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iPad Pro What could Apple add to iPad to make it truly "Pro"?
- Thread starter thekeyring
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Whether or not his scenario makes sense to you, it's true that iOS file management isn't up to this, whereas a traditional computer will handle this with no problem.
I love my iPads, and my 12.9 Pro has become my main work machine, but I won't deny that iOS file management is at best rudimentary, and wouldn't work for many people. I myself don't use iCloud Drive, I use FileBrowser app with Dropbox and OneDrive.
I had forgotten the document folder I'm downloading from OneDrive, as I don't keep a lot of local files on my Surface, actually has nested folders and is 3gb in size. It might be longer than anticipated.
All I need added are a pointing device and a full Firefox-capability-level ad-blocking system. (The one on my iPhone is "leaky"; it keeps showing undesirable ads on certain websites.) Until I can get both of those, there's no point in buying an iPad; these are both absolute, inflexible requirements. On the other hand, given what I actually real-world do on computers, that's all I'd really require at this point to make it work.
I was only estimating at the time, I didn't know the pricing by heart.
iPad Air 2 is from $399-499. iPad Pro ranges from $599 to $1,299.
On the high end of the scale, you're paying 2.6x (almost 3x) more to go from a top of the line Air 2 to the top of the line Pro.
You get a bigger screen, faster chip, more RAM... the stuff that is obviously expected in a new hardware generation. But the software experience on those devices is practically the same. A $1,300 iPad aimed at professional and power users shouldn't only be able to do what a $499 iPad can... plus support for a $100 stylus.
I am genuinely curious how many of those who say: "what I really want is OSX in tablet form" have actually purchased a ModBook Pro? And if not, why not? Is it because of the ~$2,800+ price tag? Is it because OSX apps are not optimized for a touch-based UI? Is it because they are made by a 3rd party and not by Apple directly?
It seems to me that if a person really thought that a tablet-based OSX computer would be the perfect solution to all of their computing needs, they would have bought one. My guess is (I have never used a ModBook) that the ModBook suffers from many of the same issues that the Surface Pro does -- the apps and UI just aren't designed for a purely touch-based experience. They are compromises that offer two different experiences that aren't as optimal as a dedicated tablet or laptop.
I use my iPad Pro every single day in both business and personal settings. There is a lot of room for improvement in the UI -- optimizations that would greatly reduce some of the gyrations one has to go through to get certain things done. Like the "attach ten pictures to an email" use case described above. It is a lot more awkward to attach the photos to an email if you start in Mail than it is if you start in Photos. I am not always thinking ahead so far as to be in the right app to do things efficiently, and then I have to back track and start over. These are all things that can be improved over time in iOS or the apps themselves.
I do not specifically want a 'file system' in iOS, nor do I want a "Finder". What I want is *control* over my files. I want to be able to back them up, combine them, compress/expand them, organize them, delete them, import them into other apps, etc... ICloud Drive is only the first very small step toward this. I own MS Excel, yet if I tap on an Excel file in the iCloud Drive app, it opens a copy of the spreadsheet in Numbers. If I want to open an Excel file from Excel itself, I have to go into the buried "More..." menu; iCloud is not a first-class citizen. These are the annoyances that send me to a desktop Mac if one is handy.
I don't have a solution to the mouse/trackpad issue. I think that for me the problem is two-fold: there is room for improvement with how many apps use the touch UI and how they take advantage of keyboard shortcuts. And there is also my 30 years of ingrained habit using a mouse. I was not as facile with a mouse when I first started using one. I expect that I will grow more comfortable using the touch screen in a similar way.
What I love about my iPad (vs my laptop) is that it really does have 10+ hours of useful real-world battery life. My laptop is never far from its charger; I don't even bring a charger to work for my iPad. I love the apps that are optimized for touch. I love the pencil. I love the Smart Keyboard and how I don't have to pair it, charge it, or turn it on. I love playing games, watching movies, and browsing the web with my finger. I love the portability even though it has a nearly 13" screen. I love that the only time I (re)boot is when installing an OS update. I love the built-in LTE modem and the wireless freedom it offers me to work most anywhere. I love discovering that there are apps to do things like wireless screen sharing to my corporate projection system, and immersive games like The Room that wouldn't be the same on a traditional computer. I love the instant-login of Touch ID. And most of all, I love that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg...
