All iPads Should the iPad become a Mac Replacement?

[Tagbert]

Oh don’t worry, I’ve put plenty of thought into my purchasing choices and made sure I didn’t pay full retail for any of them. Particularly the Mac Pro, which is a textbook example of what Apple was capable of when they actually cared about product value.

Just because I own the stuff doesn’t mean I think Apple is perfect. The alternatives are simply worse.

Perhaps some of the other people you deride as "sheeple" are not so different from yourself and also put thought into their purchases and spend only what makes sense for them.

 

[trevpimp]

I feel like the iPad will stay the iPad. I feel like it will remain the same because of the iPads sole operating system. iPadOS will see many changes but I don't think Apple will make a major change in then needing a new OS for iPad.

 

[Surfsalot]

18 months ago sold my aging 2015 27” iMac, then just used my 12.9” and MKB only for a few months to see how I would go, it did work mostly for my uses, but the smaller and only one screen didn’t work, so sold it and got a 24” iMac and a 11” iPad.
Lucky I only dropped a few hundred on the iPad after a year and got a good price for the iMac.

 

[Boil]

18 months ago sold my aging 2015 27” iMac, then just used my 12.9” and MKB only for a few months to see how I would go, it did work mostly for my uses, but the smaller and only one screen didn’t work, so sold it and got a 24” iMac and a 11” iPad.
Lucky I only dropped a few hundred on the iPad after a year and got a good price for the iMac.

Did you try hooking up a monitor to it...?

 

[Surfsalot]

Did you try hooking up a monitor to it...?

No, couldn’t do it back then.

 

[iPadified]

iPad will likely stay as is. FCP and Logic is ported and optimised for touch. Only issue I have is that iPad works best with cloud based storage and that is not a good combination with large videos.

 

[petvas]

The iPad is not a Mac. It is a complement to the Mac. Expecting it to do the things a Mac is designed to do as well as the Mac appears to be a major reason for disappointment with the iPad. Judging from the comments I’ve read on MR it appears that few expect a Mac to work like an iPad, while many want/expect an iPad to behave like a Mac. I’m curious to know whether those who wish the iPad was a better Mac replacement represent the population or a vocal minority — hence this poll.

Some background
Based on initial Steve Jobs iPad intro presentation and contemporaneous interviews and reporting, the iPad was designed for work that is best performed in a “lean back“ posture (single-focus tasks such as reading, ideating, composing, exploring, digesting, crafting thoughtful responses to touchy subjects and strong opinions expressed in MR forums, etc.). See Steve Jobs iPad introduction -

.

Notice the sofa chair on the stage — it’s there to signal the mode of use that the iPad was designed for .. not because Steve Jobs or Scott Forestall were tired. The demos were conducted entirely while “leaning back” on that sofa chair and demonstrating tasks that are best performed in that posture using the apps available at the time of the intro. While the iPad app landscape has exploded, the fundamental “lean back” psychological use case orientation for the iPad remains. This critical aspect of iPad positioning seems to have been lost .. and probably sets buyers up to expect the iPad to behave in ways it was not designed to behave. While there are recent iPad app exceptions (DaVinci Resolve, Affinity Designer, etc.), the ”lean back“ app orientation remains a fundamental organizing principle for the iPad design.

The Mac in contrast is better oriented to work that is best performed in a “lean forward” posture (multitasking, production audio/video/graphics/writing, heavy analysis, serious coding, etc.).

So, given that background, do you think the iPad should become a Mac replacement or stay true to its original design intent?

No, it should evolve, but never become a desktop computer. The form factor is the biggest limiting factor here. The OS also needs to grow...
I wouldn't want to have an iPad as my main computer. I don't like how iOS works, I prefer macOS much better. iPadOS/iOS is great for mobile stuff, for consuming content, for social media..The Mac is a real computer.
Eventually the Mac and the iPad will converge, but this hopefully will not be done in a way that hurts the Mac.

 

[Ludatyk]

No, it should evolve, but never become a desktop computer. The form factor is the biggest limiting factor here. The OS also needs to grow...

