I think that shot was called last year when Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro came to the iPadOS. I think if they had event the remotest idea of doing macOS’s interface on the iPad, that would have been connected to two of the three remaining reasons for macOS to continue to exist (Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Xcode). With them creating those applications, it really makes me think that some kind of Xcode solution coming to the iPad will be the next thing on offer.
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What’s New With the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard
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I’ve used the OG iPad Pro (2018) Keyboard Folio w/my 12.9” iPad Pro (2018) for over 5 years. I initially used a skin to help protect from scratches around the edges but that wore off after a few years and I didn’t replace it. I use my setup all day, everyday and it is my primary device (I’m not one who just uses my iPad for media consumption, I use it for everything and it’s been great for my use case). While I’m not a kid who abuses their stuff, I also don’t baby it. It’s meant to be used. I don’t have tons of wear or scratches and it generally hasn’t been an issue for me. Honestly, my iPad Pro looks remarkably like new. Hard to believe I’ve had it/used it for so long now. Now, the Keyboard Folio is another matter. Mine lasted a little over 4 years before having some issues and I found one that was used/like new for $20 which I’ve been using since (I didn’t want to shell out for the Magic Keyboard new or used since I knew I’d likely be upgrading to the next iPad Pro anyway). Both keyboards have eventually showed some wear, particularly on the edges and a little on the rubbery cover itself (the latter isn’t wearing through, it just has a few areas where it’s developed a texture). My spouse’s OG iPad Pro Magic Keyboard which is about 4 years old now, has fared similarly but overall, they’ve all done well. If you drop your iPad in the keyboard case or not, you’ll probably see a mark, as one would expect.
Having said all that, I’ll likely get something like the Moft Snap Case for my new iPad Pro as it offer additional protection, fixes the issues with the Apple Pencil getting knocked off, and can be used seamlessly with or w/o the Magic Keyboard (thanks to the poster in this thread who shared about it!).
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear so. There are photos now of both sides of the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard on the Apple Store and it appears there is only a charging port on the left side. I’m guessing they didn’t bother adding another to the right side since the iPad Pro has its charging port there. A right angle USB-C cable makes for a much nicer experience when you need to plug directly into the iPad Pro charging port while in use.
1. Modularity. You can leave the keyboard behind when you don't need it.
2. Pencil work. Doesn't matter how light the Mac is, you cannot draw on it with Pencil
3. Some people don't need the laptop "power". The iPad has enough to cover their bases. A "full-blown operating system" is an arbitrary and highly subjective term these days.
The iPad is not meant to do desktop-specific work, and a laptop is a desktop you carry around.
The thing is, with every iPad/iPadOS iteration Apple has been redefining what "desktop-specific work" is and it has become subject to interpretation.
To me, it has become "cursor and mouse" work.
FWIW, I have both an MBA M2 and an iPad Pro. And I do have the MK, a separate folio, as well as the iMac's standalone keyboard and trackpad. I use the right tool for the job. The beauty of it is that now we have more tools than ever.
love TwelveSouth! I wish they’d make what I’m looking for.I bought and have been using the HoverBar Duo. It’s not magnetic, so it’s got grippers that claps across the narrow width. But, I’ve found it very flexible and usable in many different situations. It also includes a divot in the base for an Apple Pencil, OR you can swap it out for a base that grips any flat surface up to an inch and a half thick.
HoverBar Duo Flexible Arm for iPad and iPhone | Twelve South
HoverBar Duo is a flexible arm that includes a desktop base and adjustable shelf clamp. Use it like a multi-tool to get serious creative work done on an iPad.www.twelvesouth.com
that product is nice, but yeah I really just want something magnetic without the grips/clasps.
I love a nice seamless look.
I‘m pretty sure I read/saw they made the new MK lighter, not heavier. But not sure where. In any case, my guess is Apple wouldn’t make it more prone to tip backward. But probably not less prone either, I would think they kept it the same. They probably saw the lighter iPad Pro as an opportunity to lighten the MK and change the stand angle to allow better access to the new function keys. But I’m curious to know for sure how the stability compares, if anyone has compared yet.They’ve lowered the weight of the iPad, restricted the angle it can fold backwards, and the aluminum in the palm rest MUST increase the weight of the Keyboard (even though no one has defined by how much yet) I think this likely meets the requirements of some internal model for cantilevered screens.
Nope - iPad could provide a good keyboard/trackpad.
(Then again, in the optimal case you would not even need iPad - just the keyboard/trackpad)
and thats what people are asking for... a device with DUAL mode.
iPad as normal, MacBook ehen you add the extra bits it needs
well the iPad is definitely powerful enough to allow XCode now... so fingers crossed
No thanks.
A small minority of people are asking for MacOS on iPad. If you’ve ever extended your Mac desktop to the iPad using sidecar, you will know that it’s a horrendous experience, and especially on touch.
Some people just need to be saved from themselves.
If you want a convertible, MS sell the surface line.
