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I think any cloud service like iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and Google Drive are more like file management you work with them. Developers will work with apps that will be able to use with all of cloud services. It takes time.....
 
This thread is kind of funny. It sounds like like what many of your want is:

Full OSX
Back lit keyboard
Mouse or track pad
Run full desktop software

So basically, you want another laptop to replace your current laptop.

Right, why I said my wants basically described a laptop (or desktop). For myself, I don't see a need for one form replacing another - I'll keep all four (desktop, laptop, tablets, smartphone) and use each one when and where each works best.
 
I work at a branch office for my company. Even my desktop PC at work is only a portal to our remote desktop system at the corporate office. Working from my MBP is the same experience as working from my work PC.

In order to make an iPad Pro totally usable for me as a work machine the only thing I would REALLY need is support for an external monitor. I know it has split screen, but I use two 24" LED monitors at work. I work in mortgage and I often have to review really low quality scans of documents while entering pertinent data in another program. Even working from my MBP without a second monitor is tough. It's not impossible, but it is nice to have the dual monitors. A mouse would also be nice, but a could make it work without it.

The nice thing in my situation, is unlike others that have replied, my file systems is built in to the remote desktop, so the iPad not having a file system would not be an issue for me.

In a pinch, I have even logged in to my work desktop from my iPad Mini. It works, but it's not ideal. :)
 
I think any cloud service like iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and Google Drive are more like file management you work with them. Developers will work with apps that will be able to use with all of cloud services. It takes time.....

Except for when you don't have Internet access or the access you do have is limited by signal strength, available bandwidth, connection security, and/or high data fees. That's why I want broader support for working with external storage without having to go through hoops with additional file managers (e.g., FileBrowser).
 
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I wish there was a better way to save PDF's from the stock Mail.app to iCloud Drive. Right now I use a work around involving Scanbot but wish I could easily just save the files to an iCloud Drive folder.
You can. Long press on the PDF attachment and select save attachment.
 
You've offered a well-considered list IMO.

re: trackpad/mouse. I believe that Apple will introduce support for pointing devices some time in the near future. Support for pointing devices has been around the jailbreak community since the iPad 1. That implementation was simple, effective, and did not impede on the use of touch as input. This is an OS-level change, so it could be possible to slip it in via an iOS update.

re: file manager. Apple has been incrementally expanding access to different cloud storage options. I think that a full-on file manager in the traditional sense is a longshot since it would fundamentally change the nature of interacting with files on iOS, I DO see Apple leveraging their cloud storage support to create a "cloud storage" option that actually represents the on-board storage on the iPad.

re: universal support for split-window. iOS 9 is Apple's first public entry into multi-window capabilities. It is possible that the current implementation is simply a preliminary step to introduce this feature. Maybe a future version of iOS will move multi-window to be a universal service of iOS and not depend upon the app to support.

re: smartkeyboard w/backlighting. I don't know what Apple was thinking with their design decisions for the ASK, but I suspect that once sales figures for the iPP are made public, then 3rd party keyboard makers will fill the gap with options.

All in all, I think that Apple is pretty close to fulfilling those in some manner.

For me, there were two key features that were missing from the iPP that prevented me from buying one (even though I had held off upgrading my iPad waiting for the iPP):
- trackpad/mouse. (already discussed)
- a quality keyboard option. Having spent extensive time with Microsoft's TypeCover for the Surface, I was expecting Apple to produce something of comparable quality (if not exceeding it). The ASK falls significantly short in that regard... lack of actual keys, lack of dedicated iOS-specific function keys, and lack of backlighting make the $170 pricetag laughable IMO.


I completely agree, that's what has surprised me of the iPad Pro, I bought it as a tablet but after using it I find it is pretty close to a Laptop Replacement
 
I have loved reading this debate and I do belive that of course for some people this will never be their main device because of the type of work they do it would have to stop being an iPad, but I feel that for some other people the iPad Pro is actually pretty close to doing that and for me at least it came as a surprise.

