Because with an iPad you can walk away with a tablet, leaving the keyboard and trackpad behind; you can't do that with a Mac.
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iPad Pro Returning the new 12.9 M1 iPad Pro, here's why
- Thread starter Kylo83
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I bought one just because I wasn't sure if I wanted one. The risk of not buying it, during a silicone shortage, would leave me with no choice.
I actually got the M1 MacBook Air in December 2020. I don’t like using laptops in general so after a short honeymoon period, I went back to using my 4-year old iPads almost exclusively. I prefer skipping the physical keyboard+trackpad in favor of onscreen keyboard+touchscreen.
For home use, this is true for me 95% of the time. The other 5% is why I still have PCs in the house.
All this “waiting for the pro apps” just sounds like snark and false narrative. There are many pro apps for video, photo and audio creation/editing that are already “pro”. So are you meaning something else?
seriously, there are many professionals who use iPads and iPad pros, so what they use are pro apps, by definition. Maybe you are speaking for something specific? Desktop apps running as is on an iPad Pro? Never mind the unique form factor, portability, and best in class pencil support and touch. It is more about function. If you can edit and enhance 4K video on software by established video editing software vendors, then ya, pro software. Not an all used model perhaps, but pro
seriously, there are many professionals who use iPads and iPad pros, so what they use are pro apps, by definition. Maybe you are speaking for something specific? Desktop apps running as is on an iPad Pro? Never mind the unique form factor, portability, and best in class pencil support and touch. It is more about function. If you can edit and enhance 4K video on software by established video editing software vendors, then ya, pro software. Not an all used model perhaps, but pro
Couldn't agree more with last comment, I went to an iPad Pro from an Air a couple years ago and other than ability to use the pencil, which I never did, couldn't see the point. Once this dies, not sure I would ever buy another. My iPhone 12 Pro does everything I need to do, which with my iPhone X trade in to ATT only cost me $199.
Because for many use cases, iOS/iPadOS is a richer app ecosystem. Many job workflows have tons of custom iOS apps available that work great with iPads. For some users, MacOS basically just has web browsing, office, storage, etc. I use both for work. I could theoretically replace my MacBook with a very good Windows laptop, but I could not replace my iPad with any competing product
The new iPad Pro looks amazing, but I can’t justify right now replacing my 2018 12.9. Form factor is the same, and everyday performance, other than a few more app reloads won’t feel much different. I look forward to seeing iPadOS 15 and hope Apple brings some big changes!
I prefer the form factor. I have an iMac at home but I don’t use it very often. (Basically only for some games via bootcamp)
And that is exactly what I’m waiting for. I will upgrade my 2018 to the next iteration of the iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard. I’m still loving my 2018 12.9 and have no use case issues or complaints about performance etc.
My use is the pencil - that's what it centers around. A lot of artist are turning to iPads pro more and more. I even have good Wacom tablet and I think the pencil works so much nicer! I rarely use a keyboard (emails - delete) or if I need to write a lot. But I have used the virtual keyboard and pencil a lot. Even if MacBooks had touch screens, I would not leave the iPP, unless they quit making them LOL.
I don’t think think Apple has any intention to dramatically change or improve iPadOS because of what the devices original intention is. This is focus device, the single app approach is intentional. If you add windowing and other traditional desktop OS features that’s gonna add a lot of complexity to the operating system. If you need that, you really should stick with a MacBook.
I have a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iPhone and at the end of the day, I use each based on their strengths. I noticed I reading long articles on my iPhone and use social media.
The iPad is really great for video and consumption of other media like music. I’ll sometimes use it for reading, but it’s really my TV.
The MacBook Pro is an in between, I like using it for writing documents, manage my budget, downloads. Albeit, light stuff and when I do sit at my desk I’ll watch videos on it and sometimes read articles.
My usage of all three is dynamic and I move between all three during the day.
I have a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iPhone and at the end of the day, I use each based on their strengths. I noticed I reading long articles on my iPhone and use social media.
The iPad is really great for video and consumption of other media like music. I’ll sometimes use it for reading, but it’s really my TV.
The MacBook Pro is an in between, I like using it for writing documents, manage my budget, downloads. Albeit, light stuff and when I do sit at my desk I’ll watch videos on it and sometimes read articles.
My usage of all three is dynamic and I move between all three during the day.
