iPad Why does iPadOS not feel like true OS?

[iPadified]

I didn't read all 11 pages, but the three key things that bother the crap out of me:

1) Browser is not desktop classed. bunch of websites don't work as intended.
2) window management sucks. windows are not free flowing, need to snap into place. only 4 windows per screen.
3) file management sucks.

1) is actually a bundled app and not the core OS
2) Partly agree. But are you really using four free floating windows on a 10-13 inch device? Very small windows or are you using an external screen for which you have a point.
3) partly agree but I do not know who to blame. Files worked fine (iCloud and one drive access, smb worked) until we got two factor authentication at work and nearly made the iPad useless. Apple or Microsoft or my IT department? It bother me more that it is so cumbersome to select multiple files.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

for 2) you either allow free flowing, or you snap into grids. apple does neither. It does this rigid movement that ends up with so much wasted space in space manager mode. like why can’t the windows snap all the way to the side like it does on windows?

 

[subjonas]

iPadOS can pretty much already do the everyday stuff I need it to (besides my job which requires a specific desktop app and beefier hardware anyway). If I start thinking about the non-everyday stuff that I would need added to iPadOS to replace macOS, then I’ll just end up with macOS again.

But the benefit of iPadOS is it’s simple and light—if you mess with it too much, you lose those benefits.

I do have some complaints about iPad software but they’re mainly about specific apps. The only major complaint I have about iPadOS itself (that I can think of) is that I’d like a fast intuitive way to keep an app (or two) active off to the side to guarantee that it doesn’t refresh or change state.

 

[Kal Madda]

for 2) you either allow free flowing, or you snap into grids. apple does neither. It does this rigid movement that ends up with so much wasted space in space manager mode. like why can’t the windows snap all the way to the side like it does on windows?

I actually prefer iPadOS’s window management system. It stays looking much cleaner and more tidy than macOS. With macOS windowing, it always ends up feeling like a mess, and windows are rarely ever actually visually aligned the way I’d like them to be. iPadOS’s multi-windowing system solves that problem for me, everything stays clean-looking, and that’s the way it works automatically. Window snapping on macOS tries to solve some of that problem, but it’s not nearly as automatic or simple to achieve that clean workspace, it still feels like a bit of an uphill battle to create a clean and visually aligned workspace on macOS, where on iPadOS it’s easy and natural…

That said, I would not be opposed at all to an added setting that could allow “freeform windowing” like on macOS, and could also still work the way it currently does for people like me who like it to work that way. 👍🏻

 

[Bubble99]

I actually prefer iPadOS’s window management system. It stays looking much cleaner and more tidy than macOS. With macOS windowing, it always ends up feeling like a mess, and windows are rarely ever actually visually aligned the way I’d like them to be. iPadOS’s multi-windowing system solves that problem for me, everything stays clean-looking, and that’s the way it works automatically. Window snapping on macOS tries to solve some of that problem, but it’s not nearly as automatic or simple to achieve that clean workspace, it still feels like a bit of an uphill battle to create a clean and visually aligned workspace on macOS, where on iPadOS it’s easy and natural…

That said, I would not be opposed at all to an added setting that could allow “freeform windowing” like on macOS, and could also still work the way it currently does for people like me who like it to work that way. 👍🏻

I think he is just upset you can’t have 4 or 5 windows open on the iPad only two at the most. But really with such small screen you really don’t want more than three apps open on the screen. May be hooking the iPad up to external monitor than I can see Apple allowing may be 4 or 5 windows open.

 

[Bubble99]

I didn't read all 11 pages, but the three key things that bother the crap out of me:

1) Browser is not desktop classed. bunch of websites don't work as intended.

It is mobile browser not true desktop web browser.

2) window management sucks. windows are not free flowing, need to snap into

With such small screen Apple things two windows open is best to see it more than that it would be hard to see snapping 4 or 5 windows on the iPad small screen.

