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Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn't Get the Basics Right

350 points by ihuman 2y ago

Fauntleroy 2y ago
It's sad to see so much effort put into reviews like this when it's obvious Apple keeps iPadOS kneecapped on purpose to prevent cannibalization of MacBook sales. All of the author's hopes and dreams are naught when Apple simply doesn't want to fix any of the issues pointed out.
- LeoPanthera 2y ago
  > Apple keeps iPadOS kneecapped on purpose to prevent cannibalization of MacBook sales [Citation needed] I don't buy this argument. And I also don't buy that iPadOS is "kneecapped". They're different operating systems for different uses. I'd hate for macOS to gain touch support, since it would ruin it for mouse and keyboard usage, just as happened to Windows, Gnome, and other desktop UIs.
  - cassianoleal 2y ago
    I agree iPadOS is not the OS for those changes. What I'd really like is to run macOS on the iPad.
    - threeseed 2y ago
      macOS and the ecosystem of applications was never designed to support touch input. It wouldn't be able to distinguish between a Close or Minimise action on every single titlebar.
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
      - cassianoleal 2y ago
        It's very easy to connect a keyboard and pointing device to the iPad.
        threeseed 2y ago
        And you would what disable the touch screen. It makes no sense.
        cassianoleal 2y ago
        I don't have an irresistible urge to smear my fingers on the iPad screen just because it's emitting light.
      - icedchai 2y ago
        Fortunately, since Apple obviously controls macOS, they can fix that.
  - Rinzler89 2y ago
    >[Citation needed] The basic kindergarten math that having your customers need to buy an iPad plus a MacBook to have their needs covered, instead of just an iPad with more power-user features or just a MacBook with a touchscreen, equals more profits for them. Do you really need a citation that Apple would much rather make more money rather than less?
    - walterbell 2y ago
      iPad Pro 1TB is the cheapest model with 16GB RAM for virtualization. With a Macbook-lookalike Magic Keyboard, it costs about two MacBook Airs or MacBook Air + iPad Air. If it ran MacOS VMs, it would be revenue neutral for Apple hardware, without forcing customers onto Qualcomm Nuvia devices to get a professional developer Terminal on a portable, instant-on, AI device.
      - Rinzler89 2y ago
        But do you know what's even better for Apple's bottom line? Users buying an 1TB iPad Pro with keyboard, AND, a MacBook Pro to do the things the iPad can't do even though it has the same CPU. Cha-ching!
  - microflash 2y ago
    Here's a citation: Apple still refuses allowing multiple profiles on iPad.
    - rcarmo 2y ago
      Except in education settings.
      - microflash 2y ago
        And that too with some gymnastics, and not through a straightforward option in settings.
      - hu3 2y ago
        So it is possible. They just disable for the average consumer. To compel families to more iPads.
  - jauntywundrkind 2y ago
    In general as a hacker I'm skeptical when people are trying to draw distinctions between systems when there is little apparent technical merit to the distinction. I tend to believe in adaptability & flexibility, tend to believe in soft systems and the drive or quest to be more. The arguments that devices must in some zero sumanmer stay one thing or else seems concocted.
  - dgellow 2y ago
    Windows with touch support looks like normal windows. It just means I can tap and pinch instead of using a mouse (really nice for google map or just to move around in a creative app). macOS doesn’t have to change drastically to work well with touch support
  - caf 2y ago
    (This is a response both to you and the GP) Can you really look at the Final Cut Pro example given in the article and say, yes, this is the smooth user experience that Apple is aiming for?
slimebot80 2y ago
WWDC may reveal a new momentum. Or they might reveal exciting new sticker packs for Messages.app
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- sneak 2y ago
  Multitasking for pro users doesn’t generate more recurring subscription revenue, which is the only thing Apple cares about now, because it’s the only way for the company to grow their overall revenue. Everyone who is going to have an iPhone or iPad already has one.
  - walterbell 2y ago
    What generates more subscription revenue? Do app sales (multitasking = new apps) generate 30% store fees? Do device sales correlate with subscription sales?
    - sneak 2y ago
      More services that cause automatic recurring revenue. Last I checked, Apple has: Apple Pay Apple Card AppleCare+ AppleCare Help Desk Support AppleCare OS Support AppleCare for Enterprise Apple Messages for Business (not sure if this one is paid or free) Fitness+ Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass iCloud+ Apple News+ Apple Music Apple Arcade iPhone Upgrade Program Apple Developer Program Apple Developer Enterprise Program Apple One ...and there are probably a few more I’m missing. I’m surprised they haven’t figured out a way to charge a monthly fee for iMessage and FaceTime yet (beyond of course the usual nagging you for iCloud storage upgrades to store backups all of the attachments you’ve been iMessaged).
- TillE 2y ago
  This year really feels like the time to do something exciting with the iPad, so soon after launching an absurdly powerful iPad Pro. Either macOS in a VM or a major revamp of iPadOS. There's an exciting story to tell about the iPad Pro being a hybrid tablet, a next gen Mac, the best of both worlds. Or they could do nothing, and let it remain a boring niche product with a really nice screen. We'll see.
PlunderBunny 2y ago
I would just like a way to simplify the iPad OS - my mum uses it to keep in touch with her kids, and when she accidentally enables multi-app mode, it inevitably results in a call to one of her kids to sort it out. Older people - even when they aren't disabled - don't have the fine motor control required to precisely aim their touches/swipes on the screen. She prefers her old iPad because it has a physical button - the swiping up gesture is a bit tricky for her. I want an iPad that runs one app at a time, no hot corners, no swiping from edges.
- whatindaheck 2y ago