Never? Well.. there’s this feature called Stage Manager where a user can plug their iPad to an external monitor which in essence transforms into a desktop computer.

I wouldn't want to have an iPad as my main computer. I don't like how iOS works, I prefer macOS much better. iPadOS/iOS is great for mobile stuff, for consuming content, for social media..The Mac is a real computer.

Real computer? What exactly does that mean… the iPad is a fake computer.

 

[petvas]

Never? Well.. there’s this feature called Stage Manager where a user can plug their iPad to an external monitor which in essence transforms into a desktop computer.


Real computer? What exactly does that mean… the iPad is a fake computer.

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

A real computer is a computer that allows for true multitasking, has the ability to use productivity software and can pretty much do everything. An iPad has begun as a complementary device to the Mac and it needs to evolve. The limitations of iPadOS are the biggest issue here. No true multitasking (with 0 limitations, just like on Mac/Windows), no real productivity apps that are feature rich like their desktop counterparts, no hardware configurations that scale in regards to CPUs, GPUs and RAM. These are real limitations and they might not disturb a lot of people, and that's great. These limitations make me use my iPad only for FaceTime, Skype, viewing photos and light web surfing (not serious stuff though).
The iPad has also bad accessories. Modular computing depends on the quality of the modules. The Magic Keyboard is a joke. It allows only two viewing angles, that are bad, especially when using the iPad on the lap.
But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.
Currently I am typing this on my 16" MacBook Pro. I have 20 apps open. I use Remote Desktop to connect to the Windows Servers of my customers (I could do that with my iPad, but the experience is bad). I am using many productivity apps and everything runs smoothly and doesn't go to standby. I also have a much bigger canvas (display) to use. The iPad doesn't offer that.
Many limitations, compromises and the worst thing is the cost. Having a full blown iPad will cost you more than 2k. For this money just get a laptop running macOS..

 

[Ludatyk]

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

Regardless if it’s half backed or if I’ve tried it… you made a statement claiming that it will never become a desktop computer. And I believe that’s incorrect... when in fact it has become a desktop computer in result of Stage Manager that was introduced last WWDC.

But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.

You are entitled to your opinion. I wanted to get an understanding of what a real computer according to you… because I couldn’t quite grasp the idea that there is a such thing as a real computer.

I look at the iPad as a computer (not a toy) and the Mac as a computer as well, that‘s pretty much it.

 

[sparksd]

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

A real computer is a computer that allows for true multitasking, has the ability to use productivity software and can pretty much do everything. An iPad has begun as a complementary device to the Mac and it needs to evolve. The limitations of iPadOS are the biggest issue here. No true multitasking (with 0 limitations, just like on Mac/Windows), no real productivity apps that are feature rich like their desktop counterparts, no hardware configurations that scale in regards to CPUs, GPUs and RAM. These are real limitations and they might not disturb a lot of people, and that's great. These limitations make me use my iPad only for FaceTime, Skype, viewing photos and light web surfing (not serious stuff though).
The iPad has also bad accessories. Modular computing depends on the quality of the modules. The Magic Keyboard is a joke. It allows only two viewing angles, that are bad, especially when using the iPad on the lap.
But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.
Currently I am typing this on my 16" MacBook Pro. I have 20 apps open. I use Remote Desktop to connect to the Windows Servers of my customers (I could do that with my iPad, but the experience is bad). I am using many productivity apps and everything runs smoothly and doesn't go to standby. I also have a much bigger canvas (display) to use. The iPad doesn't offer that.
Many limitations, compromises and the worst thing is the cost. Having a full blown iPad will cost you more than 2k. For this money just get a laptop running macOS..

Toy for you, much more for others.