May be on 15 inch monitor that could be done and on 20 inch monitor snapping 6 to the screen.

On 30 inch monitor Apple could allow snapping up to 8 windows open.

place. only 4 windows per screen.
3) file management sucks.

IF Apple replaces the files app with finder app that would fix it and allow browsing out side home folder to where apps are. Like allow browsing to where iTunes app is or music App.

 

[Arctic Moose]

But are you really using four free floating windows on a 10-13 inch device? Very small windows or are you using an external screen for which you have a point.

I absolutely did actual work using more than four free-floating windows on an 11" MacBook Air. Was it ideal? No. Was it significantly better than the M4 iPad Pro experience? Resounding hell yes.

I guess the 14" MacBook Pro I am sitting at right now does not qualify, but I have six terminal windows stacked on the right third of the screen, each sized in height to fit what I actually need to see, I have a draft sheet on the upper half of the middle third of the screen and a pdf I am copying content from below that, and a browser window on the left third. In total, nine windows right now, with about 20 more behind them. Sometimes there are more, often there are fewer.

(I use Magnet, which is so much better than the recent Apple implementation, with all the benefits of both free-floating and grid management.)

I could do practically the same on a 13" MacBook Air, and mostly on an 11" screen as well. I would love to be able to do so on my iPad.

I think a grid I could configure and resize would be acceptable, although actual free-floating where I can have windows partly obscuring each other and quickly bring the one I need to the front would suit my workflow habits better.

With such small screen Apple things two windows open is best to see it more than that it would be hard to see snapping 4 or 5 windows on the iPad small screen.

Nonsense. It depends on what which apps you are using, and what you are doing with them.

It stays looking much cleaner and more tidy than macOS.

Those of us asking to be allowed to manage our windows as we see fit are more concerned about our own productivity and less about a perceived lack of tidiness.

 

[Bubble99]

I guess the 14" MacBook Pro I am sitting at right now does not qualify, but I have six terminal windows stacked on the right third of the screen, each sized in height to fit what I actually need to see, I have a draft sheet on the upper half of the middle third of the screen and a pdf I am copying content from below that, and a browser window on the left third. In total, nine windows right now, with about 20 more behind them. Sometimes there are more, often there are fewer.

I gland Apple does not allow this type of work flow on iPad because I could not work in this type of work flow. Very messy.

I don’t think most pros work with this type of work flow.

Most pros have two or three monitors set up and 2 to 4 active windows per monitor.

 

[Bubble99]

Those of us asking to be allowed to manage our windows as we see fit are more concerned about our own productivity and less about a perceived lack of tidiness.

Apple may allow open windows on stage mangers with external monitor set up.

But I don’t think Apple will bring this type of messy work flow to iPad.

 

[Kal Madda]

Those of us asking to be allowed to manage our windows as we see fit are more concerned about our own productivity and less about a perceived lack of tidiness.

To me, a lack of tidiness harms productivity. It’s not just about things looking tidy, it’s also about keeping things tidy and organized, which feels like an uphill battle without Stage Manager. It’s helpful to keep apps in small groupings for different uses and tasks. That’s where, in my opinion, Stage Manager on iPadOS outshines Stage Manager on macOS.

Beyond that, yes, I do like the look of Stage Manager on iPadOS. And my workspace looking neat and tidy leads to less distraction on my part. It bothers me too much when windows are just strewn all over the screen with no real rhyme or reason, or window alignment. I’m a freelance graphic designer, I like good visuals and clean workspaces…

Personally, I don’t mind if they added some setting you could enable to add more windows in Stage Manager or something like that, but I really hope they wouldn’t replace the current auto window snapping and aligning behavior on iPadOS with the windowing system on macOS. I’m not even against them adding macOS style freeform windowing as an optional setting you could enable in the Multitasking settings. I just don’t want it to remove or replace the current functionality that I like and prefer…

 

[Arctic Moose]

I don’t think most pros work with this type of work flow.