RwP
It seems to me that if a person really thought that a tablet-based OSX computer would be the perfect solution to all of their computing needs, they would have bought one. My guess is (I have never used a ModBook) that the ModBook suffers from many of the same issues that the Surface Pro does -- the apps and UI just aren't designed for a purely touch-based experience. They are compromises that offer two different experiences that aren't as optimal as a dedicated tablet or laptop.
I use my iPad Pro every single day in both business and personal settings. There is a lot of room for improvement in the UI -- optimizations that would greatly reduce some of the gyrations one has to go through to get certain things done. Like the "attach ten pictures to an email" use case described above. It is a lot more awkward to attach the photos to an email if you start in Mail than it is if you start in Photos. I am not always thinking ahead so far as to be in the right app to do things efficiently, and then I have to back track and start over. These are all things that can be improved over time in iOS or the apps themselves.
I do not specifically want a 'file system' in iOS, nor do I want a "Finder". What I want is *control* over my files. I want to be able to back them up, combine them, compress/expand them, organize them, delete them, import them into other apps, etc... ICloud Drive is only the first very small step toward this. I own MS Excel, yet if I tap on an Excel file in the iCloud Drive app, it opens a copy of the spreadsheet in Numbers. If I want to open an Excel file from Excel itself, I have to go into the buried "More..." menu; iCloud is not a first-class citizen. These are the annoyances that send me to a desktop Mac if one is handy.
I don't have a solution to the mouse/trackpad issue. I think that for me the problem is two-fold: there is room for improvement with how many apps use the touch UI and how they take advantage of keyboard shortcuts. And there is also my 30 years of ingrained habit using a mouse. I was not as facile with a mouse when I first started using one. I expect that I will grow more comfortable using the touch screen in a similar way.
What I love about my iPad (vs my laptop) is that it really does have 10+ hours of useful real-world battery life. My laptop is never far from its charger; I don't even bring a charger to work for my iPad. I love the apps that are optimized for touch. I love the pencil. I love the Smart Keyboard and how I don't have to pair it, charge it, or turn it on. I love playing games, watching movies, and browsing the web with my finger. I love the portability even though it has a nearly 13" screen. I love that the only time I (re)boot is when installing an OS update. I love the built-in LTE modem and the wireless freedom it offers me to work most anywhere. I love discovering that there are apps to do things like wireless screen sharing to my corporate projection system, and immersive games like The Room that wouldn't be the same on a traditional computer. I love the instant-login of Touch ID. And most of all, I love that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg...
RwP
All I'm asking for is FTDI and and prolific USB->Serial support over lightning. If I had that, it could replace my laptop 99% of the time.
You hit the nail on the head right out the door - the price. Most people don't know about this, but when they do they scoff at the price (for whatever reason: "Windows tablets are way cheaper", "It would be way cheaper if Apple would just make one", etc.). This is what really leads me to conclude that those who are clamoring for an OS X tablet don't want one bad enough and would probably NOT actually buy one if Apple actually made one.
Probable complaints:
- Too expensive ("Why is an xPad $1499 when an iPad Pro with the same specs $1099?")
- Too underpowered (Can you imagine running X on the iPad Pro hardware?)
- Not enough _______ (RAM, Hard drive space, graphics, etc.)
- It can't replace my __________ (Desktop, MacBook, Windows machine, etc.)
- And, of course, "It's not 'Pro' enough!"
Setting default apps, a user accessible file system, and easy app installations from sources other than the App Store would be enough for me to finally ditch my MacBook Pro.
Thankfully that will never happen. But since the security of your device means so little to you, why not jailbreak?
