Wouldn't a MacPad series start to slowly make sense by now?

[pdeli]

A quick search about the word "MacPad" on MacRumors shows that its first occurrence dates back to February 2002 and the latest in June 2020.

A Google search shows a Wired article that writes about that subject in March 2022.

So what are the chances of a MacPad (MP) series that would be a keyboardless MacBook (MB, term used generically and encompasses any MacBook series), that has the following features:

• Touchscreen (obviously)
• Two or more USB-C ports
• A MagSafe connector
• Runs on macOS (whatever the version when it'll come out if such a machine comes out)
• Has cellular connectivity
• Has more or less the same autonomy as a MB
• Runs iPadOS apps (ideally)

The hardware seems ready either by putting a touchscreen instead of the keyboard/trackpad of an MB, so as the MP would have more or less the same thickness as a screenless MB, or by beefing up an existing iPad (which wouldn't need much beefing up, really). No moving parts (yet). Keyboard/trackpad unit would be optional (like for some of the iPad series). Wireless connectivity (WiFi, BT, cellular) seems ready for portability too.

Apple wouldn't be accused of reverting on it's "gorilla arm" excuse of not putting a touchscreen on a MB because it wouldn't be a MB…

I would purchase such a "machine" in a heartbeat because it would have an even higher portability than a MB, but would run macOS natively. And it would bring us a notch closer to what will inevitably come sooner or later (at least to my mind), the computer-in-a-phone (which I think is within the scope of Apple): the MacPhone?

I know, much of what I wrote is heavily wishful thinking. However, it is, at least in my eyes, realistic.

A major reason why Apple wouldn't want such an apparatus is because it would earn less in terms of app purchases as the macOS ecosystem is more open than the iOS/iPadOS/AppleTVOS/AppleWatchOS.

What do the pundits think about this?

 

[velocityg4]

If Apple wanted that. They’d just have to make drivers for macOS for iPad hardware and allow the iPad to boot into multiple OSes. But that isn’t likely to happen. As it would put the likes of the iPad Pro in more direct competition with the MacBook Air.

Why sell one product when you can sell two?

 

[Gudi]

A Mac is a PC in the sense that it is a type of computers controlled by keyboard and mouse. And you ask if it makes sense to build one without keyboard and mouse? 🤔

 

[pdeli]

A Mac is a PC in the sense that it is a type of computers controlled by keyboard and mouse. And you ask if it makes sense to build one without keyboard and mouse? 🤔

Yeah, I get your point. However, so were the smartphones up to 2007 until Apple pulled out a full screen, no hardware keyboard smartphone. I remember Steve Ballmer, the then CEO of Microsoft making fun of Apple/iPhone by saying that no business people would accept working with a keyboardless smartphone (source

). Look where we are now…



Therefore, on this premise, why not a keyboardless computer? Moreover, imagine an M2 MacBook Air (say an M2 with 8-Core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, and 256GB SSD Storage at $1’199.00) of which you slip a touch screen instead of the keyboard and trackpad. Apple keeps the same price at $1’199.00 (justifies the price because of the touchscreen it had to add) but then sells you the Magic Keyboard starting at $299.00. The company just made 300.- additional bucks which it would not have with the same MBA… consumer happy, Apple happy, shareholders happy.



To my mind, this notion of a computer having to have a keyboard otherwise it’s not a computer is as much valid as a fullscreen smartphone would not appeal to business people because it has no physical keyboard… (I could go on with the removable battery, the headphone jack, the SD card tray, the SIM card tray, etc.). What do you think?

 

[Gudi]

Yeah, I get your point. However, so were the smartphones up to 2007 until Apple pulled out a full screen, no hardware keyboard smartphone. I remember Steve Ballmer, ...

Yeah, but if the MacPad doesn't run macOS, but a touch-based padOS, isn't it then an iPad?

 

[pdeli]

If Apple wanted that. They’d just have to make drivers for macOS for iPad hardware and allow the iPad to boot into multiple OSes. But that isn’t likely to happen. As it would put the likes of the iPad Pro in more direct competition with the MacBook Air.

Why sell one product when you can sell two?

I understand your point of view. However, it wouldn't be the first time that Apple self-cannibalizes its products. Look what happened with the iPod vs. the iPhone (source: IMD). Why not with the iPad as its sales are dwindling, but sales of Macs are up (source: MacRumors)?

To me, Apple needs to stay ahead of the curve, even if that "curve" is itself. I remember Steve Jobs killing the G4 Cube which, at that time (2000-2001), arguably looked one of the coolest computer money could buy. Yet, Steve Jobs/Apple scraped it (source: Time).

I'm not telling that Apple will kill or should kill the iPad. What I'm trying to convey is that Apple has to try: if iPads are down, Macs are up, why not try a keyboardless "MacPad" or whatever it would be called. If Apple can make more money by selling a product the same price as a MacBook Air (I'm speculating, obviously), but the customer has to purchase a separate Magic Keyboard or whatever it would be called (which many would inevitably do), why not?

In that case, as mentioned in another answer to a comment: consumer happy, Apple happy, shareholders happy

 

[pdeli]

Yeah, but if the MacPad doesn't run macOS, but a touch-based padOS, isn't it then an iPad?

If I'm not mistaken, in my original/initial post I mentioned a sort of MacBook running macOS, not iPadOS…

 

[Gudi]

If I'm not mistaken, in my original/initial post I mentioned a sort of MacBook running macOS, not iPadOS…

A sort of MacBook, but without a trackpad and keyboard, which are the required input devices on macOS. So that's not a good idea! Either you change the OS to fit whatever input method you prefer, or you find a good way to move a mouse pointer and emulate a keyboard.

 

[bobcomer]

Yeah, I get your point. However, so were the smartphones up to 2007 until Apple pulled out a full screen, no hardware keyboard smartphone. I remember Steve Ballmer, the then CEO of Microsoft making fun of Apple/iPhone by saying that no business people would accept working with a keyboardless smartphone (source

). Look where we are now…



Therefore, on this premise, why not a keyboardless computer? Moreover, imagine an M2 MacBook Air (say an M2 with 8-Core CPU, 8-Core GPU, 8GB Unified Memory, and 256GB SSD Storage at $1’199.00) of which you slip a touch screen instead of the keyboard and trackpad. Apple keeps the same price at $1’199.00 (justifies the price because of the touchscreen it had to add) but then sells you the Magic Keyboard starting at $299.00. The company just made 300.- additional bucks which it would not have with the same MBA… consumer happy, Apple happy, shareholders happy.



To my mind, this notion of a computer having to have a keyboard otherwise it’s not a computer is as much valid as a fullscreen smartphone would not appeal to business people because it has no physical keyboard… (I could go on with the removable battery, the headphone jack, the SD card tray, the SIM card tray, etc.). What do you think?

On screen keyboards suck to put it mildly, and any work that requires text input just doesn't work well.

I can see having a tablet Mac, but I wouldn't even think of buying one without a matching keyboard (not bluetooth, but a physical connection). Kind of like a Microsoft Surface Pro.

But then, you might as well buy a real Mac laptop.

 

[kasakka]

I'd honestly buy a Macbook Pro that is a tablet. Touchscreen but runs MacOS, no keyboard or trackpad. I don't care if MacOS is not suited for touchscreen as is.

For me the appeal is that I have this iPad style device that I can easily hook up to my preferred keyboard, Magic trackpad and external monitor. Without being limited in the way iPadOS is.