Pro what?

Musician? Programmer? Project manager? Executive? Engineer? Bounty hunter? Designer? Captain? Race car driver?

Different pros have vastly different needs, and a device with "pro" in the name should be able to cater to all of them.

Note that nobody wants to bereave you of (that horrible idiotic mess) Stage Manager, we simply want the option to switch it off and use a window management strategy that suits us better. (Just like nobody is upset that Stage Manager is now available as an option on macOS.)

 

[Kal Madda]

Pro what?

Musician? Programmer? Project manager? Executive? Engineer? Bounty hunter? Designer? Captain? Race car driver?

Different pros have vastly different needs, and a device with "pro" in the name should be able to cater to all of them.

Note that nobody wants to bereave you of (that horrible idiotic mess) Stage Manager, we simply want the option to switch it off and use a window management strategy that suits us better. (Just like nobody is upset that Stage Manager is now available as an option on macOS.)

So I agree with you in part, and disagree with some of the things you said there. I definitely agree that different pros have different needs, and that’s why I’m totally fine with Apple adding more additional options. I have nothing against Apple adding optional settings for increasing number of windows per stage in Stage Manager, and an optional setting for freeform windowing. Because there are many different pro workflows, I think broad brushing what pros need or don’t need is usually not beneficial.

One minor point of disagreement I’d offer is that I don’t think a device with “pro” in the name should have to or be expected to cater to every niche type of pro usecase or workflow. Especially in modern parlance, “pro” in context of device branding is more often about nicer specs and more power than “this is meant for professionals”… And besides that, because there are so many kinds of pro workflows and use cases, it’s practically impossible to make a single product that can cater to all of them. The iPad doesn’t cater to all workflows, and neither does the Mac…

Another point of disagreement comes where you claim Stage Manager is an “horrible idiotic mess”. You don’t like using it, that’s fine, but clearly many people do, and do not find it to be a “horrible idiotic mess”, but a way to clean up and organize their workflow better than the traditional system. As you said before, there are many different workflows with different needs, and many people with different preferences. Stage Manger is a better system for many people’s usecases and workflows…

In summary, I’m not at all opposed to expanding the available options with settings that make both sides of this issue happy. I personally would even like to see some of these options added over to macOS as well, like an optional setting that could allow Stage Manager on macOS to automatically align app windows and such like on iPadOS for people like me who prefer that. I’m generally in agreement with you, but I think those two things are the main two problems I’m taking with your position. 👍🏻

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

I absolutely did actual work using more than four free-floating windows on an 11" MacBook Air. Was it ideal? No. Was it significantly better than the M4 iPad Pro experience? Resounding hell yes.

I guess the 14" MacBook Pro I am sitting at right now does not qualify, but I have six terminal windows stacked on the right third of the screen, each sized in height to fit what I actually need to see, I have a draft sheet on the upper half of the middle third of the screen and a pdf I am copying content from below that, and a browser window on the left third. In total, nine windows right now, with about 20 more behind them. Sometimes there are more, often there are fewer.

(I use Magnet, which is so much better than the recent Apple implementation, with all the benefits of both free-floating and grid management.)

I could do practically the same on a 13" MacBook Air, and mostly on an 11" screen as well. I would love to be able to do so on my iPad.

I think a grid I could configure and resize would be acceptable, although actual free-floating where I can have windows partly obscuring each other and quickly bring the one I need to the front would suit my workflow habits better.



Nonsense. It depends on what which apps you are using, and what you are doing with them.



Those of us asking to be allowed to manage our windows as we see fit are more concerned about our own productivity and less about a perceived lack of tidiness.

And I used an 11” MacBook Air for 12 years, and 95% of the time I had whatever I was working on maximised to the full screen area. Even now on my 14” MacBook Pro I will work with one window maximised. Heck even when I’ve got 2x28” monitors plugged in, my main screen is one app taking up the whole screen! I might have up to three windows open on the other screen in that case though.