  Thank you for this. I, alongside seemingly everyone else, get frustrated that the OS doesn’t have more complex features. But for most of our moms, it’s probably better for them. The rest of us have macOS, Linux, etc.
  - Rinzler89 2y ago
    Why does it need to be either one or the other? There's absolutely no reason the iPad can't have both, as in a simple kiosk mode for old people to call someone, and then a "Power-user" toggle in the setting for those who want to enable the more complex features.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - ukuina 2y ago
      They tried that with Stage Manager and it's a mess.
      - sneak 2y ago
        Stage Manager doesn’t really address any of the issues raised by the article.
      - kcplate 2y ago
        On the iPad I think the screen size makes stage manager unusable…but I have found stage manager hugely useful on my Mac with an ultra wide monitor along side Rectangle windows manager
daft_pink 2y ago
I really agree with the author that the background utilities and lack of multitasking sucks on iPad, but I also think that the locked down nature of iPad OS is very limiting. I feel that I actually want a locked down operating system on my phone where the privacy implications are just to high, but on a computer or tablet, I prefer the more open operating system and find the walled garden so limiting. You really can’t run python or code on it and it doesn’t offer the same apps that make the Mac so amazing like raycast, etc.
ProfessorLayton 2y ago
Apple really, really needs to develop something similar to Samsung's DEX. They insist on keeping iPadOS on training wheels, while also making macOS more iPad-like (To its detriment imo). What I think would satisfy a lot of users is if an iPad (And even an iPhone!) turned into a full-on Mac with full macOS with a keyboard and pointer attached. No need to create a convoluted hybrid touch+pointer UX that wouldn't be great at either, like Microsoft has proven. I simply want to be able to do more with the hardware I already own, and transfer files between my mobile/content consumption modes and when I'm creating/developing/working on something. I know Apple just wants to sell more hardware, but what's happened instead is I've lost interest in getting an iPad altogether.
- threeseed 2y ago
  Apple earns $28b a year from iPad sales. Samsung about a $1b. At some point people on here need to realise that these devices simply aren't designed for them. And that expecting Apple to dilute the value proposition with unpopular features like DEX is kind of misguided.
  - ProfessorLayton 2y ago
    iPad sales have been stagnant for over a decade now, and they were bringing in 30B in revenue in 2012. You're correct that these devices weren't designed for some people — Which is why they aren't buying them. And why I'm suggesting they start making what the people want.
    - threeseed 2y ago
      > And why I'm suggesting they start making what the people want. No it's what you want. The people have spoken. Nobody is buying Dex. Everyone is buying iPads. There is little to no demand for turning the iPad into some tablet-computer hybrid.
      - deleted 2y ago
        [deleted]
julienb_sea 2y ago
I have to imagine Apple is working (very long-term, slowly) towards either a unified OS or a true overhaul of ipadOS that addresses the concerns. They just are fundamentally not incentivized to actually fix the problem. People will just buy both. Also, who is really the market for an ipad pro. The average consumer is going to want a cheap ipad model for media and game consumption on the go. Ipad pro is for creatives or tech enthusiasts with disposable income; in either scenario, owning both ipad and Macbook is fairly likely, and they do work well as complementary devices. I'm still using a 2018 ipad pro. it has the modern design and modern keyboard and flies through everything. I use it to look at slack sometimes. It's pretty pointless to me as primarily a macbook user and I don't see any reason whatsoever to upgrade it.
- thefounder 2y ago
  Soon it will stop upgrading the OS and then the apps will stop working and then AppStore itself will stop working as well. Apple services will stop working as well. I have a perfectly good Mac mini (32gb ram, intel based) but after I’ve updated the iOS on my iPhone the account stopped working on Mac mini. It says I need to upgrade the OS in order to use apple services(I.e iCloud, mail etc) but there is no OS upgrade option for the old Mac mini
  - aspenmayer 2y ago
    You may have success running new enough macOS with OpenCore Legacy Patcher. I use it to run macOS Sonora (current latest version) on a 2015 MacBook Pro (Intel) and it works fine. It’s technically a MacBook Pro 12,1 and I spoof a MacBook Pro 15,2 with OCLP relatively easily with the GUI tool, and mostly all the features I want from the upgraded macOS like handoff etc work. Features that require updated macOS like Contact Key Verification also do work. Some features that require ARM processors don’t work; for instance, I can’t install or run iOS/iPadOS apps from the App Store, unfortunately, but I don’t really need to do that very badly. https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/ https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/ https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher https://discord.com/invite/rqdPgH8xSN https://discord.com/invite/rqdPgH8xSN
brokenmachine 2y ago
Every Apple review I read reminds me of Russians doing videos begging Putin for things that he definitely won't ever care about. >First, as I’ve said multiple times, I love my iPad and want the platform to get better. If you care about something or someone, sometimes you have to tell them what’s wrong in order to improve and find a new path forward. I hope this story can serve as a reference for those with the power to steer iPadOS in a different direction in the future. Then goes on to list a million reasons that it sucks, and has sucked for the last 12 years! But Apple isn't a dictator and you don't have to stay with them. If it doesn't do what you want, buy what does. Or just don't buy a product that you know won't do what you want. As an aside, both my Android phone from 5 years ago, and my Android tablet, do everything that he complains about his expensive ipad not doing (the only thing I'm not sure about is recording Skype calls).
- walterbell 2y ago