So, you believe that Apple should be stagnant... to approach iPadOS with no sense of improving it? No shade to you at all, but that makes no sense.
Over time... Apple has tried to solve multitasking, then adding mouse support while bring along the Magic Keyboard. Adding M1 to the mix brings another level of complexity for which I welcome, I understand you value the consumption aspect of the iPad. But I'll prefer to do more with mine and I hope Apple addresses iPad-power users.
I agree and that's the reason I do think Apple will be driving a slight wedge between the non-Pro and Pro iPad models. To offer a compelling value proposition to them that they've struggled to have to date while also aligning better with where the industry is currently going.
In my view the iPad or iPad Air are priced well enough to be consumption devices and to act as a larger variation of the iPhone with a narrow set of positive use cases that differentiate it (like watching movies on a larger screen). For the price and feature set of something like the latest generation iPad Pro you expect, and should get, a lot more features to extract the power and value out of the device. They are solidly in laptop pricing category and need to enable revenue generating workflows to justify their pricing.
Apple is known to pivot when the market realities shift. A solid example would be the Apple Watch. When it first launched it was largely focused on "replicating" the iPhone with notifications being the core and small apps that all needed direct connection to the iPhone to work. After a couple of iterations they quickly learned the market for a "smaller iPhone" isn't that large, but there is a large market for wearables focused on health and fitness. Go look at the marketing for the latest Apple Watch models it is all focused on health and fitness as a result.
I can't speak for everyone, but when I think about pro apps, it's specific apps like Logic and Final Cut Pro that would function equivalently with the desktop version. The differences in the UI and the limitations in iPadOS (available RAM, multitasking, external monitor support) go hand in hand as an issue that would need to be solved. Yes, programs like LumaFusion are available (and I use it) but they aren't at the same level as some of the desktop apps.
I think there is too much smoke for their not to be some truth to the rumors that they will be coming.
Well, you are basically asking for macOS on your iPad once you add something like windowing. Maybe they will do it, but as we can clearly see from the Epic trial, Apple is intentional about a lot of things. Phil Schiller even said it in an interview many years ago, sure, if one of their devices makes you happy, no problem, but they would like you to buy all of them (paraphrasing). Thats why features are limited across devices.
Sure, you can run iPad apps on your Mac now, but can you touch them? Nope, and its not like its a technical limitation either. Yes, they have thrown out the solid case about touching your Macs screen is not great ergonomics, but Windows laptops include touch. The point remains, iOS/iPad OS really is a single UI focused operating system. If you were born this morning, remember, its based on iOS, which originally designed for the iPhone. They have tacked on a lot over the years, but I personally believe there is no real benefit being macOS.
Of course, over the years, users have been pushing the limits of the device because again, they like some of benefits of the form factor. I think many, you included, are more in the category of want than a need for desktop level multi-tasking. Even when I am on my Mac, I am mostly single app focused. As much as there is the illusion that's how our brain thinks, no, we are still a single focused. Just this morning, I checked on the status of a product I needed replaced. I had to find the RMA number to provide to the service rep, which required switching to a browser tab, I also had to take down the agents ID number for follow up, which was entered into the Reminders.
All of this was being done sequentially, not at the same time. This idea of multi-tasking, a lot of it came from the Windows world, where you have multiple windows running lines of code, graphs, movie and audio playing in the background. Thats mostly a proof of concept to fool you into thinking you really need that. When you think about the fact that millions of users get by on a cramped 5.8 to 6.7 inch phone screen, some even on a 4.7, yet, no one is complaining they need windowing on a smartphone screen; even though its the primary device a lot of us use.
That is a "nail on the head" category post for my own feeling at the moment.
I have a 10.5" IPP from summer of 2017 and have figured it's high time to upgrade, but... I priced out the configuration of the 12.9" M1 iPad Pro (I won't be traveling around with it much any more so I was cool with idea of using it on a stand, and liked the idea of more screen real estate) but once I tacked on decent storage and magic keyboard, I got sticker shock I didn't really expect to get, I guess. Anyway I backed off the purchase for the moment.
And the funny thing is that back in the day I didn't think twice about dropping north of $3 or $4k on a Powerbook 170 that iirc had a whole 80MB worth of hard drive storage. Yeah, megabytes. I paid less for a VW beetle back then than for that particular piece of Apple gear.
