I agree. What I wonder is can we in the future have a hybrid device that can be both tablet and laptop depending on our needs. What I mean is a device that can:
- Be detached from the keyboard and become tablet
- In the sense of working with mobile OS (light weight)
- Being primarily touch controlled device
- Once attached to keyboard to become a laptop
- In the sense of working with desktop OS
- Being primarily mouse and keyboard controlled device
I am only dreaming. I am not saying whether it is doable or not and whether it could work or not. I am just wondering as I am one of those people that has both laptop and a tablet and I could see myself using both so I would not decline the idea of having one device that can do both.
Sorry, long post.
Yeah for sure it’s always nice to have less things do more. I’m sure a hybrid is at least possible technically. And I’m sure people would find it useful, but I don’t think the concept is quite as ideal as people think.
First, I agree if Apple made a hybrid, it would be expensive. I think some people do think it would save them the cost of one whole device, but it would probably be more like the cost of half a device at most. The hybrid would likely be a combination of a 12.9” ipp and a mba which now individually cost at least around 1000 each, so say 2000 total. I’d say there’s a good chance the hybrid would start close to 2000.
Other than hoping to save money, I think the three main reasons people want a hybrid is to cut down on total weight, to not have to keep track of and charge two devices, and they don’t like the idea of redundant functionality. Here are my thoughts on those:
- weight. Yes, a hybrid would cut down on total weight. This is valuable if you want to carry everything around, and more significantly so the bigger your tablet preference. But when using as a laptop, the hybrid would weigh more than a dedicated laptop (the 12.9” with magic keyboard weighs more than mba).
- not keep track of and charge two devices. If it’s a detachable keyboard, half the time you still have two things to keep track of. Yes, you wouldn’t have to charge two devices, but the obvious downside is you get half the total battery life.
- the idea of redundant functionality. I totally understand the aversion to redundancy. I hate it. But I think as long as a device has an important function that cannot be adequately filled by another device, or if it would be too compromised when combined with another device, then the redundancy is irrelevant. And once the device proves it is necessary, the redundancy is actually a good thing because it can serve as a backup device, or a side by side multitasking device (or sidecar).
Other slight downsides to a hybrid:
- detachable keyboards make the iPad become top heavy in “laptop” mode. The other option is a convertible where the keyboard base is the bulk of the device and somehow folds out of the way, but then obviously it’s heavier when used as a tablet, which not everyone will like. So both has compromises.
- this one I’m really not sure, but I wonder how the experience of switching OS and software will be for users. Will it be jarring? I wonder how it will work at a front end and back end level. Will they use the same file system? Can users use the pencil with macOS in slate mode? Will touch work with macOS too then? Will users be forced to use MacOS with the keyboard and trackpad or can they use ipadOS if they want?
So back to my point, which is I think the advantages of a hybrid aren’t as ideal as they seem to many at first glance. But the advantages can still outweigh the disadvantages for some people. I just have no idea how big that group of people is.
I think it was much clearer in the case of the smart phone and point and shoot camera combination. Even though it sneakily increased phone prices, a phone and camera was something everyone in the mainstream wanted with them at all times. It’s not clear how many people want touch slates and how many want laptops and when/how they want to use each. Also there were great advantages of putting phone and camera functionality together (sharing photos, etc). Not so much the laptop and tablet. And for the camera phone, combining them didn’t impede on the phone at all, which was the core function of the device, and the camera function was peripheral enough and/or good enough for most people that they didn’t feel the need to buy a standalone camera. I think the core function of the laptop tablet hybrid would be the laptop, but as mentioned I think the tablet functionality slightly impedes on it if it’s a detachable keyboard, being heavier and top heavy (they did it with the iPad keyboards only because they’re peripheral options). So I think a convertible might be more likely.
Who knows the future though? Apple could do it if they think the market is big enough and figure out a good implementation.
Personally, I’m not too interested in a hybrid, because I really only enjoy touch slates when they’re small, like a phone or an iPad mini, though I may not be the norm. Once they get bigger, I think I’m like you, I don’t want to have to hold them so I’d rather use a clamshell laptop (for productivity) or a big screen tv (for watching stuff - though I realize a good big screen tv is not something everyone has). The exception for me is when I’m using the pencil for drawing, then I like a big slate. But even then, I don’t need touch input or two different OSes. I’d rather just use macOS which is better optimized for pixel point accurate input. So it’s not really a hybrid I want, just a convertible MacBook.
