MOBILE device, with a GUI designed to work with your fingers touching the display, like the iPhone.

The MacBook is a traditional laptop, designed to work with a keyboard and a mouse.

You DON'T NEED AN IPAD (of any kind) if your Mac or PC is doing the job fine FOR YOU, and viceversa, unless you want a complementary portable device.

That's why I have a bulky and heavy 14" MBP, but also a lightweight 11" M1 iPad Pro in my bag. Because I know they are different devices, for different purposes. I use the Mac most of the time, and I pick the iPad in certain cases.

Steve Jobs' 2010 vision is still the current Apple vision for their devices, especially the iPad. The press and the youtubers/influencers are trying to sell to you another story, and you are buying it (and Apple, also, is trying to make profit of your empty hope, offering you a pointless M4 SoC).

You clearly don't understand what the M4 SoC is for. It's far from pointless, it's what allows the 13" to be so thin and light and what allows the tandem OLED to work.
And for the Jobs nostalgia, that vision is long gone. I am very glad iPad has a pro version (with better screen and speakers), has a good stylus and a good (although expensive) keyboard with trackpad. It allows the iPad to be a great remote desktop client.
iPad is whatever every persons decides it to be, not what Jobs said 14 years ago or the simplistic and limited view you are trying to impose on others.
It doesn't need to replace a laptop to be a useful pro device if you have uses cases for it (and you don't need to be an artist for that).
And if people wish it had more features for their use case, they are totally entitled to (I wish things like default app choice in file, sidecar/universal control between 2 iPads without a Mac etc. and that's totally fine to want more from iPad, especially pro) that doesn't mean that one does not like their iPad as it is now or that one should buy the cheapest iPad possible....

 

[Kal Madda]

Many of the complaints I hear in some of these reviews are about third party app’s shortcomings, which just annoys me, because these reviewers will say something like “and iPadOS still doesn’t have a native WhatsApp app, come on Apple!” As if Apple’s in charge of development for WhatsApp…🤦🏼‍♂️. Often many of the limits people bump into aren’t due to the OS, but app developers making poor decisions with their apps. Such as the Microsoft Office apps for iPad. There is no system limitation of iPadOS that prevents Microsoft from shipping basic features with it’s Word app like page formatting tools for centering objects on a page, simple things that they’ve left out of their native iPad version and refuse to add. People have been requesting small basic features like this in Word for years and years, but Microsoft refuses to add them. The ridiculous thing about this is that their free web app includes some of these features, while their native iPad and Android apps that you have to be a paying 365 customer to access on a tablet this size offer less features. Microsoft has chosen to artificially kneecap Office on iPad and Android, there’s absolutely zero reason that Office on iPad and Android couldn’t at least offer the same feature set the web app does. But I think Microsoft doesn’t want other tablets with full Office software capabilities to compete with their Surface Pro. When developers choose to artificially kneecap their apps like this, it isn’t the fault of the platform or OS, but the developers. Many developers do provide a desktop-class experience with their apps, and they demonstrate how apps should be made for the iPad.

 

[iPadified]

1. With the arguments that iPads should address the low to medium, then I also posit that the iPad Pro as a product should not exist, nor should the iPad Air, only the iPad Mini and iPad should. Obviously, Apple doesn’t entirely feel the same, however.

2. This fits with the low (not even medium) type usage.

1. In Apple language "Pro" means "better". Why should not low and medium end user be allowed a better iPad? Who said computational power is not needed for low and medium end users? Please do not confuse complexity of software with compute requirements. iMovie is a low complexity app but still requires dedicated HW to get relatively fast exports. Many games have low user interface complexity (all shoot them up, RPG etc) but are still very compute demanding.
2. This is the problem. Who defines what is low or medium end usage pattern? How many are using VDI (whatever that is) and Citrix connection of iPad users (well outside our little club)? I my world that is high end usage. I agree killing processed such as that as well as video exports can be an improvement Apple can address especially if the iPad is connected to a powers source.

 

[Kal Madda]

I created a thread for those of us who like iPadOS 18:

Thread 'iPadOS 18 is a revolutionary update!!!'
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/ipados-18-is-a-revolutionary-update.2429110/

 

[hagjohn]

I can't believe I'm the one making this upcoming argument, but here goes;

I use my iPP as my primary personal computer and it works out great for me. I do not want it to become a Mac because I prefer the iPadOS experience for general computing tasks.

Adding an option to just use MacOS means developers no longer have an incentive ton make an iPad app. Moreover, they have an incentive not to make iPad apps since they can circumvent Apple's cut on software by skirting the App Store for their Mac app.

This creates a dynamic where the platform has less software made for it because it makes more business sense to make a Mac app. iPad users can just boot into MacOS to use that software.