Most of the time I’m working in AutoCAD so the bigger the window the better.

I have realised lately that I don’t like having more windows on a screen at a time than is absolutely necessary. It’s messy and distracting. I focus better when I only have what I need on screen.

My iPad is too old to have Stage Manager, but I use it on my Mac when I have monitors smaller than 27” plugged in. 98% of the time it improves my experience.

 

[ericwn]

The music and video directory is close and off limits with iPadOS so you can’t just download a mp3 file or other music files and drag and drop it on the music folder and have iTunes or music app play it.

Apple does not want you doing that.

Excellent, so we have an easy answer to the topic. Apple just doesn’t want us to. And it’s that lack of feature parity that makes me have to pick up a Mac and get something simple done in no time at all.

 

[Kal Madda]

Excellent, so we have an easy answer to the topic. Apple just doesn’t want us to. And it’s that lack of feature parity that makes me have to pick up a Mac and get something simple done in no time at all.

No, one minor, niche feature not being included yet doesn’t equal that. What you grab and find more efficient for you is up to you, but many people have likely never added MP3 files into Apple Music, nor would they care to. It hardly seems to be a common thing, especially considering the popularity of Apple Music on the iPhone. iOS and iPadOS likely don’t support it yet because it isn’t a very commonly used or requested feature, outside of a few niche Mac enthusiasts…

There are also many other options for playing MP3 files on the iPad, it isn’t like iPadOS doesn’t support MP3 files… And is Linux not a “true OS” because it doesn’t have Apple Music at all, let alone the ability to add MP3 files into it? Of course not.

The problem here is that you’ll have some niche users who will always claim any OS that doesn’t support their niche users-case isn’t a “true OS”, isn’t “pro enough”, etc. But the thing is, just because it doesn’t support their niche use-case, it doesn’t mean any of that. Any OS is a “true OS”. It’s not like you have “real/true OSes” and “fake OSes”. Users needs from their devices vary greatly. Some users need or prefer macOS for their workflow. Others need or prefer iPadOS for their workflow. There aren’t “true OSes” and “fake OSes”, there are just OSes…

 

[ericwn]

A wonderful display of dismissive posting attitude. But sure, Apple Music is a huge success and the millions of users that bought tunes and iPods in the past and filled them with their own collection are an edge case. Thanks for the chuckle.

But sure Kal, ignore all criticism because you don’t need a feature. Or maybe be proactive and show us all these fancy music apps on iPadOS that allow a user to incorporate local music, build a library, save playlists and sync that across your devices. Because good music players and managers exist in Linux, even though it’s not designed to be a platform for the rest of us.

 

[Kal Madda]

A wonderful display of dismissive posting attitude. But sure, Apple Music is a huge success and the millions of users that bought tunes and iPods in the past and filled them with their own collection are an edge case. Thanks for the chuckle.

But sure Kal, ignore all criticism because you don’t need a feature. Or maybe be proactive and show us all these fancy music apps on iPadOS that allow a user to incorporate local music, build a library, save playlists and sync that across your devices. Because good music players and managers exist in Linux, even though it’s not designed to be a platform for the rest of us.

Pointing out that it doesn’t seem to be a commonly used or requested feature isn’t “dismissive”… Furthermore, pointing out that the lack of that feature doesn’t make it a “fake OS” or whatever is also not “dismissive”… Laughing doesn’t change any of that…

Furthermore, people plugged iPod’s into a Mac or Windows PC to load their own music collections onto them. You can literally still do that with iPhones. The only difference is that you can’t import your own MP3 files in the iPhone and iPad directly on-device, but you couldn’t do that with iPods either. Most people probably don’t care to do so anyways, so probably hasn’t been a priority to implement that.

