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Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that the iPad is "the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing" and Apple only sells around 4M Macs
by uptown 9y ago
Tim Cook has repeatedly stated that the iPad is "the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing" and Apple only sells around 4M Macs per quarter, while iOS devices dwarf this stat. If their plan is to continue moving users from desktop/laptop devices to their iOS ecosystem, and the software can be transformed to cross between both classes of devices, then it only makes sense to unify the processor architecture as-well. Especially considering the expertise they've brought in-house to accomplish this, and the success they've demonstrated with their "A" service of chips, complemented by some of the specialized co-processors which have begun popping up in their accessories.
I still expect that they'll offer devices in traditional form factors -- laptop-like devices and desktop devices, if the market demands this. But for most users, they don't care what's inside if it let's them accomplish what they're trying to accomplish.
- joezydeco 9y agoI still expect that they'll offer devices in traditional form factors What are iOS developers supposed to develop on?
- uptown 9y ago"What are iOS developers supposed to develop on?" Presumably laptops and desktops with Apple chips inside.
- jasonlotito 9y agoAccording to the article, those would still be using Intel chips.
- uptown 9y ago"According to the article, those would still be using Intel chips." Where do you see that?
- rfrey 9y agoBuy two iPads and use one as a keyboard.
- ProAm 9y agoYou'll need the screen to keyboard dongle to accomplish this.
- checkyoursudo 9y agoNeed at least three in order to emulate a dual monitor setup.
- ChuckMcM 9y agoI don't know if you're being sarcastic or not :-) That said, CPUs have gotten so cost effective that it makes possible something which has come in and out of favor for a while, which is a network of devices that do one thing co-operating as a larger system. So lets say you buy your "iDisk" which is a storage brick that you can put on a short range wireless network. A couple of iPad monitors, a wireless Apple keyboard, and a wireless Apple mouse. You set up this box of stuff and arrange it around on your desk and it is essentially a "single" computer system perceptually which, running a development "app" could work fine for development.
- joezydeco 9y agoWe've been dreaming about this kind of system since the rumors were flying about the Apple "Brick". The "brick" turned out to be the all-aluminum MacBook, being carved from a single piece of metal.
- checkyoursudo 9y agoYou don't want to compile directly on your iPhone? Maybe someday they'll make a cross-platform Xcode.
- vsipuli 9y agoA Mac emulator running on iOS.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- kawera 9y agoTheir own cloud IDE and build farm ?
- joshtopher 9y agoThis is too optimistic but if they don't care about selling macs maybe they'll drop the requirement to develop on mac?
- tolmasky 9y agoI can't take that seriously without them demonstrating an equal amount of work on the software end of the iPad. I am a huge believer in the potential of the iPad -- I was blown away by the original iWork and even more so by Garage Band, they both demonstrated honest attempts at providing differentiation from the desktop computing model. But then they just kind of ... stopped developing the OS and associated apps. We all forgave them for making iPad iOS just a bigger iPhone iOS at first because they were otherwise firing on all cylinders, but then they proceeded to continue ignoring this OS for over 5 years, only now providing what is in my opinion the absolute bare minimum features to make working on the iPad tolerable (multi-tasking, etc.) It appears that Apple, at least when it comes to the iPad, is increasingly unwilling to deliver new software that isn't explicitly tied to a new piece of hardware (and thus a hardware sale). We got writing APIs in order to sell $99 Apple Pencils, but never an actual vision for what it would really mean to do professional work on the iPad. And at some point, it stops seeming like there's some master plan waiting to be unveiled just around the corner. The iPad has been around for 8 years and the fundamentals of using one have largely remained the same, the same as the original subpar experience we excused since it was obviously a 1.0 product. The iPad has basically gotten thinner, faster, and gotten a pencil (which don't get me wrong, is great). iPad sales reflect this: iOS DEVICES may be doing amazing, but iPad sales have plateaued or declined repeatedly. Apple seems eternally confused by this, as if they think the product is done. They begrudgingly offer a "new" iPad with older parts and slightly cheaper price as if people just don't get what they're missing. But what's missing is a message, a message other than "this is obviously the next iteration of the computer, why aren't you buying them even though we hardly update the Mac either?". The message and vision would inspire Apple to lead by example in the software they produce for it.
- djrogers 9y agoThe last few years of iOS development have arguably added more big features to iPads than iPhones. Split screen, picture in picture, new gestures, drag/drop, new multitasking workflows, Pencil, etc. Yeah, it felt a little stuck for a while, but iPads are ridiculously more useful and viable as work platforms than they were in the iOS 8/9 days.
- izacus 9y agoMore importantly, Apple has clearly demonstrated several times that they want to own a fully locked down platform where they approve any piece of code and collect percentage from every sale. iOS devices are that - everything from DRM protected hardware to app store apps pays tax to Apple. Users of desktop platforms are resistant to that (Mac App store failed) it's easier to just introduce a larger iPad to push people over.
- txsh 9y agoI don't see why a separate desktop device is needed at all. Give us a MacOS-like desktop mode. We could connect a mouse and keyboard using bluetooth. We could airplay to a display. Even better, replace lightning with thunderbolt so we can connect our phones to an external GPU.