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We are at the point of Diminishing Returns
- Thread starter macguy360
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I suppose this is a somewhat relative / subjective issue. Perhaps there are some hardware aspects or even use case scenarios where the advances of each generation of iPad fail to really compel users to find value in upgrading.
I can't help but compare performance gains on the iPad to the Mac, however. My personal Mac is still a 2011 MacBook Air that I haven't seen a compelling replacement for yet. Likewise, my "work" machine (one my company paid for) is a 2012 1st gen 15" Retina MacBook Pro and it, too, has yet to see a compelling replacement-- partially due to just how insignificant performance improvements of Intel chips has been over the last several years.
iOS devices, however, have seen raw performance / capability increases in leaps and bounds by comparison. And I admit that, as I mentioned above, depending on how you're using these devices, those performance increases may not have a meaningful enough application to be valuable-- I'd agree that since the Air 2, there's probably been no reason to complain about the performance of many things people use iPads for-- browsing the web and consuming content.
And I think, generally speaking, iPad sales numbers bear this out. So many people are still eaking that last bit of use out of what seems like an ancient iPad 2. This is the challenge Apple faces with the iPad-- getting people to find more use for it and appreciate just how capable these are, and part of that is developing compelling *software* to take advantage of the hardware.
For myself, I'm not sure if I've ever been as excited about an iOS release for iPad as I've been for iOS 11-- it finally feels like the iPad is coming into its own in terms of usefulness, rather than being a glorified "big screen" version of an iPod Touch / iPhone. Whether it's file handling, vastly improved multitasking, or the combination of Apple Pencil + beefy enough processing power to do things like photo processing-- the current generation of iPad Pro is a far cry from my previous "iPad Air".
But, as I said, I can also see how, depending on how you use them, they might not seem like they've had much meaningful advancement in recent years. Our computing devices in general are maturing very rapidly to where there really aren't many new features hardware-wise that can really bring significant new value to devices. But yes. When I feel like I've been waiting forever for a new Mac worth replacing my 2011 Air with, iPads by comparison still seem to be making leaps and bounds. The degree to which returns are diminishing is much lower for me for iPads when compared to Macs and even iPhones.
I can't help but compare performance gains on the iPad to the Mac, however. My personal Mac is still a 2011 MacBook Air that I haven't seen a compelling replacement for yet. Likewise, my "work" machine (one my company paid for) is a 2012 1st gen 15" Retina MacBook Pro and it, too, has yet to see a compelling replacement-- partially due to just how insignificant performance improvements of Intel chips has been over the last several years.
iOS devices, however, have seen raw performance / capability increases in leaps and bounds by comparison. And I admit that, as I mentioned above, depending on how you're using these devices, those performance increases may not have a meaningful enough application to be valuable-- I'd agree that since the Air 2, there's probably been no reason to complain about the performance of many things people use iPads for-- browsing the web and consuming content.
And I think, generally speaking, iPad sales numbers bear this out. So many people are still eaking that last bit of use out of what seems like an ancient iPad 2. This is the challenge Apple faces with the iPad-- getting people to find more use for it and appreciate just how capable these are, and part of that is developing compelling *software* to take advantage of the hardware.
For myself, I'm not sure if I've ever been as excited about an iOS release for iPad as I've been for iOS 11-- it finally feels like the iPad is coming into its own in terms of usefulness, rather than being a glorified "big screen" version of an iPod Touch / iPhone. Whether it's file handling, vastly improved multitasking, or the combination of Apple Pencil + beefy enough processing power to do things like photo processing-- the current generation of iPad Pro is a far cry from my previous "iPad Air".
But, as I said, I can also see how, depending on how you use them, they might not seem like they've had much meaningful advancement in recent years. Our computing devices in general are maturing very rapidly to where there really aren't many new features hardware-wise that can really bring significant new value to devices. But yes. When I feel like I've been waiting forever for a new Mac worth replacing my 2011 Air with, iPads by comparison still seem to be making leaps and bounds. The degree to which returns are diminishing is much lower for me for iPads when compared to Macs and even iPhones.
I purchased an iPad Pro 2 years ago... it is still fine, and I expect it will be unnecessary to upgrade for the next 3 years.
The biggest problems with iPads are in software, though any hardware improvements will help the software do its job better. The iPad isn't a laptop killer, nor is it a desktop killer, due to the fact that Mac OS devices allow a person to do "real work" while iPads are merely entertainment toys and browsers, etc. I can't do everything on an iPad, and I can't even do some of the advanced stuff I can do on the Mac, so it became a video camera/browser/emailer/small app device used away from the desktop.
iOS needs to expand how it works.
• Better file creation, file organization, file sharing that makes it effortless to create-edit-offload-store files on the iPad and transfer to the Mac without a maze of commands
• Faster loading of pages (it is annoyingly slow and laggy)
I am not certain that Apple want to expand the iPads in that direction. Yet. Once the CPU/memory upgrade enough, the iPad can become a kind of laptop killer, but that is maybe 3-5 years away in my estimation.