 

[heretiq]

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

A real computer is a computer that allows for true multitasking, has the ability to use productivity software and can pretty much do everything. An iPad has begun as a complementary device to the Mac and it needs to evolve. The limitations of iPadOS are the biggest issue here. No true multitasking (with 0 limitations, just like on Mac/Windows), no real productivity apps that are feature rich like their desktop counterparts, no hardware configurations that scale in regards to CPUs, GPUs and RAM. These are real limitations and they might not disturb a lot of people, and that's great. These limitations make me use my iPad only for FaceTime, Skype, viewing photos and light web surfing (not serious stuff though).
The iPad has also bad accessories. Modular computing depends on the quality of the modules. The Magic Keyboard is a joke. It allows only two viewing angles, that are bad, especially when using the iPad on the lap.
But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.
Currently I am typing this on my 16" MacBook Pro. I have 20 apps open. I use Remote Desktop to connect to the Windows Servers of my customers (I could do that with my iPad, but the experience is bad). I am using many productivity apps and everything runs smoothly and doesn't go to standby. I also have a much bigger canvas (display) to use. The iPad doesn't offer that.
Many limitations, compromises and the worst thing is the cost. Having a full blown iPad will cost you more than 2k. For this money just get a laptop running macOS..

Please. No. The iPad was created to be something entirely different than this. We don’t need another device aspiring to be another complicated, universal computing instrument. You can take your pick from dozens of aspiring models from many manufacturers including Apple.

The original iPad was light, simple, limited, restrictive (forcing you to do one thing at a time) and .. inspired. Apple deliberately gifted us with this constrained, yet paradoxically liberating device. They knew what they were doing and the worst thing they can do right now is to abandon that vision and destroy the iPad by giving us an uninspired me-too device like this. No. Please. 🙏🏽

 

[petvas]

Please. No. The iPad was created to be something entirely different than this. We don’t need another device aspiring to be another complicated, universal computing instrument. You can take your pick from dozens of aspiring models from many manufacturers including Apple.

The original iPad was light, simple, limited, restrictive (forcing you to do one thing at a time) and .. inspired. Apple deliberately gifted us with this constrained, yet paradoxically liberating device. They knew what they were doing and the worst thing they can do right now is to abandon that vision and destroy the iPad by giving us an uninspired me-too device like this. No. Please. 🙏🏽

That's exactly the problem of the iPad as a platform. It's too limited. This is a good thing for novice users. I would give an iPad to my mother. It's also great when you want to do light computing tasks, or concentrate on a single thing. The iPad's greatest strength is also its biggest weakness. It's not powerful enough and does not allow for real multitasking. I understand that many people see the iPad as refreshing a new computing paradigm, but fact is that the iPad hasn't changed anything in the computer landscape. Nothing at all.

 

[Boil]

If Star Trek: The Next Generation has taught us anything, it is that portable touchscreen (with stylus input as well) tablets are the future...! ;^p

 

[Digitalguy]

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

A real computer is a computer that allows for true multitasking, has the ability to use productivity software and can pretty much do everything. An iPad has begun as a complementary device to the Mac and it needs to evolve. The limitations of iPadOS are the biggest issue here. No true multitasking (with 0 limitations, just like on Mac/Windows), no real productivity apps that are feature rich like their desktop counterparts, no hardware configurations that scale in regards to CPUs, GPUs and RAM. These are real limitations and they might not disturb a lot of people, and that's great. These limitations make me use my iPad only for FaceTime, Skype, viewing photos and light web surfing (not serious stuff though).
The iPad has also bad accessories. Modular computing depends on the quality of the modules. The Magic Keyboard is a joke. It allows only two viewing angles, that are bad, especially when using the iPad on the lap.
But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.
Currently I am typing this on my 16" MacBook Pro. I have 20 apps open. I use Remote Desktop to connect to the Windows Servers of my customers (I could do that with my iPad, but the experience is bad). I am using many productivity apps and everything runs smoothly and doesn't go to standby. I also have a much bigger canvas (display) to use. The iPad doesn't offer that.
Many limitations, compromises and the worst thing is the cost. Having a full blown iPad will cost you more than 2k. For this money just get a laptop running macOS..

