Sorry, I read too quickly. Agree, design is about trade offs but in this case, this design does nothing exceptionally well so I consider it a poor design overall albeit with some initial cool factor due to the magnetic attachment and floating display.
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What’s New With the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard
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No worries.
The floating display is cool but it’s also very functional. It brings the tablet weight forward closer to the user which makes the display less prone to tip backward, as well as making the screen easier to reach for touch.
They might be able to make small tweaks to improve it, but in my opinion, this basic design is the best possible set of compromises for an iPad keyboard stand/cover. Opinions will differ of course.
Agreed. I didn't appreciate this at first until I tried another keyboard case with a kickstand (the Logitech one) and was dismayed at how much space it took up. So it keeps the form factor compact on my desk.
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
Ok, given that using an app designed for cursor precision on a device designed for the VERY imprecise finger would mean that Apple would have to put a limiter on the iPadOS:
Mac apps would only be able to run on an iPad when the iPad is connected to a mouse or trackpad.
As I said in a prior post, navigating an app designed for touch on a cursor-based OS is easy (which is why Apple bought iPad apps to the Mac).
But navigating an app designed for a cursor with a finger is just not going to work right. Even Apple admits to its cumbersomeness...
The zoom-in feature when text editing on iPhone/iPad is a MITIGATION of the imprecise nature of text-editing on a touch device.
This is why Apple went to great lengths to address this via... you guessed it... mouse and trackpad support. It is only natural for Apple to extend that support system-wide, so that other precision-heavy tasks can be addressed more comfortably.
But still, the finger is the primary input method. If you think about it, Apple's primary solution for the iPad's input imprecision is the Pencil, not mouse support.
The Pencil is something you attach and carry with the iPad and is always within reach, unlike a mouse. The Pencil does not detract from the iPad's hand-held nature.
Wait until WWDC and let’s see if they merge and allow this as an option.
The power and tools are there.
Just don’t make the iPad version of MacOS touch.
Yes the new pencil might allow a right mouse click with the squeeze action. Maybe.
I can see why so many on a Mac forum want to see MacOS on the iPad. However, one of the benefits, though many here think it’s a downside, to iPadOS is that it is so similar to the iPhone. Those using Windows and iPhones (which is a very popular combination) can just pick up an iPad and be perfectly comfortable. The Mac has more of a learning curve and many people don’t want to learn a brand new OS. There is a reason they sell a lot more iPads (usually more than double) than Macs.
That being said, I would love a dual boot option, even if they called it something different and the Mac side of things required a mouse and keyboard. However, I just can’t see Apple going that direction. It wouldn‘t be elegant. Maybe they could give it a Bootcamp for Mac option that only the computer savvy could get up and running? However, when I think about that, I know people will complain that they have to jump through hoops to get MacOS installed and why can’t Apple just put it on the machine.
I think users are just going to have to get used to the slow roll out of new features on Final Cut ( iPad) and other apps that were initially designed for Macs. Those that want MacOS will just have to continue to buy Macs. Personally, I have both Macs and iPads and the Mac is for desktop use and the iPad is for portability. The combo works for me.
Agreed with your post except I think Apple added trackpad support to mitigate “gorilla arm” (the bad ergonomics of using a keyboard with a touch screen), not so much for precision tasks. I agree that’s why the Pencil was introduced.
Several reasons why I don’t believe Apple will put macOS on iPad in the foreseeable future:
1. They’ve said so emphatically for many years now.
2. iPads—especially the new iPad Pros—have smaller thermal (and battery) capacity than MacBooks due to the thinner case with built-in heat-producing display, which is probably why they need to run iPadOS—macOS performance would suffer. M chip does help with certain iPadOS tasks, but for shorter periods due to hardware capacity.
3. Apple discontinued macOS on sub-13” displays because either they believe the UX isn’t good or not enough customers were buying it. And some people would revolt if Apple offered macOS only on the larger display iPad.
4. An iPad + Magic Keyboard is still two devices, so by having a dual OS that requires mouse and keyboard, you may not actually be saving much or any weight or hassle or money compared to a MacBook + iPad, depending on which models you get. In essence, you’re just subtracting the MacBook lid which is very thin and light—also useful.
5. I’ve never seen a good UX implementation of dual OS. Clunky at best. And dual boot goes against Apple’s philosophy of devices being always on and ready.
6. Probably not enough market demand for Dual OS, which doesn’t make it a good ROI.
The last one is probably the main reason, because if market demand was strong enough, Apple would set aside or work around all the other issues, like they did with larger phones and adding trackpad to iPad. It’s much more likely that Apple will simply continue adding functionality to iPadOS and making MacBook and iPad work better in tandem.
1. They’ve said so emphatically for many years now.
2. iPads—especially the new iPad Pros—have smaller thermal (and battery) capacity than MacBooks due to the thinner case with built-in heat-producing display, which is probably why they need to run iPadOS—macOS performance would suffer. M chip does help with certain iPadOS tasks, but for shorter periods due to hardware capacity.