Part of the problem is that Apple doesn't lead anymore. They aren't taking initiative to create helpful, new functions, but rather swim around in the established paradigms and muck them up. It doesn't appear to be changing, either, so that MO will persist at Apple for the next few years or maybe the next decade.
I agree for the most part.
I have the Air 2 and it runs perfectly fine on IOS 11, also much more useful now due to IOS 11.
I have no plans on upgrading anytime soon.
Software support-wise, just the 5-year old iPads (iPad 4). Older than that haven't had updates since iOS 9.3.5 so they've gotten their complaints out last year.
And then you'd have plenty of folks complaining about planned obsolescence and Apple intentionally slowing down 4-year old iPads (iPad Air) that do get the update.
Not sure about that, on my Air 2 I can already have a video and two apps open. Thats enough for me
Indeed but iOS 11 is a whole new beast on the iPad and clearly the iPad pro will be the device to have to take full advantage. So anything less than an Air 2 will be pretty bleh now. I think thats what some people dont seem to be understanding. They're finally going full throttle on iOS for iPad.Software support-wise, just the 5-year old iPads (iPad 4). Older than that haven't had updates since iOS 9.3.5 so they've gotten their complaints out last year.
And then you'd have plenty of folks complaining about planned obsolescence and Apple intentionally slowing down 4-year old iPads (iPad Air) that do get the update.
Right, the keyword you used there was "I". You may not be able to get work done, but that does not mean others can not. I can get all my work done on my iPad Pro 12". To claim iPads are merely entertainment toys and browsers shows just how out of touch you are with iOS. Even more so with the looming release of iOS 11. Sorry buddy, but based on your comment, that's a fact.
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The next "upgrade" is putting OLED screens in iPads IMO. IPS is fine for colors, but it really falls apart when it comes to dark content.
Only two devices affected - iPad Air and mini 2. The iPad 4 and older won't be receiving iOS 11.
That said, I've used the beta on the A9-based 2017 iPad 9.7 and it works quite well. Not bad for a 2-year old iPhone SOC. Normally, I would replace iOS devices at the 2-year mark. Now, they're lasting much longer with not much performance penalty. I reckon the Air 2 marked the start of iPad longevity.
nah Then I'll toss my Air 2 and stay with the laptop full time. I can do without the iPad but not without the laptop.
What are the chances of them going OLED next year on the iPads? Probably too soon, right? Trying to figure out if I jump in on a 12.9 Pro now or hold out one more year.
Given the new A11, potential gains from 7nm node (better battery life), bezel reduction and, as a long shot, OLED display, I am holding off for next gen iPad.
I believe the transition to the larger iPad Pro was an exception rather than the rule. With a new lineup since 2017, it makes no sense for Apple not to update on a yearly basis.
Keep in mind that
1) Apple controls the development of A series SOC; and
2) Even with Intel chips, the new MBP was updated after only 8 months.
Personally if it were me, I'd get it now and enjoy it now. There's no guarantee we'll see a bezel reduction, unlike the phone, the iPad's bezel serves a purpose - you need a place for you hand.
I'm happy with the performance, screen and overall usage of the iPad. While I'm not knocking the potential of those improvements, I think my enjoying the iPad for a 9 months or longer far outweigh the benefits of those options
I agree with your premise for the most part. I'm typing this on the same original iPad Pro 12.9 that you have. For me, it's about increased storage and camera upgrades. That's my criteria for iPhone upgrades too. Since I tend to shoot more video than stills, I find myself pushing the memory capacity of this iPad as I store video shot on other devices with it. So, when they are able to double memory capacity on newer models, I tend to upgrade. Having a better iPad camera is just icing on the cake.
Id agree with this - its that way with TVs too. My OLED does wicked blacks and any IPS based LCDs Ive seen are washed out when it comes to dark scenes.
I totally agree, I bought a second hand Air 2 last month and I am very happy with it. It does exactly what I expected of it and I got it really cheap.
Air 2 wifi+ cellular for £170 in mint condition and with all the cables and box.
The 120hz screen with the Pencil and smart connector is more than a slight improvement from the Air2 in my opinion. If they can release an OLED that doesn’t suffer the banding issues in black on the iPad then, I think it will be perfection.
"Leagues faster" sounds like an extreme exaggeration, especially going from the first gen Pro to the second gen. My dad's 10.5 is noticeably faster and smoother than my iPad Air 2, but it's not "leagues" faster.
The kind of difference you're describing is like when I went from the iPad 3 to the iPad Air 2. That was a massive improvement because the iPad 3 actually was slow and sluggish. The keyboard would sometimes lag seconds (yes, plural) behind my typing. Switching apps would take 10-15 seconds before becoming responsive.
My 3-year-old iPad Air 2 still runs wonderfully. Sure, the new iPads are faster and smoother, but I'm not lacking an already smooth and fast experience. And that's why so many here agree with OP. Of course new iPads are going to be better. They just aren't better enough for many of us to upgrade yet.
What makes you think that? It could go either way as the 12.9 versions were 1.5 or so years apart but the 10.5 pro just came out over a year later than the 9.7 pro.