In a way maybe it's good I finally hit some kind of wall on the prices of Apple gear. On the other hand everything costs more now, e.g. in the 1990s I would not have figured that a new Ford pickup truck with a lot of trimmings could run $70k.
I mean pickup truck or even car prices are truly shocking to me now, since the most I ever paid for either a truck or a car was about $6k.
The vehicles were all in the category of previous owner claims regarding "runs good, needs a little work"... so it's not like I ever shelled out even 1990s dollars for a new one. I was always one for buying cars / trucks used and computer gear new and driving them all into the ground.
But "on the other other hand" LOL... a new pickup truck back in the 1990s didn't have as many options they do now, same as newer iPads. I'm just not sure the newest iPad has as much new stuff to it that I really need. The iPad has been more of an entertainment server to me than anything else. I still use a laptop for my more interactive stuff.
So at least for now, it's back to my 10.5" iPad with renewed appreciation for the deal I got then when I got it! I'll work more on deciding how much screen real estate and storage capacity I really need on a newer iPad.
On storage, streaming stuff is more of an option for me now than when I had bought that earlier iPad. My internet speed is less of an issue in that regard than used to be the case. When I had the new 12.9 in a shopping cart, it had 512G storage and I think that's maybe overkill for me now, even if I do have a lot of music and video I like to keep at hand. I don't buy video as much as I used to, and Apple Music lets me sample a lot of music for extended periods before I decide to buy some of it. Also, I'm not inclined to trade in my other iPad, so my already purchased videos can take up space on that thing when I do upgrade hardware for the sake of keeping up with the iPad OS upgrades.
I look forward to seeing what WWDC reveals: the iPad OS / iOS is a huge part of the attraction Apple still has for me, even for all the complaining I do about Apple seeming to dumb down the MacOS to the mobile side....
Well, we all know Apple will announce widgets for the HomeScreen on iPadOS 15, it won’t be locked…. widgets will be allowed to move across the entire screen. That’s pretty much inevitable. I’m just curious on how they plan to tackle more RAM for the newest iPad Pro, we have SplitView and SlideOver in the multitasking aspect of the iPad.
I was listening to Federico the other day and he made a point that SplitView and SlideOver was introduced with touch-first in mind. But now that we have mouse input.. I think Contextual Menu might be the angle Apple might take. But after that… I have nothing, I highly doubt Apple will add a macOS window-style approach to iPadOS.
Same. It all started with the pencil. Obviously once I have the device I do use it for other stuff and not just for digital notetaking but this was the original use case for me. And that is something that still not a lot of laptops give me. That being said I do use my laptop more than my iPad for typing and browsing the web. I just prefer the typing experience on the laptop. And it is more lappable in bed for me.
The last sentence sums it up. Even the standard $329 iPad has more power than is necessary to run most any apps on the App Store.
Op didn’t actually buy it? ?
Just a bit more to save and I’m pulling the trigger on a 512GB Cellular 12.9 (same config I have now and have tons of space left)
This is a huge step up from my 2017 iPP and I’m excited to see the performance gains.
Just a bit more to save and I’m pulling the trigger on a 512GB Cellular 12.9 (same config I have now and have tons of space left)
This is a huge step up from my 2017 iPP and I’m excited to see the performance gains.
The M1 iPad revolution has begun and it’s only going to get better at WWDC. ?
9to5mac.com
Procreate updated with better performance and more layers for M1 iPad Pro users - 9to5Mac
Procreate is one of the most popular illustration apps available exclusively for iPhone and iPad. After teasing the update last...
9to5mac.com
And that's with the current version of iPadOS. Also, the future AR/3D painting update is still pending from Procreate. I'm thinking the M1 iPad Pro is the gateway for many developer to start to target professionals who, even if the iPad is not their main computer, can or want to use the iPad as an assistant device. Apple had something about using the iPad Pro on movie sets during their reveal and with Apple TV+, they probably already have valuable feedback.The M1 iPad revolution has begun and it’s only going to get better at WWDC. ?
Procreate updated with better performance and more layers for M1 iPad Pro users - 9to5Mac
Procreate is one of the most popular illustration apps available exclusively for iPhone and iPad. After teasing the update last...
Absolutely!!!! WWDC is going to be huge for the M1 iPads.