  > But Apple isn't a dictator and you don't have to stay with them. Waiting for a hardware competitor that can run standard Linux. Hopefully ex-Apple Nuvia/Oryon delivers at Computex next week.
  - brokenmachine 2y ago
    That could be great. Is it possible that there could be a standard linux (fanless) tablet?
    - walterbell 2y ago
      That's what has been promised for 2024 Aug/Sep shipping devices, including mainline Linux support and Arm SystemReady UEFI booting of any compliant Arm distro, on laptops and/or tablets from Microsoft, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo and more. Pricing is an open question, but even if the initial devices are "premium" due to post-IPO Arm licensing tax on Qualcomm, competition between multiple PC vendors and Apple will be good for everyone In a year or two, hopefully that means Framework Arm devices with power and performance >= early Apple Silicon devices. https://www.phoronix.com/news/Qualcomm-Mainline-Linux-2024 https://www.phoronix.com/news/Qualcomm-Mainline-Linux-2024
prng2021 2y ago
I don't think Apple cares much about improving ipad OS and instead use this form factor to test and scale new technology to be used in products they care much more about, iphones and macbooks. For example, 120Hz Pro Motion, liquid retina, and now the tandem OLED in the latest model all went to ipad first.
- walterbell 2y ago
  If iPad Pro is an experimental developer device, let there be more experiments!
  - intrasight 2y ago
    People like to be able to either share or monetize their experiments. Neither is really possible here.
walterbell 2y ago
iPad has been treated like a relic from a lost civilization. We can debate origin stories and mythology, but no one (yet?) has the creative power to change the ancient artifact. Meanwhile, it adorns inadvertent museums.
tonymet 2y ago
Lack of background apps alone kills remoting via SSH. Another gripe I have is lack of keyboard shortcut consistency. MacOS apps are encouraged through the API and defaults to provide keyboard shortcuts for all actions. On iOS most Apps don't implement them at all. Gmail app is the worst example. Copy paste is clumsy as well.
- walterbell 2y ago
  > Lack of background apps alone kills remoting via SSH There are workarounds, e.g. live PiP window used by iPulse.
  - tonymet 2y ago
    I'll take a look thanks for sharing.
- rcarmo 2y ago
  Funny, I’ve been using my iPad for SSH and mosh sessions for almost a decade. What exactly is it you are referring to?
  - tonymet 2y ago
    background disconnects
- theshrike79 2y ago
  Mosh is your friend when mobile SSH is an essential requirement: https://mosh.org https://mosh.org
  - tonymet 2y ago
    is your approach to use mosh to auto re-connect when the terminal is foregrounded?
multimoon 2y ago
Please just let me run macOS apps and I’ll buy one tonight. I’d even pay a software unlock for it. It’s the perfect convergence device if only Apple would let it be.
- reaperman 2y ago
  And vice-versa! Please :)
  - multimoon 2y ago
    If I’m not mistaken didn’t Apple already let you run mobile apps on macOS?
- walterbell 2y ago
  > let it be Reinstate the Hypervisor API that was banished in 16.3.1.
browningstreet 2y ago
This is true for both iOS and iPadOS -- they way they handle security for links. Example: I have Youtube installed on the i*device. I click on a Youtube link and it opens in a webview, but doesn't know who I am. I'm logged in via the app, and I'm logged in via Safari, but in the protected webview, it doesn't know. Sometimes it's easy to click on the "Open in App" link, and sometimes it doesn't work at all. If I try to login, then the system sends me to login via Google, which will then send me over to Gmail for MFA validation. This can't be. It doesn't work like this on macOS. The security model is hell.
- sureIy 2y ago
  This is one of the most mind-boggling parts of Apple’s mobile OS. Why are they allowing apps to jail unrelated parts of the mobile experience? They’re so strict, yet they allow completely unnecessary web views. Photos galleries are another incredibly painful point. Every app thinks they can reinvent the photo picker, for absolutely no reason. Rein them in please Apple.
  - pests 2y ago
    This happens in Android too and it's a little annoying too. If the app is using a certain web view tech (Android has a few) then it enables a frame using your default browser and an option to "Open in (...)" which correctly pops open the YT app. If it's an older web view sometimes it's just impossible - sometimes a share action will work, other times there is a link on the page. Sometimes I'm logged in (I guess one of those web views got logged into at one point) and then I can watch a few seconds, manually open the app, go into history and restart it proper. Not fun.
gcanyon 2y ago
What's absurd to me is: forget all of what this article writes about, because Apple could fix all of it and the iPad would still be fundamentally flawed at a more basic level than anything listed, because editing text is horrifically broken, has been since the first iPhone came out, and hasn't seen any significant improvement since I can't remember. And the crazy part is: just like this article, everyone overlooks it. Pay attention, and you'll notice it. (sorry to everyone who had blanked it out). Think about how long it takes/ho many steps it takes to put quotes around a chunk of text; to correct a misspelling; to rearrange some words. It's agonizing once you think about it, and Apple (nor Google, as far as I know) has done zero to fix it in years (a decade?).
- rocmcd 2y ago
  How do you suggest they begin to address it? I have reached the point where I believe it is a fundamental flaw in _all_ touch-screen interfaces. I would certainly love to see better alternatives.
  - gcanyon 2y ago
    That's a fair question to ask. The cheeky answer is that it's not my problem to solve, it's theirs. But I am a product manager, so I'll take a shot. None of these replace what we have. Some of them conflict. 1. Bring back deep presses, which isn't very discoverable, but it's memorable once you get used to it, and make it immediately position the cursor. 2. Allow touching with two fingers. If they're next to each other, immediately position the cursor. Spread them and the selection widens. 3. Allow double-tap to select a word. 4. Double-tap and drag to select word by word. 5. Pinch on a selection to cut. 6. Deep press on a selection and drag-swipe in different directions to copy, cut, and formatting options. 7. Deep press on an unselected spot and drag-swipe in different directions to paste and other options.