I'm sure it would work much better for you - but at the cost of my own preferred experience. That's why iPad appreciators get defensive when this topic comes up. This idea, if implemented, is detrimental to their preference and workflow.

No problem with “option”.

I still think it will just lead to a poor experience with poorly optimised software, but not against the option at all.

But replace iPadOS with MacOS is a hard NO for me.

If I was Apple, I would have an option to have MacOS on the 13" iPad Pro model and sell it with an iPad magic keyboard, mouse and pencil and you would use it just like you would a MacBook. And like MacOS on existing Apple computers, you have an option to use iPad apps. You detach the keyboard and it would act more like an iPad.

I would market it as the ultimate MacBook for mobile users, business executives and college students with light to medium workflows. If you have a heavy workflow, then of course, this would not be your option.

If that sells, then do an 11" but you probably would not want them on the smaller sizes because it wouldn't make sense.

 

[kard32]

Are super feature rich apps on iPad even desirable or would it ruin the intent of the computer experience?

I have always wanted to a have desktop word on iPad and definitely do not like the 365 web version. In reality, if I analyse which features I use, current Word for iPad works to write reports and scientific manuscript (with pictures and tables) so why complicate iPad Word further? Where in the user spectrum am I? Low end, medium end or high end? I do not know.

In my view, iPads should address the functions for medium to low users and leave to high end users for the Mac. Conversely, high end users should recognise what they are and accept the major may not have their needs.

Note, some "low end" users make lots of money so low end does not mean "not work".

I can’t even edit Styles in Word for iPad. Is that too much of a desktop feature? I suppose I can edit using the web version. But then Safari’s web version of Word has that annoying bar telling me to use the app, reducing my visual screen space…

I completely understand it’s MS and not Apple’s app that is hamstrung. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. It’s simply ridiculous when a $129 Windows laptop from Walmart can let me edit styles and my $2000 iPad can’t.

 

[Kal Madda]

I can’t even edit Styles in Word for iPad. Is that too much of a desktop feature? I suppose I can edit using the web version. But then Safari’s web version of Word has that annoying bar telling me to use the app, reducing my visual screen space…

I completely understand it’s MS and not Apple’s app that is hamstrung. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. It’s simply ridiculous when a $129 Windows laptop from Walmart can let me edit styles and my $2000 iPad can’t.

I agree, but I think to many people are too busy blaming Apple for things like this, when they should be putting the pressure on Microsoft for giving us such a kneecapped app. (I’m not saying you are, I’m talking about other people I’ve seen, especially some YouTubers just to clarify). I keep leaving feedback in Microsoft’s feedback forum. If enough of us do that, maybe they’ll get their act together. Though I suspect Microsoft intentionally kneecaps their iPad and Android versions of their Office apps so that they can sell the Surface Pro as the tablet with Office, or basically the fix to the problem they’ve artificially created. I think though that if developers like Microsoft don’t get their act together soon, they’ll likely be pushed out of this lucrative market by competitors that will. This has already kind of happened with Adobe and Affinity. Affinity ported their apps with either full desktop functionality, or at least so close to desktop functionality that I can’t find a single missing feature, and I use Affinity for my professional graphic design work. Adobe on the other hand, has not, and so if you look at the numbers, I believe Affinity has a bigger share of the iPad market than Adobe does. Because Microsoft hasn’t yet delivered real features in their native app, I have just moved to competing software for my word-processing needs. I’m very happy with Apple’s iWork Suite on the iPad, I’m unaware of any major features that the iPad versions don’t include. 👍🏻

 

[Rafterman]

I can’t even edit Styles in Word for iPad. Is that too much of a desktop feature? I suppose I can edit using the web version. But then Safari’s web version of Word has that annoying bar telling me to use the app, reducing my visual screen space…

I completely understand it’s MS and not Apple’s app that is hamstrung. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. It’s simply ridiculous when a $129 Windows laptop from Walmart can let me edit styles and my $2000 iPad can’t.

MS is under no obligation to provide iPad software. They want you to buy Windows machines. Just like Apple doesn't make many of their apps and features available for Windows, they want you to buy Macs.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Because it already has Split View and corner tiling would look bad in Portrait orientation or the smallest iPads. Pointless.

It looks bad even on Windows laptops under 15".

I don't get this argument. People here are advocating for MacOS on an iPad, which would be a usability nightmare, but corner tiling shouldn't be added because it looks bad?