And managing playlists from a desktop made a lot of sense (and still does). iPad’s and iPhones have never had a disc drive. Macs did, and you can more readily have a big clunky disc drive plugged into a Mac then plugged into an iPhone or iPad. With a Mac, especially a desktop, it’s easier to have a disc drive for burning music from your collection in the first place. So I’m guessing most people just do it that way…

Pointing these things out isn’t “ignoring criticism”… It’s merely putting it in its proper context. Would I be opposed to Apple adding that functionality into Apple Music on the iPad? No, though I probably wouldn’t really use it. But does the lack of that functionality make iPadOS “not a true OS”? Of course not, that would be a silly claim to make… That is what I’m pointing out, that the lack of one niche feature doesn’t mean iPadOS isn’t a “true OS”, whatever “true OS” is supposed to mean, seeing as every OS that exists is a “true OS”…

The impetus is not on me to do your research for you. I’m sure you’d find some fault with any of the many media player apps that are out there you can use for such things on the iPad and even iPhone (plus other platforms, btw). An OS doesn’t even need such a media player application to be a “true OS”, so even if the iPad didn’t have such apps (which it does), then iPadOS would still be a “true OS”.

As I have said many times before, some prefer macOS for their use-case, others prefer iPadOS. Users aren’t wrong for preferring one or the other, they both suite different people’s differing preferences and needs better. Apparently you prefer macOS, and that’s fine, nobody here is telling you that you shouldn’t. Why you’re coming here to try to tell people they’re wrong and the OS of their preference isn’t a “true OS” because it lacks some niche feature you want that apparently the option you like and already use anyways (macOS) does provide, I fail to understand…

At the end of the day, I am not claiming Apple should never add that feature or that you shouldn’t want it. I am merely stating that based on my observations and IMHO, I don’t believe it’s a very commonly requested feature, or something that most iPad users are very concerned about. And for those that are, they could opt to use a Mac as you do, or use an alternative app for such things… I’m sure that if that feature were actually one that was in popular demand, Apple would probably add it…

 

[sparksd]

Pointing out that it doesn’t seem to be a commonly used or requested feature isn’t “dismissive”… Furthermore, pointing out that the lack of that feature doesn’t make it a “fake OS” or whatever is also not “dismissive”… Laughing doesn’t change any of that…

Furthermore, people plugged iPod’s into a Mac or Windows PC to load their own music collections onto them. You can literally still do that with iPhones. The only difference is that you can’t import your own MP3 files in the iPhone and iPad directly on-device, but you couldn’t do that with iPods either. Most people probably don’t care to do so anyways, so probably hasn’t been a priority to implement that.

And managing playlists from a desktop made a lot of sense (and still does). iPad’s and iPhones have never had a disc drive. Macs did, and you can more readily have a big clunky disc drive plugged into a Mac then plugged into an iPhone or iPad. With a Mac, especially a desktop, it’s easier to have a disc drive for burning music from your collection in the first place. So I’m guessing most people just do it that way…

Pointing these things out isn’t “ignoring criticism”… It’s merely putting it in its proper context. Would I be opposed to Apple adding that functionality into Apple Music on the iPad? No, though I probably wouldn’t really use it. But does the lack of that functionality make iPadOS “not a true OS”? Of course not, that would be a silly claim to make… That is what I’m pointing out, that the lack of one niche feature doesn’t mean iPadOS isn’t a “true OS”, whatever “true OS” is supposed to mean, seeing as every OS that exists is a “true OS”…

The impetus is not on me to do your research for you. I’m sure you’d find some fault with any of the many media player apps that are out there you can use for such things on the iPad and even iPhone (plus other platforms, btw). An OS doesn’t even need such a media player application to be a “true OS”, so even if the iPad didn’t have such apps (which it does), then iPadOS would still be a “true OS”.