Another thing that is important to understand I fell is the iPad Pro will NEVER be the perfect working machine for everybody, because not even the Macbook Air or Pros are ideal for everyone, each different workflow requires different processors and characteristics, but I do feel that with a few simple tweaks Apple could effectivley make this a machine to replace a lot of people's laptops (like for example students)
 
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Thing is, we here in this thread are very much the minority. I honestly don't see an iPad ever running OSX. Yeah it'd be cool if it did, but I just don't see it happening. Apple will keep tweaking iOS and it'll get close, but never quite there. They're trying way too hard to dumb down software, and I see it clearly in OSX since I got into the Mac back in the Snow Leopard days. An example is how they've screwed up Spaces. I liked them being in a grid pattern. But then Lion came out and they were moved to in one row. So I learned how to deal with that; those handy new four-finger gestures helped a lot.

But then when El Capitan came out, they screwed them up again by making it so when you go to Mission Control, you don't see the actual spaces and their contents... no, you just see, "SPACE 1," "SPACE 2," etc until you mouse up there. THEN you see the contents. That's just stupid and I can think of no valid reason for it other than them thinking by reducing what's visible it reduces "confusion" for idiots. I'd like to have a way to change it back to how it was.

Oh and then there's that new anal security thing they introduced that doesn't allow programs to modify the kernel. Thank God you can disable it, but it not easily. Still, eventually I bet they make it so you can't.

So yeah, I really don't see them making a power user tablet. Instead, we power users will likely continue to have our "power" features reduced to the point that we find a new career. :/
 
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- For me the main missing tool for doing actual work is the lack of a trackpad or regular mouse input, I love the touch screen but for many tasks like using Excel or Powerpoint I find more convinient the trackpad, I wish they could make iOS compatible with this.
- Another key feature for me would be for apple to incorporate a file managing system in the iPad that would let me move files in a more similar way to what I can do in a regular computer.

Both features are exactly the features that differentiate iOS from OS X. Never say never, but I doubt Apple would implement them. The whole issue is almost philosophical in nature. The idea is, I guess, to make our workflows more touch optimized rather than add a trackpad. And to make our workflows rely on documents and less on a file system. And the iPad Pro is a device for that age. Is that age upon us? Erm, no. We're not there yet. I have no idea if we'll ever be. But I do believe that is Apple's vision for the future. I fully understand your wishes, but I just don't see them coming (even though agree that both of them would probably be quite nice) Time will tell.

- Make all apps compatible with the split screen feature

This is really up to developers, not Apple. It would be nice if there was a way to magically make them all compatible, but the fact that split screen requires some serious dynamic resizing - you just can't force a non-optimized app into it. In time, most apps will be split-screen though.


- Last key feature for mw would be for the smart keyboard to incorporate backlight

Would be nice. Perhaps with some new version of the smart keyboard. But also, maybe Apple is just leaving this to third-party products. We'll see.


As for my personal wish - it would be to make some iPad focused version of iOS - padOS or something like that (just like we have watchOS).
 
It seems like Apple could develope their own version of something like Splashtop to work within OSX while on an iOS device. I realize that Splashtop works fine, but I assume a first party app might be more streamlined.

Obviously that doesn't make the iPad Pro the only device you need, but it would allow those who normally carry a laptop to leave it at home.
 
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Both features are exactly the features that differentiate iOS from OS X. Never say never, but I doubt Apple would implement them. The whole issue is almost philosophical in nature. The idea is, I guess, to make our workflows more touch optimized rather than add a trackpad. And to make our workflows rely on documents and less on a file system. And the iPad Pro is a device for that age. Is that age upon us? Erm, no. We're not there yet. I have no idea if we'll ever be. But I do believe that is Apple's vision for the future. I fully understand your wishes, but I just don't see them coming (even though agree that both of them would probably be quite nice) Time will tell.



This is really up to developers, not Apple. It would be nice if there was a way to magically make them all compatible, but the fact that split screen requires some serious dynamic resizing - you just can't force a non-optimized app into it. In time, most apps will be split-screen though.




Would be nice. Perhaps with some new version of the smart keyboard. But also, maybe Apple is just leaving this to third-party products. We'll see.


As for my personal wish - it would be to make some iPad focused version of iOS - padOS or something like that (just like we have watchOS).


I understand your point, and probbably you are right but I do feel like at some point to make it a real productive tool I would need a mouse or trackpad because I think that in programs like excel not even he best touch interface can't replace the trackpad, I have been able to use it but it just takes me too long to do every thing.

About split screen, I thought it was possible for Apple to do that with every app even if it's not a 100% optimized but if it's up to every developer then I think we will never be able to get a full use of the split screen feature, at least most of the important apps I use have it so it's not a great issue.