    - samldev 2y ago
      FWIW I use 3 and 4 on iOS all the time for fixing typos etc
rado 2y ago
I’ve been using iPad Pro with keyboard and there are strange limitations indeed, like I can’t submit a Discord or FB post with keyboard alone, I need to use a pointer.
- russelldjimmy 2y ago
  That sounds like a limitation of Discord and Facebook.
cloudengineer94 2y ago
Honestly, it' crazy how limited the iPad still is in this day and age. I was hoping for them to add a terminal and improve the files app. But I already gave up on it especially after the recent comments from Apple as they want people to buy both devices to 'complement' each other: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/13/apple-vp-mac-ipad-complementary/ https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/13/apple-vp-mac-ipad-compl... I own an M1 iPad Pro but 80% of the time I use it as a sidecar due to how limited it is.
SeanLuke 2y ago
Fun fact. Three of the apps the author is missing (TextEdit, Dictionary, and Preview) are not originally MacOS X apps. They were NeXTSTEP apps.
- Etheryte 2y ago
  Preview is honestly such a good app. On top of everything else, it's also a very powerful PDF editor, which is something many companies built full paid products around — but on macOS you get it for free.
  - maccard 2y ago
    Couldn't agree more - It's probably the app I miss most when I'm on windows. It's an absolute sleeper.
  - FinnKuhn 2y ago
    Preview, especially the .pdf editor, is probably the biggest feature I miss when using Windows instead of MacOS. I still don't get, how there isn't a comparable .pdf editor (that I know of) for Windows. The integrated one in Edge is fine for just reading things or highlighting something, but for adding notes, text or even just censoring things it is way worse than Preview.
    - adhamsalama 2y ago
      Have you tried Okular?
      - FinnKuhn 2y ago
        Thank you for the suggestion. While not quite as good as preview this seems way bettet than using Microsoft Edge for working with .pdfs on Windows.
    - theoldlove 2y ago
      I think Microsoft assumes you’ll use Adobe Acrobat Pro
nbzso 2y ago
Let me start with this. My initial reaction from the first iPad still holds. Why not touch macOS? There is just one answer: Profit. The business is not in solving user problems. It is to create a shiny toy with a limitation which you promise to solve in the near future. I moved away from iPad for drawing and just use it for a second screen on the go. For mobility, I have a smartphone. It is getting ridiculous in an Apple camp. You introduce the last processor on a iPad? But iPad still is not a full laptop or desktop replacement? Why?
- yreg 2y ago
  Yet, even after 14 years to catch up users still prefer iPad to Windows tablets. The OS is a pro, not a con. > You introduce the last processor on a iPad? It makes sense since iPad is refreshed less often. Other M4 hardware is right around the corner.
  - nbzso 2y ago
    Did you read the article? It is full of questions. I use Apple computers since 1998. And I am still not a fanboy. I am a user. Calling a spade a spade is actually a much-needed improvement in today's landscape.
  - pjmlp 2y ago
    > et, even after 14 years to catch up users still prefer iPad to Windows tablets. Depends pretty much on the region.
    - yreg 2y ago
      It's the sum of all regions that matters.
      - pjmlp 2y ago
        In that case, the sum is around 50% in world market.
- sevagh 2y ago
kalyantm 2y ago
This probably will never happen, but if they let me run MacOS on the iPad, I'd buy it in a hearbeat.
mikeocool 2y ago
Man people love to hate the iPad. I agree many of these critiques (though it seems odd to complain about the lack of TextEdit and then describe the notes app so precisely). I still use my iPad (and I imagine the author does to) because there are things it does SO much better than a computer — even beyond consumption. Using the Apple Pencil with apps like Notability, Procreate and Lightroom is IMHO so much better than the equivalent experience on desktop. Notetaking on computers has been sorely lacking basically forever. Being able to quickly take notes, interspersed with sketches, arrows, and symbols, and layout the page exactly how I want — just how I’d do it in a physical notebook — is awesome.
- SuperManifolds 2y ago
  Ah yes, Federico Viticci, famously an iPad "hater"
- LegitShady 2y ago
  The apple pencil is just alright. The design decisions they made to have it magnetically attach to the device, while cool, mean that its not a very ergonomic implement for long term use. For comparison check out the shape of the Wacom Pro Pen 2. https://estore.wacom.com/media/Global/Products/accessories/pens/Pro-Pen-2-with-Pen-Case/KP504E_f.jpg https://estore.wacom.com/media/Global/Products/accessories/p... I can use the pro pen 2 all day and not feel issues with my fingers or wrists. The apple pencil requires me to use some goofy silicone addons to make it ergonomically functional if you plan to use it for more than an hour. Plus those add ons get in the way of mounting the pencil magnetically, often get in the way of using the touch buttons, and limit what cases you might use. This is the silicone add on I use, which ergonomically makes the apple pencil an actual functional tool that doesn't hurt hand/fingers/wrists. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C21XNJJC/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C21XNJJC/ The apple pencil is a pretty 'ok' tool if all you're doing is the occasional sketch. The apple pencil + ipad is a nice drawing platform because its almost always the one you have with you. It's not so much better than a dedicated drawing platform on computer - a proper wacom drawing display. But thats a dedicated device, and costs as much as an ipad, so you pay more for the better product + the computer.
- pompino 2y ago
ggm 2y ago
I work with seniors helping them navigate online life and by choice specialise in ipad and iPhone owners. All of them miss skuomorphic elements and clear signals of what is and what is not an active touchable region. Apple don't manage pre- digital seniors well. With lots of emerging functional loss if not outright dementia, these devices are confusing. I would love to talk to Apple UX about some of the inconsistency.
AnonC 2y ago