As I have said many times before, some prefer macOS for their use-case, others prefer iPadOS. Users aren’t wrong for preferring one or the other, they both suite different people’s differing preferences and needs better. Apparently you prefer macOS, and that’s fine, nobody here is telling you that you shouldn’t. Why you’re coming here to try to tell people they’re wrong and the OS of their preference isn’t a “true OS” because it lacks some niche feature you want that apparently the option you like and already use anyways (macOS) does provide, I fail to understand…

At the end of the day, I am not claiming Apple should never add that feature or that you shouldn’t want it. I am merely stating that based on my observations and IMHO, I don’t believe it’s a very commonly requested feature, or something that most iPad users are very concerned about. And for those that are, they could opt to use a Mac as you do, or use an alternative app for such things… I’m sure that if that feature were actually one that was in popular demand, Apple would probably add it…

The Music Library access is a source of major irritation to me. I have a very large collection of CDs that I have ripped and continue to add to and i have no interest in Apple Music or any other subscription service. It's also a significant reason my wife refuses to use an iPhone and just bought a new Samsung. It's an absolutely absurd implementation.

 

[Kal Madda]

The Music Library access is a source of major irritation to me. I have a very large collection of CDs that I have ripped and continue to add to and i have no interest in Apple Music or any other subscription service. It's also a significant reason my wife refuses to use an iPhone and just bought a new Samsung. It's an absolutely absurd implementation.

If you have no interest in Apple Music, then why would you care if Apple Music doesn’t have a feature?… You could use a different app. It’s not like Apple Music is the only app on iPadOS that can play MP3 files… 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[sparksd]

If you have no interest in Apple Music, then why would you care if Apple Music doesn’t have a feature?… You could use a different app. It’s not like Apple Music is the only app on iPadOS that can play MP3 files… 🤷🏼‍♂️

The best alternative with comparable functionality is Flacbox and it's $30 or a subscription. There's no reason that Apple's built-in offering should be walled off other than their desire that you buy into Apple Music.

 

[Kal Madda]

The best alternative with comparable functionality is Flacbox and it's $30 or a subscription. There's no reason that Apple's built-in offering should be walled off other than their desire that you buy into Apple Music.

VLC plays MP3 files perfectly fine and is completely free… And it doesn’t seem there’s enough demand/interest to warrant Apple investing all the time and resources into adding such a niche functionality… Besides, you can add your collection into Apple Music on a Mac or Windows PC, so clearly it isn’t “walled off”. Spotify doesn’t allow any such functionality on any computer… It’s far more likely they’ve not included that functionality because iPod’s never included that functionality, so users are already used to using Macs for that, Macs had disc drives to burn music with while iPhones never have (and it’s still easier to use a clunky disc drive with a desktop than a phone), and it doesn’t seem to be in very common demand…

 

[sparksd]

VLC plays MP3 files perfectly fine and is completely free… And it doesn’t seem there’s enough demand/interest to warrant Apple investing all the time and resources into adding such a niche functionality… Besides, you can add your collection into Apple Music on a Mac or Windows PC, so clearly it isn’t “walled off”. Spotify doesn’t allow any such functionality on any computer…

I have VLC and as a music mgr/player for over 2000 tracks it is far too rudimentary. The library is walled off in that the only access into it requires a Mac or PC and either iTunes or iMazing; you should be able to import directly into it via the Files app or direct access to attached storage.

 

[russell_314]

Different pros have vastly different needs, and a device with "pro" in the name should be able to cater to all of them.

No, that’s not how anything works in the world. Different needs mean different devices. Just because a device has pro in the name doesn’t mean it’s for every profession. It just means it’s the high end level of that device made the best possible.

 

[Kal Madda]

I have VLC and as a music mgr/player for over 2000 tracks it is far too rudimentary. The library is walled off in that the only access into it requires a Mac or PC and either iTunes or iMazing; you should be able to import directly into it via the Files app or direct access to attached storage.

Then take that up with VLC… 🤷🏼‍♂️.

 

[sparksd]

Then take that up with VLC… 🤷🏼‍♂️.

The issue here is Apple's Music Library implementation, not the shortfalls in third-party apps.