Excuse me,.. this is my 1st time trying to ask a question, I apologize in advance if I am in the wrong spot. I wanted advice on upgrading my iPad Air (original one) it is having charging issue (I have to hold cord) I have done all the "fix" sujestions and I still have to hold it. I am able to get a full charge with duct tape. Is this problem really a 100 repair? Otherwise my iPad works great. Never dropped looks brand new. The Apple Store offer me 150 for it to get the new one, I'm guessing this is just called iPad the newest non pro pad. I have 32 iPad Air with service, but I done need that, just wifi ability is fine. I just love my iPad and don't want a new one if I'm getting something less than what I have and paying 200 more for it. Any advice PLEASE.
QUOTE="rumz, post: 24993738, member: 66933"]I suppose this is a somewhat relative / subjective issue. Perhaps there are some hardware aspects or even use case scenarios where the advances of each generation of iPad fail to really compel users to find value in upgrading.
I can't help but compare performance gains on the iPad to the Mac, however. My personal Mac is still a 2011 MacBook Air that I haven't seen a compelling replacement for yet. Likewise, my "work" machine (one my company paid for) is a 2012 1st gen 15" Retina MacBook Pro and it, too, has yet to see a compelling replacement-- partially due to just how insignificant performance improvements of Intel chips has been over the last several years.
iOS devices, however, have seen raw performance / capability increases in leaps and bounds by comparison. And I admit that, as I mentioned above, depending on how you're using these devices, those performance increases may not have a meaningful enough application to be valuable-- I'd agree that since the Air 2, there's probably been no reason to complain about the performance of many things people use iPads for-- browsing the web and consuming content.
And I think, generally speaking, iPad sales numbers bear this out. So many people are still eaking that last bit of use out of what seems like an ancient iPad 2. This is the challenge Apple faces with the iPad-- getting people to find more use for it and appreciate just how capable these are, and part of that is developing compelling *software* to take advantage of the hardware.
For myself, I'm not sure if I've ever been as excited about an iOS release for iPad as I've been for iOS 11-- it finally feels like the iPad is coming into its own in terms of usefulness, rather than being a glorified "big screen" version of an iPod Touch / iPhone. Whether it's file handling, vastly improved multitasking, or the combination of Apple Pencil + beefy enough processing power to do things like photo processing-- the current generation of iPad Pro is a far cry from my previous "iPad Air".
But, as I said, I can also see how, depending on how you use them, they might not seem like they've had much meaningful advancement in recent years. Our computing devices in general are maturing very rapidly to where there really aren't many new features hardware-wise that can really bring significant new value to devices. But yes. When I feel like I've been waiting forever for a new Mac worth replacing my 2011 Air with, iPads by comparison still seem to be making leaps and bounds. The degree to which returns are diminishing is much lower for me for iPads when compared to Macs and even iPhones.[/QUOTE]
QUOTE="rumz, post: 24993738, member: 66933"]I suppose this is a somewhat relative / subjective issue. Perhaps there are some hardware aspects or even use case scenarios where the advances of each generation of iPad fail to really compel users to find value in upgrading.
I can't help but compare performance gains on the iPad to the Mac, however. My personal Mac is still a 2011 MacBook Air that I haven't seen a compelling replacement for yet. Likewise, my "work" machine (one my company paid for) is a 2012 1st gen 15" Retina MacBook Pro and it, too, has yet to see a compelling replacement-- partially due to just how insignificant performance improvements of Intel chips has been over the last several years.
iOS devices, however, have seen raw performance / capability increases in leaps and bounds by comparison. And I admit that, as I mentioned above, depending on how you're using these devices, those performance increases may not have a meaningful enough application to be valuable-- I'd agree that since the Air 2, there's probably been no reason to complain about the performance of many things people use iPads for-- browsing the web and consuming content.
And I think, generally speaking, iPad sales numbers bear this out. So many people are still eaking that last bit of use out of what seems like an ancient iPad 2. This is the challenge Apple faces with the iPad-- getting people to find more use for it and appreciate just how capable these are, and part of that is developing compelling *software* to take advantage of the hardware.
For myself, I'm not sure if I've ever been as excited about an iOS release for iPad as I've been for iOS 11-- it finally feels like the iPad is coming into its own in terms of usefulness, rather than being a glorified "big screen" version of an iPod Touch / iPhone. Whether it's file handling, vastly improved multitasking, or the combination of Apple Pencil + beefy enough processing power to do things like photo processing-- the current generation of iPad Pro is a far cry from my previous "iPad Air".
But, as I said, I can also see how, depending on how you use them, they might not seem like they've had much meaningful advancement in recent years. Our computing devices in general are maturing very rapidly to where there really aren't many new features hardware-wise that can really bring significant new value to devices. But yes. When I feel like I've been waiting forever for a new Mac worth replacing my 2011 Air with, iPads by comparison still seem to be making leaps and bounds. The degree to which returns are diminishing is much lower for me for iPads when compared to Macs and even iPhones.[/QUOTE]
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