People are not all black or white, iPad or Mac. They use both. Or like me, they have little interest in Mac for work, as they prefer Windows, but whatever they can move to iPad they will, cause they enjoy it.
I do video editing exclusively on iPad. I also use for music playing more than Windows (some great pro apps are there). I use it as monitor for my laptops. I annotate work PDFs. Lots of uses including work related ones. And once an large iPad Studio arrives I'll gladly spend even $3000 on more on that, especially if more pro apps come (now that Apple is setting the example with Final Cut and Logic). I would not spend that money on a MacBook...

 

[heretiq]

That's exactly the problem of the iPad as a platform. It's too limited. This is a good thing for novice users. I would give an iPad to my mother. It's also great when you want to do light computing tasks, or concentrate on a single thing. The iPad's greatest strength is also its biggest weakness. It's not powerful enough and does not allow for real multitasking. I understand that many people see the iPad as refreshing a new computing paradigm, but fact is that the iPad hasn't changed anything in the computer landscape. Nothing at all.

I think that’s a bit myopic. Apps like DaVinci Pro, Pixelmator, Notability, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Concepts, Affinity Designer, AutoCAD, PDF Expert, LumaFusion, and now Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro are hardly novice or lightweight applications. Also, the smartest people I know focus on doing one thing at a time — which is backed up by numerous studies that demonstrate that multitasking is a recipe for reduced productivity and increased mistakes. This is why the deliberately constrained, one thing at a time iPad paradigm is so powerful, but unfortunately misunderstood and under appreciated by those clamoring for the iPad to be more “Mac-like.” And despite bold and wholly unsupported assertions to the contrary, this so-called device for novices has indeed changed the computing landscape by:

1. Introducing a new form factor of computing device that is lightweight and portable compared to traditional laptops and desktop computers.
2. Popularizing the use of touchscreens as the primary input method for computing devices.
3. Revolutionizing the tablet market and creating a new category of computing devices that has since become a popular choice for consumers.
4. Making computing more accessible to a wider audience, including children and seniors who may find traditional computers more difficult to use.
5. Spurring the development of a wide range of apps specifically designed for the tablet form factor, such as social media apps, games, and productivity apps.
6. Changing the way people consume media, such as books, magazines, and movies, by providing an alternative to traditional print media and physical media.

We all have our opinions and desires, but lets acknowledge the plain fact that the iPad has played a significant role in shaping the modern computing landscape and has influenced the design of many other computing devices that have since been released.

 

[petvas]

I think that’s a bit myopic. Apps like DaVinci Pro, Pixelmator, Notability, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Concepts, Affinity Designer, AutoCAD, PDF Expert, LumaFusion, and now Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro are hardly novice or lightweight applications. Also, the smartest people I know focus on doing one thing at a time — which is backed up by numerous studies that demonstrate that multitasking is a recipe for reduced productivity and increased mistakes. This is why the deliberately constrained, one thing at a time iPad paradigm is so powerful, but unfortunately misunderstood and under appreciated by those clamoring for the iPad to be more “Mac-like.” And despite bold and wholly unsupported assertions to the contrary, this so-called device for novices has indeed changed the computing landscape by:

1. Introducing a new form factor of computing device that is lightweight and portable compared to traditional laptops and desktop computers.
2. Popularizing the use of touchscreens as the primary input method for computing devices.
3. Revolutionizing the tablet market and creating a new category of computing devices that has since become a popular choice for consumers.
4. Making computing more accessible to a wider audience, including children and seniors who may find traditional computers more difficult to use.
5. Spurring the development of a wide range of apps specifically designed for the tablet form factor, such as social media apps, games, and productivity apps.
6. Changing the way people consume media, such as books, magazines, and movies, by providing an alternative to traditional print media and physical media.

We all have our opinions and desires, but lets acknowledge the plain fact that the iPad has played a significant role in shaping the modern computing landscape and has influenced the design of many other computing devices that have since been released.