PadOS would be great, I also feel the OS for a huge iPad like this could have a better optimization of space, for example on the home screen, although I do not miss widgets on iPhone, on iPad I whink they could be a great addition.

Another feature I've missed greatly is Netflix or Youtube picture in picture I hope they update this apps soon.

Apart from this, I didn't buy this as my Laptop replacement just as a tablet and I love it. I believe this is a great product by apple and the Pencil is just amazing for my taking notes on the iPad is almost the same as writing on paper
 
One they need to allow for more options on user customization. Resolution for instance, I like the iPad pro resolution on my iPad Air 2. And the number of icons on the home screen of the iPad pro is just not optimal at all for productivity. Same with the multitasking/split view panel, I have to scroll through 30 apps, 4 at a time, to find what I need. They can easily fit a 3x10 set of icons in that pane without the waste of space.

Also the ability to run more than one app at the same time. I found myself needing two instances of pages open. Of course they are workarounds, such as getting ms word and pages, but the fact that we need a workaround for something so simple is just too much of a compromise when I could just use a Mac. I would really love to see them implement a windowed system, allowing for multiple apps to be open side by side, and their sizes customizable.

I would really appreciate a 3D CAD creating app on iOS, specifically solidworks. But solidworks still refuses to even port to the Mac... So hopefully catia or some other company makes that move for us engineers who do a lot of 3D CAD.

Also, if they force us to keep stock apps, they could give us the option to "open in" those stock apps. Specifically "music" and "videos". The only way to get files in there is through iTunes purchase or iTunes sync. A full file system, where all the "music" and "video" files at accessible, and I can copy and paste the files into those directories, would be a huge plus.

And I'm a fan of YouTube inside safari, and I don't appreciate being peer pressured into opening a YouTube app that doesn't have split screen or pip when I could more effectively use it in safari.

Mr. Cook, tear down these walls!
 
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This thread is kind of funny. It sounds like like what many of your want is:

Full OSX
Back lit keyboard
Mouse or track pad
Run full desktop software

So basically, you want another laptop to replace your current laptop.

Yeah, that's what I was pointing out earlier when I made the 2 door sports car with 5 doors and a flat-bed analogy.

Unfortunately, people in general are not good at accepting constraints and are terrible at understanding why constraints must be embraced when building great products. Constraints are all around us every day and product designers wrestle with them more than most. From physical constraints like size, weight, cost & performance to more functional things like file systems and control paradigms. One of the worst things you can do as a product designer is to allow the constraints which you used when defining your product to be diluted over time. If you do then you risk losing the essence of the product and what made it great.

The iPad is designed to be a mobile, wireless, battery powered device with direct, multi-touch gesture control. iOS, while originally based upon OS X, has been massively optimised for energy efficiency, multi-touch control and security. Any notion of running OS X on the iPad would be to undo years of work and would decimate battery life, confuse the UI paradigm and leave the iPad open to hackers and malware much as Android and Windows devices are today.

So, just pick the vehicle you most need most of the time whether it be sports car, saloon(sedan) or truck and don't expect one to perform the duty of the other perfectly without compromise.
 
One they need to allow for more options on user customization. Resolution for instance, I like the iPad pro resolution on my iPad Air 2. And the number of icons on the home screen of the iPad pro is just not optimal at all for productivity. Same with the multitasking/split view panel, I have to scroll through 30 apps, 4 at a time, to find what I need. They can easily fit a 3x10 set of icons in that pane without the waste of space.

Also the ability to run more than one app at the same time. I found myself needing two instances of pages open. Of course they are workarounds, such as getting ms word and pages, but the fact that we need a workaround for something so simple is just too much of a compromise when I could just use a Mac. I would really love to see them implement a windowed system, allowing for multiple apps to be open side by side, and their sizes customizable.

I would really appreciate a 3D CAD creating app on iOS, specifically solidworks. But solidworks still refuses to even port to the Mac... So hopefully catia or some other company makes that move for us engineers who do a lot of 3D CAD.

Also, if they force us to keep stock apps, they could give us the option to "open in" those stock apps. Specifically "music" and "videos". The only way to get files in there is through iTunes purchase or iTunes sync. A full file system, where all the "music" and "video" files at accessible, and I can copy and paste the files into those directories, would be a huge plus.

And I'm a fan of YouTube inside safari, and I don't appreciate being peer pressured into opening a YouTube app that doesn't have split screen or pip when I could more effectively use it in safari.