For consumers, I agree. For business... Ehhh...
Apps developed for a specific company need a better way of deploying and installing.
There is a fine line between providing useful features and rendering what used to be a perfect tablet into a compromised tablet. I would love to see many of things mentioned here in iPads like file system access, USB connections, etc, etc. But, and its a BIG but.... I wouldnt want any of that over the simplicity & stability of the tablet iOS as it stands now. Its fast, reliable, worry-free and easy to use.
What Im saying is that if adding too many laptop features to an iPad makes it a worse experience overall then I wouldnt be in favor of it. And you then have the issue of cost & "why wouldnt you just get a laptop" concerns start to come into play.
I would like an easier way to move files around on the iPad though. For sure
What Im saying is that if adding too many laptop features to an iPad makes it a worse experience overall then I wouldnt be in favor of it. And you then have the issue of cost & "why wouldnt you just get a laptop" concerns start to come into play.
I would like an easier way to move files around on the iPad though. For sure
I thought companies could deploy their own apps through configuration profile and/or mass management?
How in the world can you spin that into something bad?
If you personally don't want to use it, you don't have to. But I would love to be able to download apps that wouldn't normally be allowed in the App Store, or allow developers to sell apps on their own and not give a large cut to Apple.
I don't jailbreak because I don't want to go through the hassle of restoring whenever a new update comes out and then losing out on the jailbreak.
Least of suggested improvements:
Essentials:
1. Facial recognition
2. Keyboard with Trackpad
3. OS X
Bonus:
1. Solid Rocket Boosters
2. Starter Pack of Minions
3. Laser beams
4. Parachute
5. Hologram of Steve Jobs
6. Fold-away scissors. You can never find scissors when you need them!
Essentials:
1. Facial recognition
2. Keyboard with Trackpad
3. OS X
Bonus:
1. Solid Rocket Boosters
2. Starter Pack of Minions
3. Laser beams
4. Parachute
5. Hologram of Steve Jobs
6. Fold-away scissors. You can never find scissors when you need them!
It's not 'spin'. It's a security exploit, and one I'm glad doesn't exist on iOS devices.
If you want to sideload unsigned executables on your devices, there are android and kindle.
That's dumb logic. Just because the option is there doesn't mean YOU have to do it.
But that's great that you're so happy with iOS and don't want any new features added. Everyone who wants better features should go to another OS.
I don't know what your technical background is, but a security hole can be exploited in more ways than just the obvious straightforward ones. But hey, thanks for calling me 'dumb'.
Again, allowing installs from outside the App Store isn't a "feature".
I didn't call you dumb. I said you were using dumb logic. I'd appreciate you not twisting my words into something I never said or intended. I don't know you or your level of intelligence.
Security holes are already exploited. That's how jailbreaking even exists. Are you saying macOS is less secure by blocking app installations from other sources by default, but giving you the option to enable that feature?
Also, how is that not a "feature"? Should I post the definition? What else would you call that? Regardless, that's nitpicking.
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You can totally do it, but it would be nice if it wasn't a pain to do. =)
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Yep - I'm just saying that it's still a royal pain to do - especially if you have an app developed by a vendor.
Are you speaking from experience? If so, how much of a pain is it? I'm curious, because I've never had the chance to work with this system.
That's pretty much the point.
Windows 10 may be "years ahead" but it's still pretty pathetic. This is the WHOLE REASON Apple built iOS and used iOS on the iPad in the first place.
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I'm speaking from both a developer and user (from deploying apps in Enterprise). From a user perspective, you have a store and if you want to install an app it sends a request to have the app pushed to your device. This might be pretty quick, but there may be a delay of a couple hours (which means if you move off WiFi to Cellular and cancel the push, you have to go through the install request again).
I laughed when I read this. I got tripped up by this one time. I assumed it would work like it does when you use the share sheet in the Photos app. I need to send 5 images and when I realized I'd have to tap -> more -> insert -> Select on five occasions I was like...