I skimmed through the article but didn’t find mention of one glaring deficiency in iPadOS — it still doesn’t support multiple users and multiuser switching, even though the hardware is capable of it (and exceeds the capacity of many Macs before it). I decided several years ago that I’m not buying another iPad until this is sorted out by iPadOS. I think of iPhones as personal devices, where each person may have their own. But iPads are more likely to be shared for personal use in families. The fact that each person using it cannot have their own user profiles, app data, etc., is a huge drawback. Apple has supported this for a long time (though probably not in the best way) for education, but it’s not available to others. Even tvOS supports switching between user profiles quickly. Apple enforcing the idea that iPad (with iPadOS) should also be a personal device — one device per person — makes the user experience quite poor.
- PrettyPastry 2y ago
  Does tvOS user switching do anything at all? I tried recently, and all the third party app data was shared across users.
  - gumby 2y ago
    Mainly it makes the Apple TV+ app understand your watching history (“up next”) better. Apple has an API so that third party apps can tie profiles to appletv user ids (iCloud ids) but I haven’t seen a single 3P app that uses it. Apple could make it mandatory at some point I suppose but the UX for connecting the two in each app would likely be tedious. Also there is no password protection with changing user ids so kids can accidentally screw up your watch history / preferences. And without any passwords you don’t want to connect photos or anything like that to the tv. It’s pretty much a botch, just like the cases described in this article.
  - quenix 2y ago
    It basically just switches over Apple app accounts, such as Music and Photos. Everything else---all third party apps and the home screen layout and BT devices---are exactly the same. It's laughably bad, since Photos doesn't even support more than one iCloud photo library per TV, so switching just makes the Photos app not work.
littlecosmic 2y ago
Apple locks down the platform which means others can’t contribute, but then isn’t capable enough to fill all the roles it takes to make a professional platform.
swatson741 2y ago
All of this is very problematic and a good reason to skip the iPad despite it's exceptional hardware. Personally, as mentioned in the article, the lack of multiple audio streams (or background audio) is very annoying. If you play any audio from Safari it completely pauses what your doing in other apps like YouTube or Twitch. So when you're done with Safari you have to go back into those apps and resume them. Stage manager is glitchy on external displays. There are a lot of known shippable bugs in stage manager. Bugs that haven't been fixed in years. Most unfortunately of all, as a utility, there's no developer tools. When you do software development for an iPad you usually have to put it into developer mode. Why not pull down Xcode, Xcode cli tools, and a terminal emulator as well as enable the developer section of the App Store as part of enabling developer mode? There's no reason for things not to work like this.
kome 2y ago
Basically, iPad needs macos.
mrcwinn 2y ago
I agree iPadOS is not good enough, but when I hear people call for Apple to merge devices and troll them for maximizing profits, I have to roll my eyes. Okay, let's add background task processing, hungrier apps like Xcode, more simultaneous apps. I guess we'll need more memory and compute resources, and so therefore we'll need more battery, too. So now I have a 2 lb iPad that doesn't have enough internal space to cool itself. Great. Thanks internet.
- iknowstuff 2y ago
  8/16GB iPad Pros have 40Wh batteries. 8/16/24GB M3 MacBook Airs have 49-52Wh batteries. Don’t be melodramatic.
Jgrubb 2y ago
> I share my frustrations because I care about the platform and want it to get better. Caring about someone else’s platform - especially when you care about it more than the people who have control over it - is not where you want to be.
meyum33 2y ago
It seems to me that most complains can be simply solved by letting it run macOS.
anArbitraryOne 2y ago
I made this account specifically to hate on MacOS systems. Thanks for the validation
can16358p 2y ago
I believe the biggest barrier here is the background processes (and true inter-app communication that'd come with it). Many pro apps have either plugins and/or interoperability with other apps/extensions on the desktop. In iPad, even if you have the app (e.g. Logic, Resolve, FCP) it's very hard to create a "real" experience like the desktop with file/plugin interoperability or a true ecosystem. In addition, this is why we don't have any developer tools that'd actually be anything of a daily driver (rather a proof of concept). If we get true multitasking/background tasks, then I believe many other pro apps will jump onboard. The hardware is absolutely fantastic, the SoC is more than capable. We just need the software support.
- Kon-Peki 2y ago
  Apple already has processes in place for background process execution on iPhones and iPads [1], including a way for the app to request additional background processing time [2]. The issue is that this system needs to be expanded to cover the use cases that people are describing. It really is hard to understand why Apple has not done so nor given any indication that they will. > Apps don’t normally receive any extra execution time after they enter the background. However, UIKit does grant execution time to apps that support any of the following time-sensitive capabilities: * Audio communication using AirPlay, or Picture in Picture video. * Location-sensitive services for users. * Voice over IP. * Communication with an external accessory. * Communication with Bluetooth LE accessories, or conversion of the device into a Bluetooth LE accessory. * Regular updates from a server. * Support for Apple Push Notification service (APNs). > Enable the Background Modes capability in Xcode if your app supports background features. Keeping an SSH session alive is barely outside of the existing use cases. Long-running export jobs and things like that would need a new use case defined, perhaps with QoS definitions. [1] https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_environment/scenes/preparing_your_ui_to_run_in_the_background https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_envi... [2] https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_environment/scenes/preparing_your_ui_to_run_in_the_background/extending_your_app_s_background_execution_time https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_envi...