But just so you’re aware, Apple sell almost 3x the amount of iPads as MacBooks. The vast majority of iPad owners are very happy with them - clearly.
So once upon a time there was no iPad... in fact when launched, most of the tech reviewers laughed at the name and couldnt see anyone buying them. They ate their words.
What harm would there be to allow a device this flexxibility?
If you want a pure iPad experience, you just use it as is.
You add the keyboard and mouse and it boots to either some (non touch) MacOS or just use with iPadOS.
It could even be a Preference so you didnt get asked each time.
They share storage so you can decide whether to use the MacOS Final Cut Pro or the iOS FCP.
It's about flexibility.
As for "a small minority of people", yes there are a small vocal group constantly pushing Apple.
But maybe for some carrying one device instead of two products is worth the money.
Given iPad Pro prices and accessory costs, there's little saving over a Macbook.
Surface devices exist.
And I'm not keen on the touch Windows OS.
Apple are right - the two OSes are differently focused for interactions.
iPad is touch first, MacOS is keyboard/mouse.
But the new hardware is well up to the task.
And that's why people are asking.
saying "no thanks" is OK. If you don't want it, that's really fine. (it's not like the EU making iOS rulings that affect everyone).
but to some people it seems important. So why deny them and their shiny new and capable hardware to use the power sitting there? Apple might even sell products if they did it...
The issue is that the Mac doesn’t have a touch screen version. None of the tech reviewers I have seen complain about the $3500 MBP they reviewed and ask why Apple can’t add the option for Pencil and Touch when they sell a $350 device that has it. Instead, they complain about a product that sells many more units than the Mac and want it to change into a Mac. I think they are complaining about the wrong product. The Mac needs another hardware option for those that want Touch.
The iPad just needs to continue to improve. With Final Cut, Logic, external display support, etc., Apple has been making changes to iPadOS. I wish they were faster, but that doesn't mean it needs to run MacOS. Just create a different product for that rather than turning the iPad into a Mac.
I agree.
They never complain that MacOS lacks touch.
On Windows laptops, I have tried and dislike it.
But what I am saying is why not allow an option for dual boot an iPad?
An OPTION. And it stops touch input. Works just like a Macbook.
Then people who want this function only need to carry one device that can act two ways.
The hardware is well up to it.
The smaller battery might not last as long as a Macbook though.
But it would stop the complaints about iPadOS...
I would love to be wrong, but I don't think they will do it because the MacOS isn't built around touch (maybe they are currently working on a touch version?). A non-touch version of MacOS on a tablet would not be elegant and people would start complaining on day one that they want to use touch with the MacOS side of the equation. It would be a situation of giving a small vocal minority what they currently want while confusing others and causing those same users to start complaining about those limitations. I could write those many complaints now without giving it much thought.I agree.
They never complain that MacOS lacks touch.
On Windows laptops, I have tried and dislike it.
But what I am saying is why not allow an option for dual boot an iPad?
An OPTION. And it stops touch input. Works just like a Macbook.
Then people who want this function only need to carry one device that can act two ways.
The hardware is well up to it.
The smaller battery might not last as long as a Macbook though.
But it would stop the complaints about iPadOS...
As you mentioned, we have the Surface Pro to compare this to. I wonder how it compares with unit sells? I suspect Apple is watching those numbers as a guide to MacOS being available in this format. The last article I saw on the subject was sometime last year and it said Surface sells #s were plummeting.
Why would it have to stop touch input? Just because the UI is not fully optimized for touch doesn’t mean that it isn’t useful as an alternate input method. I would be royally pissed if they allowed Mac OS but disabled touch for “purity” reasons.I agree.
They never complain that MacOS lacks touch.
On Windows laptops, I have tried and dislike it.
But what I am saying is why not allow an option for dual boot an iPad?
An OPTION. And it stops touch input. Works just like a Macbook.
Then people who want this function only need to carry one device that can act two ways.
The hardware is well up to it.
The smaller battery might not last as long as a Macbook though.
But it would stop the complaints about iPadOS...
Surface units are expensive. They arent great value. Mostly businesses who probably get good deals as it gives Microsoft visibility. Near end cycle they drop them 30% or more before a new model. I do see some in the wild at cafes when people have meetings. Many many more people with iPads and Macbooks though
Windows touch is a really sucky interface. I'm sure a few (very few) actually use the touch part.
I had a work laptop with a touch screen. I never touched it.
Apple is correct: reaching over to touch a screen isnt good interaction except in very rare cases like big buttons.
Anything else (menu selection, drag and drop etc) is clumsy and slows actions and adds to frustration if onscreen hit points are small.
Desktops with larger monitors require even further reaching. No wonder there are few large monitors with it.