3. Apple discontinued macOS on sub-13” displays because either they believe the UX isn’t good or not enough customers were buying it. And some people would revolt if Apple offered macOS only on the larger display iPad.
4. An iPad + Magic Keyboard is still two devices, so by having a dual OS that requires mouse and keyboard, you may not actually be saving much or any weight or hassle or money compared to a MacBook + iPad, depending on which models you get. In essence, you’re just subtracting the MacBook lid which is very thin and light—also useful.
5. I’ve never seen a good UX implementation of dual OS. Clunky at best. And dual boot goes against Apple’s philosophy of devices being always on and ready.
6. Probably not enough market demand for Dual OS, which doesn’t make it a good ROI.
The last one is probably the main reason, because if market demand was strong enough, Apple would set aside or work around all the other issues, like they did with larger phones and adding trackpad to iPad. It’s much more likely that Apple will simply continue adding functionality to iPadOS and making MacBook and iPad work better in tandem.
None of this is a showstopper.
If you could, say, hold down the power and vol+ for 5 seconds, and it goes to a Bootcamp option, why not? The only thing you'd complain about would be battery life.
So what?
If you look at an Air now, it's effectively the same setup, but the guts are under the keys instead of behind the screen. It's probably not long now where the Air will be supplanted as duplicative.
The reasons I gave aren’t show stoppers in the sense that they stop Apple from being able to do it, but they are probably show stoppers in that they stop Apple from being willing to do it.
Of course those who really want dual boot won’t see the UX compromises as significant, but I think for most people it most likely is. I don’t think most people want to wait for iPadOS to shut down and macOS to boot up, launch your apps and set up your windows—vs just grabbing their MacBook that’s usually just in sleep mode—plus you get a more ideal laptop form factor, much more total battery life, features like Handoff, and an extra screen if you want it. But maybe more especially going the other way—having to close everything you’re working on in macOS, then waiting for it to shut down and iPadOS to boot up when you just want to relax on the couch. Apple devices in general but especially the iPad is intended to be a device you just pick up and start using casually and I think that’s a major thing most people appreciate about it. Dual boot would take away a lot of that convenience.
And for why Apple won’t just make it an option for those who want it despite those and other compromises, again, it ultimately goes back to my reason #6–it’s probably not high demand and therefore not a good ROI.
The difference between the Air and iPad that you pointed out makes it effectively not the same setup (please see my reason #2).
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The other MK had a mechanical trackpad you had to actually press down to click. As this adopts the Mac way of working, I’m expecting three finger drag to work. Would certainly make selecting text more pleasant. I’ll be testing it
I actually like the surface of the one I have now. The FIRST one I had was a little more fragile than I’d prefer (the thin side of the cutout for the camera frayed). I handed that one down with an old iPad and got a newer one… same model name, same model number, but feels and appears far more durable. I believe there were some undefined advancements. It does get scuffed and scratched, but most small dings fade into the texture of the surface over time.
I haven’t seen this in the videos that have been posted so far, or on Apple’s website, but will continue to look close to see.
Update: Finally saw this:
Thoughts and First Impressions on the New iPad Pros from Apple’s Event in London
I just came back to my hotel from the media event Apple held earlier today in London at their Battersea Power Station headquarters. I had high expectations for the new generation of iPad Pros that Apple unveiled today – some of which were exceeded by reality (hardware), and others that were...
www.macstories.net
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Isn’t this a factor of what the developer does? Like, GarageBand has an option to keep working in the background and I can then do pretty much anything else I want while GarageBand stays alive, even continuing to play the audio from the project I have open. I don’t think this is a proprietary thing as other apps do the same.
The Apple Vision Pro mirroring the iPad (for those cases where the iPad app isn’t available for the AVP)?
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
Oh, they complain about it, but for anyone NOT buying an iPad, there’s no issue. It’s only an issue for folks that have the money for and are going to buy a new iPad, but don’t want to buy the Keyboard. There’s a large number of people that just charged their card and didn’t think about it.
It does replace what a laptop can do for the vast majority of people.
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.And the metal doesn’t touch the screens, there’d a rim of rubber or some similar substance that rings around the keyboard. (Described in this story https://www.macstories.net/stories/...he-new-ipad-pros-from-apples-event-in-london/ )
Some folks just prefer the OS they’re familiar with. In the same way that macOS folks don’t prefer iPadOS, iPadOS folks don’t prefer macOS. Doesn’t matter how thin or light it is, if iPadOS is what they want, there’s no thin, powerful laptop on the planet that runs iPadOS.
They said the new keyboards require the M4 chips to work? I can understand if they said that the new keyboards REQUIRE the iPad Pro M4 because of how thin they expect to close due to the new hinge, but I can’t imagine them saying the Keyboards require the chips.
That’s Too far, even for them. LOLFor the 13 inch, it’s actually 13.7 inches. So, going from 12.9 inch to 13 inch physically changes the dimensions enough to where it likely wouldn’t work. For the smaller one, someone on another forum asked the vendor if the case they have will compatible with the new iPad and they were told no. The charging spots “appear” to be in roughly the same location, but in the current keyboard, only two of the pins actually connect anywhere.