 

[heretiq]

I agree, but I think to many people are too busy blaming Apple for things like this, when they should be putting the pressure on Microsoft for giving us such a kneecapped app. (I’m not saying you are, I’m talking about other people I’ve seen, especially some YouTubers just to clarify). I keep leaving feedback in Microsoft’s feedback forum. If enough of us do that, maybe they’ll get their act together. Though I suspect Microsoft intentionally kneecaps their iPad and Android versions of their Office apps so that they can sell the Surface Pro as the tablet with Office, or basically the fix to the problem they’ve artificially created. I think though that if developers like Microsoft don’t get their act together soon, they’ll likely be pushed out of this lucrative market by competitors that will. This has already kind of happened with Adobe and Affinity. Affinity ported their apps with either full desktop functionality, or at least so close to desktop functionality that I can’t find a single missing feature, and I use Affinity for my professional graphic design work. Adobe on the other hand, has not, and so if you look at the numbers, I believe Affinity has a bigger share of the iPad market than Adobe does. Because Microsoft hasn’t yet delivered real features in their native app, I have just moved to competing software for my word-processing needs. I’m very happy with Apple’s iWork Suite on the iPad, I’m unaware of any major features that the iPad versions don’t include. 👍🏻

Great points. I think MS is pursuing a deliberate strategy to elevate MS solutions as they should be. However their tactics range from hard ball (deliberately limiting features in Mac and iPad versions of their apps vs Windows versions) to ethically questionable (hijacking Mac hardware: e.g., MS app-specific audio overriding Mac system settings; and hijacking Mac/iPad file system by surreptitiously moving files to OneDrive even after user has disabled OneDrive).

The net impact of this ranges from degraded Mac and iPad UX for Apple users of MS apps to info security challenges (Client A files end up on Client B OneDrive because MS exploits general permissions to constantly try and insinuate itself between user files and file storage without user knowledge or permission on a file by file basis). Every time this happens, my thought is “I hate MS and I’m not going to let it get away with this” but I’m sure many users just roll over and let MS have their way with their devices or move to Surface where these issues do not occur. I wrestle with this every day as I’m forced to use MS 365 / Office for certain clients. I wish Apple would take note of this MS tactic and neutralize it.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

If I was Apple, I would have an option to have MacOS on the 13" iPad Pro model and sell it with an iPad magic keyboard, mouse and pencil and you would use it just like you would a MacBook. And like MacOS on existing Apple computers, you have an option to use iPad apps. You detach the keyboard and it would act more like an iPad.

You're ignoring my entire point - yes, iPad apps run on MacOS. But if the iPad runs MacOS, why bother making an iPad app to begin with? They have limited capabilities, no alternative distribution options, etc.

People that want MacOS can and should buy a Mac. Leave us normies that can get by on an iPad to live in peace.

 

[iPadified]

I can’t even edit Styles in Word for iPad. Is that too much of a desktop feature? I suppose I can edit using the web version. But then Safari’s web version of Word has that annoying bar telling me to use the app, reducing my visual screen space…

I completely understand it’s MS and not Apple’s app that is hamstrung. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter whose fault it is. It’s simply ridiculous when a $129 Windows laptop from Walmart can let me edit styles and my $2000 iPad can’t.

Ask yourself why Microsoft did not bother to add this feature. How much time is custom styles actually saving you?

My reports/papers there are perhaps 10-20 headings and 20-50 pages of text. It takes a few minutes to edit the headings and sometime weeks to write the content. Much more import is that Word for iPad has a plugin(!) for Mendeley and a high level reference manager is critical for scientific writing while custom headings are not. Perhaps you have other writing requirements.

PS.The built-in reference manager in desktop Word is worthless for scientific writing at least for STEM journals so you need Mendeley, Endnote or some of the other specialised reference managers. DS

 

[Kal Madda]

Great points. I think MS is pursuing a deliberate strategy to elevate MS solutions as they should be. However their tactics range from hard ball (deliberately limiting features in Mac and iPad versions of their apps vs Windows versions) to ethically questionable (hijacking Mac hardware: e.g., MS app-specific audio overriding Mac system settings; and hijacking Mac/iPad file system by surreptitiously moving files to OneDrive even after user has disabled OneDrive).

The net impact of this ranges from degraded Mac and iPad UX for Apple users of MS apps to info security challenges (Client A files end up on Client B OneDrive because MS exploits general permissions to constantly try and insinuate itself between user files and file storage without user knowledge or permission on a file by file basis). Every time this happens, my thought is “I hate MS and I’m not going to let it get away with this” but I’m sure many users just roll over and let MS have their way with their devices or move to Surface where these issues do not occur. I wrestle with this every day as I’m forced to use MS 365 / Office for certain clients. I wish Apple would take note of this MS tactic and neutralize it.