I used to have a Windows laptop with a touch screen and it was a useful alternative interaction mode to use touch. Of course I didn’t use touch for everything. I didn’t use the keyboard or the touchpad for everything either. I used a mixture of modes. Sometimes an action felt better with touch like tapping a button or scrolling the screen. Other times the touch page or the keyboard were the right choice. If you never touched your you never got used to using it and found when it is useful.Surface units are expensive. They arent great value. Mostly businesses who probably get good deals as it gives Microsoft visibility. Near end cycle they drop them 30% or more before a new model. I do see some in the wild at cafes when people have meetings. Many many more people with iPads and Macbooks though
Windows touch is a really sucky interface. I'm sure a few (very few) actually use the touch part.
I had a work laptop with a touch screen. I never touched it.
Apple is correct: reaching over to touch a screen isnt good interaction except in very rare cases like big buttons.
Anything else (menu selection, drag and drop etc) is clumsy and slows actions and adds to frustration if onscreen hit points are small.
Desktops with larger monitors require even further reaching. No wonder there are few large monitors with it.
I do find that mixing up different interaction modes is helpful for RSI. You are not repeating the same movement as much if you have different ways to do an action.
If you think that reaching over to touch the screen isn’t a good interaction, I don’t suppose you would like my iPad Pro that spends much of its time in landscape with a pencil, keyboard and a mouse. I use a mixture of mouse, touch, and sometimes pencil. Again mixed modes are helpful and healthy.
I did try Windows touch. Often I just forgot I could do it. And I'm not keen on greasy screens when doing graphic work
I'm probably not shocked with your iPad Pro use. I have a keyboard which I rarely use but do use a pencil often just to navigate around docs and webpages. Overkill for sure but I do like the pencil. And it does keep the screen a little less fingerprinty
Let's say Apple just threw the current macOS on the iPad...no touch included. The thing they would be telling all these people that are complaining is that they gave up on developing iPadOS. This will meet its own set of criticisms...."APPLE THROWS IN THE TOWEL". As far as Surface Pro (and other touch laptops) users not using the touch interface, I have not seen studies on that. We know that Windows makes up around 80 percent of the market and serves their clients an option. Apple is restricting the option on MacOS for those that want to have it.Surface units are expensive. They arent great value. Mostly businesses who probably get good deals as it gives Microsoft visibility. Near end cycle they drop them 30% or more before a new model. I do see some in the wild at cafes when people have meetings. Many many more people with iPads and Macbooks though
Windows touch is a really sucky interface. I'm sure a few (very few) actually use the touch part.
I had a work laptop with a touch screen. I never touched it.
Apple is correct: reaching over to touch a screen isnt good interaction except in very rare cases like big buttons.
Anything else (menu selection, drag and drop etc) is clumsy and slows actions and adds to frustration if onscreen hit points are small.
Desktops with larger monitors require even further reaching. No wonder there are few large monitors with it.
Also, one of the reasons many people want to have macOS on the iPad is to use full versions of apps like Adobe Photoshop with the Pencil. If this wasn't an option, there would be tons of complaints.
The whole idea of putting MacOS on a dual boot iPad would open up a can of worms that I doubt Apple would want to deal with. It is much easier for them to say that most Mac owners have iPads (like they said in a recent interview) and the products serve different purposes.
As I said before, I would love to see a dual boot option, I just don't think it will be a net gain from criticism. I think they will get even more criticism for using a Frankenstein approach to fix the current deficiencies in iPadOS. If they were planning on going that route, why even put a version of Final Cut on the iPad and continue developing it?
For me, the iPad is my portable device (I have a 2016 MBP, but it is rarely used..my wife has started using it more than I do). (I should note that I often use iPad at a desktop these days thanks to the external display support). I bought the new iPads for the better screen (which is seen every time I pick up the device) and thinner/lighter body (which is felt every time I use it in hand). Like you, I don't use it with a portable keyboard very often. I do like having a case on it, so I had a Logitech keyboard with removal keyboard on my last iPad, but I think I am going to wait for a cheap knock off this time around.I did try Windows touch. Often I just forgot I could do it. And I'm not keen on greasy screens when doing graphic work
I'm probably not shocked with your iPad Pro use. I have a keyboard which I rarely use but do use a pencil often just to navigate around docs and webpages. Overkill for sure but I do like the pencil. And it does keep the screen a little less fingerprinty
I did take a look at the new Magic Keyboard in the Apple Store last night and they are drool worthy. If I didn't want a case when in tablet mode, I would probably buy one to use on occasion.
Yup, just 1 USB-C still, on the left side. Oh, reminds me, need to check if it’s 60 W capable.
You are correct, they DID make it lighter. I think, as far as a level surface, it’s about the same. On non-level surfaces, the old MAY have the new beat, but I’m going to try side by side tonight.
UPDATE: So on a flat surface if you extend both of them up and back as far as they can go. The new one lifts the front edge of the keyboard. If you put your finger under the front of both and raise them, the new one flips over first.
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Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. When I don’t have the iPad, just have a nice compact keyboard and AVP.
Yeah I can accept an iPad isnt a Macbook.
But when you tease people with the absolute latest M4 processor, you signal the case that this device could do more.
How that works, how Apple choose to "dual boot" or allow access to common storage will no doubt still leave people whinging.