  - can16358p 2y ago
barbariangrunge 2y ago
I don’t see discussion of this elsewhere, so: the Magic Keyboard isn’t good. In some senses, yeah, it’s amazing. But I use the f keys all the time normally. I use esc all the time. The keyboard lacks both. It makes the iPad heavier than my laptop, ruins the pick up and use character; the pencil goes flying if you’re not really careful when carrying it; and you still can’t use it in many circumstances on the couch because of the weight balancing and you have to cradle it. It stops it from being a tablet and turns it into an un-ergonomic laptop
- dagmx 2y ago
  The new Magic Keyboard adds a function row with an escape key fwiw.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
seanvelasco 2y ago
i would love to use vscode in the ipad. one barrier to having a similar experience one the mac is its filesystem. the Files app is nowhere near Finder in terms of utility. when riding a bus in singapore, or flying short-distance, i feel awkward using my macbook. whereas if i use an ipad, i feel like it's more appropriate. this is just a personal preference though. another thing i'd love for ipads to have is, allowing its display to be used as an external monitor.
whalesalad 2y ago
I don't know why anyone would want to force a square peg into a round hole using an iPad as an actual computer. The Macbook Air is nearly identical in size, battery life etc.
- pseudosaid 2y ago
  Because its not a square peg in a round hole. its a round peg in a square circle. The ipads now have zero reason not to allow virtual machines beyond greed.
jmull 2y ago
I like my iPad a lot, and use it every day. But I'll probably never buy another. The OS is just too limiting. Perhaps they'll eventually decide to let them run MacOS? (Seems like a no-brainer, at least when a keyboard case is in-use, but apparently not.)
- intrasight 2y ago
  Some days I agree with that sentiment. But then I remind myself that I treat my iPad as a task device. In this context, task and app are somewhat synonymous. I've a short list of tasks: Apple TV: for task "watch Apple TV+" Safari: for task "surf internet" Google Maps: for task "surf geography" Animoog Z: for task "make music" While for sure I would love ipadOS to be a real OS, as long as it's the best device for even one task that I do regularly, I'll probably keep buying new ipads - but generally only once every four years, as I get my boost for my tasks from new hardware.
roody15 2y ago
It is a restricted consumer device. Basic computer functionality can often only be added with pay as you go subscription “apps” making the device a parody of a personal computer. iPad has gotten better compared to the early days but still remains a device designed around consuming content. It is great at consuming content, books, movies, comics, reading headlines .. etc. My two cents.
- jimbokun 2y ago
  Which kills it as a serious product for "Pro" users who want a tool to support their vocation.
  - alt227 2y ago
    The 'Pro' badge on the iPad pro is just there for CEOs, Execs, and other self important people to justify using it for work.
dr_ 2y ago
Microsoft is updating it's Surface hardware with ARM chips in a couple of weeks. This would include the Surface Pro 10, which is otherwise excellent save for poor ergonomics if actually laying down and using it on your lap. If they could fix this, it would serve the population looking for a hybrid tablet/laptop device well. (it will also have an oled screen in this upcoming update). Yes, its Windows, but I much prefer the file manager in Windows to Mac, and definitely over ipadOS. They will also be announcing AI related updates in 2 weeks, and I get the feeling MSFT has leapfrogged apple by a year or two on this count.
- shepherdjerred 2y ago
  The Surface would be quite tempting if Windows 11 weren't so overtly user-hostile.
  - hirvi74 2y ago
    Surely one can run some sort of Linux disto on these surfaces, no? I would imagine support might not be 1:1 with all the features as Windows 11 might support, but probably good enough. It'd be a sacrifice I'd be willing to live with.
    - VyseofArcadia 2y ago
      I haven't tried since the Surface Pro 3, so maybe this has changed, but the answer was "yes with major caveats". A quick search suggests this is still the answer. Several bits of hardware[0] still rely on drivers that haven't been upstreamed to the Linux kernel proper yet, so you'd best be prepared to run a custom kernel. Some things like the webcam don't work at all. And then there's booting. You will probably have to monkey with secure boot, which means dual booting can be a pain. Big, popular distros are starting to support secure boot, so it might just work, but it might not. And I'd be kind of shocked if MS didn't take the opportunity to ditch legacy x86 baggage[1] to completely lock down boot and make it impossible to run anything but Windows. In summary, on older Surface devices, yes you can run Linux but you have to pretend it's 20 years ago and Linux is still a pain to get running. On ARM? Good luck. [0] basically all input methods. Touchpad, keyboard, touch, and pen. [1] and the freedoms such baggage still carries
wcski 2y ago
iPadOS still doesn't have a native calculator.
wffurr 2y ago
This person really needs a Surface device instead of an iPad.
cchance 2y ago
Weren't they working on bringing full MacOS to iPad Pro's it seems like the new iPad pro would have been perfect time to just allow us to run OSX on ipad pros
kjkjadksj 2y ago
I recently had to downgrade my phone for a few days to an original iphone SE, 6s internals basically A9 chip. It was noticeably faster in the ux than my current A13 phone. Makes no sense to me. I type “cal” in spotlight on the A9 phone and I get calendar returned almost instantly. I do the same on the A13 and there’s a few seconds of delay before any results show, but get this I can’t even get calendar to return, only calculator and google calendar that isn’t even installed. So considering that new phones aren’t always faster than the old ones where it actually counts (the ux), how are these newer gen ipads fairing? Do they actually feel like upgrades?
- ukuina 2y ago