Thanks. 👍🏻. This is why I don’t like to use Microsoft’s software. If they wanted to treat me on a different platform on a more level playing field, then I’d be more likely to use them. When Apple does share their first party apps to other platforms, they generally try to port most or all of the features over. Like the new Passwords app for Windows will likely be mostly identical to the Mac version. With the iWork Suite, Apple didn’t cut out a bunch of features for the Windows versions, they tried to keep them as full feature parity as possible. And Apple is a hardware company, Microsoft’s supposedly a software company, so why don’t they act more like it and give me their software without a bunch of strings and limitations? This is an area I think Apple does way better in. Even though Apple doesn’t support all platforms with all of their apps, generally when they do, they try to be fair about it and do the best they can to make it good. 👍🏻

 

[TheMountainLife]

My employer lets you choose between a ThinkPad, MacBook or Surface Pro. I had the MB for a bit and was great though I switched to the Surface Pro and enjoy it more. Easy to use on a plane, rear camera is handy for demo's, the speakers are the best I've heard in a tablet ever and love I can detach the keyboard. Its also easier to mirror things to smart tv's that doesn't have airplay built in.

If Apple were to compete with the Surface Pro I'd hop on that instantly. Its weird reading about what you guys think I want or what the iPad shouldn't do. Whatever challenges there are Apple could figure it out, they just want to milk this as long as you guys keep buying.

 

[PowerMac5500]

Deleted

 

[hagjohn]

You're ignoring my entire point - yes, iPad apps run on MacOS. But if the iPad runs MacOS, why bother making an iPad app to begin with? They have limited capabilities, no alternative distribution options, etc.

People that want MacOS can and should buy a Mac. Leave us normies that can get by on an iPad to live in peace.

I'm not ignorning it. I just disagree. I'm not trying to change the iPad. I'm trying to expand it to those of us who would like a little bit extra. You can have an 11" with iPadOS and an 11" MacOS. 2 separate products.

 

[RLRabb]

I agree, but I think to many people are too busy blaming Apple for things like this, when they should be putting the pressure on Microsoft for giving us such a kneecapped app. (I’m not saying you are, I’m talking about other people I’ve seen, especially some YouTubers just to clarify). I keep leaving feedback in Microsoft’s feedback forum. If enough of us do that, maybe they’ll get their act together. Though I suspect Microsoft intentionally kneecaps their iPad and Android versions of their Office apps so that they can sell the Surface Pro as the tablet with Office, or basically the fix to the problem they’ve artificially created. I think though that if developers like Microsoft don’t get their act together soon, they’ll likely be pushed out of this lucrative market by competitors that will. This has already kind of happened with Adobe and Affinity. Affinity ported their apps with either full desktop functionality, or at least so close to desktop functionality that I can’t find a single missing feature, and I use Affinity for my professional graphic design work. Adobe on the other hand, has not, and so if you look at the numbers, I believe Affinity has a bigger share of the iPad market than Adobe does. Because Microsoft hasn’t yet delivered real features in their native app, I have just moved to competing software for my word-processing needs. I’m very happy with Apple’s iWork Suite on the iPad, I’m unaware of any major features that the iPad versions don’t include. 👍🏻

Tabbed documents in a single window in Pages, please, Apple!

 

[off3nc3]

Maybe we people have already learned how to fit the iPad Pro into our workflows, and we don't need any such "real OS" you speak of? The hardware is amazing though, so I can understand why you are frustrated it doesn't fit your needs on the software side.

I guess that's a good soft story to help you sleep at night , 90% of this tablet will never be put to use but hey if your workflow consists of watching netflix and youtube then that's all you need right ?

 

[Kal Madda]

Tabbed documents in a single window in Pages, please, Apple!

That would be nice, though I’m not sure if that’s even a feature on the Mac version. Still could be useful. Generally I just create multiple windows of Pages on both the iPad and the Mac. 👍🏻

 

[Kal Madda]

I guess that's a good soft story to help you sleep at night , 90% of this tablet will never be put to use but hey if your workflow consists of watching netflix and youtube then that's all you need right ?

Yes, because you know exactly what people need for their professional workflows, and you’re the arbiter of what devices are “only good for Netflix and YouTube”, when many professionals who use these devices disagree with you. Keep telling yourself that you know better than everyone else who likes something different than you, I guess that’s a good soft story to help you sleep at night…

 

[RLRabb]

That would be nice, though I’m not sure if that’s even a feature on the Mac version. Still could be useful. Generally I just create multiple windows of Pages on both the iPad and the Mac. 👍🏻

It is available on the Mac, as a system setting (System Preferences>Desktop & Dock>Windows>Prefer Tabs When Opening Documents). It is a pet peeve of mine, as I work with a half dozen or so Pages documents open at a time and having one window with separate tabs is vastly more convenient than having to open a separate window for each document.