I disagree on most points.
Office on the iPad is not powerful. It's simple at its best.
Concentrating on one task doesn't necessarily mean that you get to interact with one app at a time. Typical example is research and note taking. You need to be able to multitask on the computer you are using. Our mind is concentrated on a single task, but this might involve 2 or even 3 apps that need to be used at the same time.
I agree on point 3. The iPad did revolutionize the tablet market.
I know a lot of people and not a single one of them uses an iPad for anything else than consumption. I am not saying it's not possible, but it's not as widespread as some of you think here in these forums. It might be a US thing.

 

[Username-already-in-use]

Stage Manager? Really? Have you tried using it? Stage Manager has potential but is unfortunately half baked. It needs a lot of work and I am not sure Apple has it as a priority..

A real computer is a computer that allows for true multitasking, has the ability to use productivity software and can pretty much do everything. An iPad has begun as a complementary device to the Mac and it needs to evolve. The limitations of iPadOS are the biggest issue here. No true multitasking (with 0 limitations, just like on Mac/Windows), no real productivity apps that are feature rich like their desktop counterparts, no hardware configurations that scale in regards to CPUs, GPUs and RAM. These are real limitations and they might not disturb a lot of people, and that's great. These limitations make me use my iPad only for FaceTime, Skype, viewing photos and light web surfing (not serious stuff though).
The iPad has also bad accessories. Modular computing depends on the quality of the modules. The Magic Keyboard is a joke. It allows only two viewing angles, that are bad, especially when using the iPad on the lap.
But yes, you are right, the iPad is not a fake computer. It's just a toy with potential. It's up to Apple to make the iPad a better device. In the meantime I will be using macOS which I love. No way I am using an iPad more than a couple of minutes every month. It's just too limited.
Currently I am typing this on my 16" MacBook Pro. I have 20 apps open. I use Remote Desktop to connect to the Windows Servers of my customers (I could do that with my iPad, but the experience is bad). I am using many productivity apps and everything runs smoothly and doesn't go to standby. I also have a much bigger canvas (display) to use. The iPad doesn't offer that.
Many limitations, compromises and the worst thing is the cost. Having a full blown iPad will cost you more than 2k. For this money just get a laptop running macOS..

I like my computer, so it is a real computer unlike that other computer which I don’t like, which therefore isn’t a real computer.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I like my computer, so it is a real computer unlike that other computer which I don’t like, which therefore isn’t a real computer.

How anyone gets any REAL work done without a command line prompt is beyond me. This whole mouse thing is a fad!

 

[petvas]

I like my computer, so it is a real computer unlike that other computer which I don’t like, which therefore isn’t a real computer.

Yeah..right. I provide arguments to back up my opinion. You have a different opinion. That's fine.
The iPad is a device (for me) that doesn't have a purpose. It sits somewhere in the middle of my computing setup and is not really capable. If others like it, then fine. I will not change my opinion about it.

 

[sparksd]

How anyone gets any REAL work done without a command line prompt is beyond me. This whole mouse thing is a fad!

Command line prompts are for wusses - give me my Altair with panel switches back.

 

[F23]

Tim Apple disguising the iPad as a Mac replacement by adding Final Cut Pro

 

[Ubele]

I've been using computers since 1982, and here's what I get from this and all related discussions: Everyone has a particular use case (which is going to evolve over time), and they want Apple to produce one or more devices that exactly meet their needs. If there are features the devices lack, then Apple is crippling the devices for the sake of greater profits. If there are features they don't need, then Apple is trying to upsell them for the sake or greater profits. I haven't been immune to this, but I realize that, to quote Abraham Lincoln, "You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time."

I loved my early-2015 13" MBP, but it was really slow at driving the 4K monitor I bought for it. So I bought a refurbished 2019 27" iMac. It was great, and my MBP was great as a backup when I needed portability. I had a base-model 2017 9.7" iPad for browsing and watching videos when I was on the treadmill. Then my dad needed a new Mac, and I was interested in doing artwork on the iPad with the Apple Pencil. So I gave my MBP to my dad and bought a 12.9" iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil, hoping the combo could fully replace my MBP.