  Spotlight search can be slowed down by the number of apps exposing their content to the search index.
  - kjkjadksj 2y ago
    I really don’t have very many apps installed. A9 phone had more installed actually. I believe it was running ios 13 though so maybe the older oss were just better.
e63f67dd-065b 2y ago
Apple is caught between a rock and a hard place here. On one hand, probably the vast majority of ipad users don't know multitasking exists, have never even opened the Files app, don't care about the lack of system utilities, and use the iPad as a simple big phone. On the other hand, they've been trying to sell these "pro" devices with impressive hardware to target a small market of consumers with "professional" workflows, who do care about all of these things. My view is that, fundamentally, a lot of "professional" workflows is just as much about shuffling data around as it is working on said data. Just as data science taught us that data cleaning is 80% of the job, the same applies to video editing, programming, etc. iPadOS is uniquely bad at moving data around due to its onerous requirements around sandboxing and its poor interfaces around inter-app communication, when these are precisely the things that are most needed. And then there's the multitasking, which remains terrible to this day. Can they improve it? Definitely, but I wouldn't want to be the guy trying to figure out how to do it without ruining the normal user experience.
AlexandrB 2y ago
The iPad is a bit of tragedy. If it was an open platform, a lot of its problems would be solved - first by third-party software, and later perhaps by Apple copying those successful features/solutions. Because the iPad is a walled garden, it's at the mercy of Apple's narrow vision for how it can be used.
blackeyeblitzar 2y ago
iPad needs a generalized OS like macOS to be useful beyond basic consumption. I don’t see any advantage to my iPad Pro above thin and light laptops.
roydivision 2y ago
Or you could use a laptop... I just don't get the obsession some people have for the iPad, jumping through hoops and putting up with so many compromises when most issues are solved using a laptop. Can someone explain this? I have an iPad but I primarily use it for watching films, I wouldn't dream of trying to get any work done on it when I have a Macbook.
- oaw845o8wj 2y ago
  Same. I get annoyed on systems where I have to use a mouse when I know keyboard shortcuts would be faster and more efficient, so having to do everything through a touchscreen is infuriating. And some people will say "well that's why you can buy a keyboard ..." so then it's a laptop, just not a great one. What's the point? ipad has always felt like a weird middle ground without an obvious niche, at least for my use.
  - pompino 2y ago
    Not everyone has the same view as you. There are plenty of segments that Apple caters to including captive devices for field techs, education, retail, kiosks etc.
    - roydivision 2y ago
      This isn't what I'm talking about, these are niche areas where tablets fit fine. I'm talking about general use, writing, drawing, coding etc.
- pompino 2y ago
  Ipads/tablets are very common business devices used for a variety of applications. We issue ipads to our field techs to do inspection checklists, take pictures at job sites, write notes, etc. Its a great device for that.
  - roydivision 2y ago
    Which is great, but I'm talking general use. They are a hindrance more than anything, like using a laptop with one hand tied behind your back.
enceladus06 2y ago
The iPad Pro is the most wasted potential of any device right now. Single core speed like a i9 14th gen, but the device is so limited no AAA games selection, desktop apps, or anything. This thing could literally be running desktop-class COD / Fortnite/ Photoshop/ VScode / Xcode but Apple won't let it.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- camus_absurd 2y ago
  What?
gorkish 2y ago
This is a simple story that has been told since ipad v1. They just need to let you run MacOS on it in a VM and all will be right with the world. But they won't because they are greedy selfish bastards that do not actually have the user at heart. End of discussion
AzzyHN 2y ago
Perhaps I'm just a 23 year old boomer, but the idea of an iPad as a computer replacement doesn't make any sense to me. Sure, there are lots of apps on the App Store, but it doesn't have everything. I'd rather use a Chromebook (though, not the cheapest ones) so that there's guaranteed web app compatibility. And I've still got an App Store to do my taxes (or whatever people use their iPads for, I dunno)
- corinroyal 2y ago
  > 23 year old boomer Can this ageist bullshit just die already? Hating on a whole generation is just fucking stupid.
tibbydudeza 2y ago
iPad Pro is a product in search of a market.
heywoodlh 2y ago
> I’m looking forward to the new iPad Pros, but I can’t shake the feeling that the same old iPadOS cycle is about to begin all over again. This is EXACTLY how I feel. WWDC will roll around and Apple will completely drop the ball for yet another year with iPadOS. I also feel that the iPad Pro is one of the best hardware form factors for a computer — but iPadOS makes it a not great laptop replacement. I can’t help but feel like it would look incredibly foolish for Apple to do their May iPad event announcing M4 iPads — only to find out at WWDC that iPadOS still sucks. Thankfully, it seems like most people, tech reviewers, etc. are vocal about iPadOS missing the mark. I hope Apple doesn’t continue to ignore the negative feedback.
classified 2y ago
It's true, iPadOS does have ludicrous limitations. I cannot tell whether that's out of sheer incompetence or the greed for subsequent monetization opportunities.
FerretFred 2y ago
If you want real pain, try being an iPad Mini owner! I love the format which is perfect for slinging in a backpack or bag and not having to worry (too much) about pulling out a newly-bent device. I briefly invested in a full-size iPad and quickly exchanged it for another Mini. To me, the Mini represents the ideal compromise between size and usability. Regarding pain, not only do Apple largely ignore the device, but accessory manufacturers seem to follow suit. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to buy a must-have accessory without success. I'm hoping that Apple won't be killing it off any time soon- I'd hate to have to over to the dark side...
isabelremirez 2y ago
[dead]