Mr. Cook, tear down these walls!


Yeah I forgot the fact that you cant use two pages of the same app at the same time, that seems a pretty easy feature they could add and it would be great
 
Yeah, that's what I was pointing out earlier when I made the 2 door sports car with 5 doors and a flat-bed analogy.

Unfortunately, people in general are not good at accepting constraints and are terrible at understanding why constraints must be embraced when building great products. Constraints are all around us every day and product designers wrestle with them more than most. From physical constraints like size, weight, cost & performance to more functional things like file systems and control paradigms. One of the worst things you can do as a product designer is to allow the constraints which you used when defining your product to be diluted over time. If you do then you risk losing the essence of the product and what made it great.

The iPad is designed to be a mobile, wireless, battery powered device with direct, multi-touch gesture control. iOS, while originally based upon OS X, has been massively optimised for energy efficiency, multi-touch control and security. Any notion of running OS X on the iPad would be to undo years of work and would decimate battery life, confuse the UI paradigm and leave the iPad open to hackers and malware much as Android and Windows devices are today.

So, just pick the vehicle you most need most of the time whether it be sports car, saloon(sedan) or truck and don't expect one to perform the duty of the other perfectly without compromise.


Although I do agree with your opinions I truly believe that a smart keyboard with a trackpad as an optional accesory would be of great help and I don't think that accpeting that input as an alternative would compromise or damage the tablet expierence of the product
 
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well my request is way out there but if they had 256 gb of storage that would help and also if they ported the entire creative cloud suite to ios. I am a heavy adobe user. Adobe software is the most used software on my machine next to a browser. I have tried alternatives and they just are not that great. Its nice thats ios has a billion apps. Its just sifting through the crap without wasting to much money. Id really like to see software like zbrush make it to ipad pro as well.
 
Although I do agree with your opinions I truly believe that a smart keyboard with a trackpad as an optional accesory would be of great help and I don't think that accpeting that input as an alternative would compromise or damage the tablet expierence of the product

The problem is this.

The model of interaction is different. With a pointer you'll have to move your cursor than click. With touch you just click, you skip the selection phase entirely.

Thats why I believe for a wide rage of tasks touch input is superior to using a mouse it's more efficient. It's a more natural mode of interaction when compared to a mouse.

For those that say that they need a mouse for excel. Is the problem, a mouse is needed for excel or the interface for excel is still not optimized for touch?
 
For those that say that they need a mouse for excel. Is the problem, a mouse is needed for excel or the interface for excel is still not optimized for touch?

I asked this in another thread and never got an answer, but could someone explain what they use a mouse for in excel?
 
So basically, you want another laptop to replace your current laptop.

you just forgot that mbpr doesnt have a touch screen. i want to replace my non-touch screen mbpr with a tablet running osx and having optimized pen. (like surface pro) but that aint gonna happen... but if we forget osx, im sure, the battery life wouldnt decrease dramatically if apple just added ability to use pointing devices...

a pointing device:
- the ipad is standing when im typing (a bt keyboard). interacting with a screen while ipad is standing isnt nice.
- if ipad isnt immediately in front of you, you need to reach it. (e.g. you are using airplay)
- selecting without seeing through your fingertip. sometimes i need to see "pixel-by-pixel" what im selecting.
 
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Any notion of running OS X on the iPad would be to undo years of work and would decimate battery life, confuse the UI paradigm and leave the iPad open to hackers and malware much as Android and Windows devices are today.

... as much as your computer running osx is today?
 
I would need Windows.

But really, maybe it's time to stop trying to turn the IPP into a pure desktop replacement, which would be nice turning a dog into a cat.

Wouldn't putting OS X on an ARM processor mean that every app will need to be recompiled? If that happens, will the app developers require users to re-buy their software? And what about those people who are currently running Windows on their Macs via Bootcamp? That would be dead. What would be gained? All I want is a real file manager similar to Finder and I'm good.
 
I asked this in another thread and never got an answer, but could someone explain what they use a mouse for in excel?
I really don't know how to explain it, but a while ago excel for iPad was lacking in features and had a poor interface, right now it's much similar to the desktop expierence but some actions like for example selecting and moving cells, aslo copying format or stuff is much faster on a trackpad. Maybe this is also due to the fact that excel cells are pretty small and they are not all that comfortable to manage with the touch interface and zooming it enough makes it really uncomfortable because yo can't see enough information on screen
 
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