At first, I thought they could. Alas, while there are things the iPad combo can do that my iMac can't, there are more things that a Mac can do that an iPad can't. Yes, there are workarounds for some things, but workarounds are less convenient (or they wouldn't be called workarounds). I missed the portability of my MBP for the things a preferred to do in macOS. My eventual solution was to buy a 16" M1 MBP and give my iMac to my wife. Now I use my MBP around the house. I still use my iPP for casual browsing, drawing in Procreate, and watching videos on the treadmill. I take it with the MKB when I travel and don't need to "serious work" on a Mac.

Yes, I've thought about how it might be nice to have one super-device: an iPhone that could be docked with an external monitor and peripherals to run macOS, docked with some sort of monitor/keyboard combination to run iPadOS, and just be an iPhone when it isn't docked. Or, like some people want, it could be an iPad that runs macOS when docked. But the logistics, at least now, seem overly cumbersome. And if an iPad/Mac hybrid would cost as much as an iPad and a Mac, I'd rather have two devices. Currently, for example, I watch Mac-app tutorials (e.g., for Adobe CC) on my iPad while following along on my Mac with the apps.

So, for now, I like having two separate devices and operating systems, even though there are redundancies, and it's expensive to buy both.

 

[heretiq]

Yeah..right. I provide arguments to back up my opinion. You have a different opinion. That's fine.
The iPad is a device (for me) that doesn't have a purpose. It sits somewhere in the middle of my computing setup and is not really capable. If others like it, then fine. I will not change my opinion about it.

That’s fair enough @petvas. It’s a qualified statement about the utility of the iPad for you that I think reasonable people can accept, respect and even like. It is however, a substantially different statement than the prior unqualified assertions that the iPad as a device for novices, with simplistic capabilities and zero impact on computing .. that I suspect @Username-already-in-use is responding to.

 

[heretiq]

I've been using computers since 1982, and here's what I get from this and all related discussions: Everyone has a particular use case (which is going to evolve over time), and they want Apple to produce one or more devices that exactly meet their needs. If there are features the devices lack, then Apple is crippling the devices for the sake of greater profits. If there are features they don't need, then Apple is trying to upsell them for the sake or greater profits. I haven't been immune to this, but I realize that, to quote Abraham Lincoln, "You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time."

I loved my early-2015 13" MBP, but it was really slow at driving the 4K monitor I bought for it. So I bought a refurbished 2019 27" iMac. It was great, and my MBP was great as a backup when I needed portability. I had a base-model 2017 9.7" iPad for browsing and watching videos when I was on the treadmill. Then my dad needed a new Mac, and I was interested in doing artwork on the iPad with the Apple Pencil. So I gave my MBP to my dad and bought a 12.9" iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil, hoping the combo could fully replace my MBP.

At first, I thought they could. Alas, while there are things the iPad combo can do that my iMac can't, there are more things that a Mac can do that an iPad can't. Yes, there are workarounds for some things, but workarounds are less convenient (or they wouldn't be called workarounds). I missed the portability of my MBP for the things a preferred to do in macOS. My eventual solution was to buy a 16" M1 MBP and give my iMac to my wife. Now I use my MBP around the house. I still use my iPP for casual browsing, drawing in Procreate, and watching videos on the treadmill. I take it with the MKB when I travel and don't need to "serious work" on a Mac.

Yes, I've thought about how it might be nice to have one super-device: an iPhone that could be docked with an external monitor and peripherals to run macOS, docked with some sort of monitor/keyboard combination to run iPadOS, and just be an iPhone when it isn't docked. Or, like some people want, it could be an iPad that runs macOS when docked. But the logistics, at least now, seem overly cumbersome. And if an iPad/Mac hybrid would cost as much as an iPad and a Mac, I'd rather have two devices. Currently, for example, I watch Mac-app tutorials (e.g., for Adobe CC) on my iPad while following along on my Mac with the apps.

So, for now, I like having two separate devices and operating systems, even though there are redundancies, and it's expensive to buy both.

Well said @Ubele 🙏🏽.