350 points by ihuman 2y ago

It's sad to see so much effort put into reviews like this when it's obvious Apple keeps iPadOS kneecapped on purpose to prevent cannibalization of MacBook sales. All of the author's hopes and dreams are naught when Apple simply doesn't want to fix any of the issues pointed out.

LeoPanthera 2y ago
> Apple keeps iPadOS kneecapped on purpose to prevent cannibalization of MacBook sales [Citation needed] I don't buy this argument. And I also don't buy that iPadOS is "kneecapped". They're different operating systems for different uses. I'd hate for macOS to gain touch support, since it would ruin it for mouse and keyboard usage, just as happened to Windows, Gnome, and other desktop UIs.
- cassianoleal 2y ago
  I agree iPadOS is not the OS for those changes. What I'd really like is to run macOS on the iPad.
  - threeseed 2y ago
    macOS and the ecosystem of applications was never designed to support touch input. It wouldn't be able to distinguish between a Close or Minimise action on every single titlebar.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]
    - cassianoleal 2y ago
      It's very easy to connect a keyboard and pointing device to the iPad.
      - threeseed 2y ago
        And you would what disable the touch screen. It makes no sense.
        cassianoleal 2y ago
        I don't have an irresistible urge to smear my fingers on the iPad screen just because it's emitting light.
    - icedchai 2y ago
      Fortunately, since Apple obviously controls macOS, they can fix that.
- Rinzler89 2y ago
  >[Citation needed] The basic kindergarten math that having your customers need to buy an iPad plus a MacBook to have their needs covered, instead of just an iPad with more power-user features or just a MacBook with a touchscreen, equals more profits for them. Do you really need a citation that Apple would much rather make more money rather than less?
  - walterbell 2y ago
    iPad Pro 1TB is the cheapest model with 16GB RAM for virtualization. With a Macbook-lookalike Magic Keyboard, it costs about two MacBook Airs or MacBook Air + iPad Air. If it ran MacOS VMs, it would be revenue neutral for Apple hardware, without forcing customers onto Qualcomm Nuvia devices to get a professional developer Terminal on a portable, instant-on, AI device.
    - Rinzler89 2y ago
      But do you know what's even better for Apple's bottom line? Users buying an 1TB iPad Pro with keyboard, AND, a MacBook Pro to do the things the iPad can't do even though it has the same CPU. Cha-ching!
- microflash 2y ago
  Here's a citation: Apple still refuses allowing multiple profiles on iPad.
  - rcarmo 2y ago
    Except in education settings.
    - microflash 2y ago
      And that too with some gymnastics, and not through a straightforward option in settings.
    - hu3 2y ago
      So it is possible. They just disable for the average consumer. To compel families to more iPads.
- jauntywundrkind 2y ago
  In general as a hacker I'm skeptical when people are trying to draw distinctions between systems when there is little apparent technical merit to the distinction. I tend to believe in adaptability & flexibility, tend to believe in soft systems and the drive or quest to be more. The arguments that devices must in some zero sumanmer stay one thing or else seems concocted.
- dgellow 2y ago
  Windows with touch support looks like normal windows. It just means I can tap and pinch instead of using a mouse (really nice for google map or just to move around in a creative app). macOS doesn’t have to change drastically to work well with touch support
- caf 2y ago
  (This is a response both to you and the GP) Can you really look at the Final Cut Pro example given in the article and say, yes, this is the smooth user experience that Apple is aiming for?

slimebot80 2y ago

WWDC may reveal a new momentum. Or they might reveal exciting new sticker packs for Messages.app

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
sneak 2y ago
Multitasking for pro users doesn’t generate more recurring subscription revenue, which is the only thing Apple cares about now, because it’s the only way for the company to grow their overall revenue. Everyone who is going to have an iPhone or iPad already has one.
- walterbell 2y ago
  What generates more subscription revenue? Do app sales (multitasking = new apps) generate 30% store fees? Do device sales correlate with subscription sales?
  - sneak 2y ago
    More services that cause automatic recurring revenue. Last I checked, Apple has: Apple Pay Apple Card AppleCare+ AppleCare Help Desk Support AppleCare OS Support AppleCare for Enterprise Apple Messages for Business (not sure if this one is paid or free) Fitness+ Apple TV+ MLS Season Pass iCloud+ Apple News+ Apple Music Apple Arcade iPhone Upgrade Program Apple Developer Program Apple Developer Enterprise Program Apple One ...and there are probably a few more I’m missing. I’m surprised they haven’t figured out a way to charge a monthly fee for iMessage and FaceTime yet (beyond of course the usual nagging you for iCloud storage upgrades to store backups all of the attachments you’ve been iMessaged).
TillE 2y ago
This year really feels like the time to do something exciting with the iPad, so soon after launching an absurdly powerful iPad Pro. Either macOS in a VM or a major revamp of iPadOS. There's an exciting story to tell about the iPad Pro being a hybrid tablet, a next gen Mac, the best of both worlds. Or they could do nothing, and let it remain a boring niche product with a really nice screen. We'll see.

PlunderBunny 2y ago

I would just like a way to simplify the iPad OS - my mum uses it to keep in touch with her kids, and when she accidentally enables multi-app mode, it inevitably results in a call to one of her kids to sort it out. Older people - even when they aren't disabled - don't have the fine motor control required to precisely aim their touches/swipes on the screen. She prefers her old iPad because it has a physical button - the swiping up gesture is a bit tricky for her. I want an iPad that runs one app at a time, no hot corners, no swiping from edges.

whatindaheck 2y ago
Thank you for this. I, alongside seemingly everyone else, get frustrated that the OS doesn’t have more complex features. But for most of our moms, it’s probably better for them. The rest of us have macOS, Linux, etc.
- Rinzler89 2y ago
  Why does it need to be either one or the other? There's absolutely no reason the iPad can't have both, as in a simple kiosk mode for old people to call someone, and then a "Power-user" toggle in the setting for those who want to enable the more complex features.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
  - ukuina 2y ago
    They tried that with Stage Manager and it's a mess.
    - sneak 2y ago
      Stage Manager doesn’t really address any of the issues raised by the article.
    - kcplate 2y ago
      On the iPad I think the screen size makes stage manager unusable…but I have found stage manager hugely useful on my Mac with an ultra wide monitor along side Rectangle windows manager

daft_pink 2y ago

I really agree with the author that the background utilities and lack of multitasking sucks on iPad, but I also think that the locked down nature of iPad OS is very limiting. I feel that I actually want a locked down operating system on my phone where the privacy implications are just to high, but on a computer or tablet, I prefer the more open operating system and find the walled garden so limiting. You really can’t run python or code on it and it doesn’t offer the same apps that make the Mac so amazing like raycast, etc.

ProfessorLayton 2y ago

Apple really, really needs to develop something similar to Samsung's DEX. They insist on keeping iPadOS on training wheels, while also making macOS more iPad-like (To its detriment imo). What I think would satisfy a lot of users is if an iPad (And even an iPhone!) turned into a full-on Mac with full macOS with a keyboard and pointer attached. No need to create a convoluted hybrid touch+pointer UX that wouldn't be great at either, like Microsoft has proven. I simply want to be able to do more with the hardware I already own, and transfer files between my mobile/content consumption modes and when I'm creating/developing/working on something. I know Apple just wants to sell more hardware, but what's happened instead is I've lost interest in getting an iPad altogether.

threeseed 2y ago
Apple earns $28b a year from iPad sales. Samsung about a $1b. At some point people on here need to realise that these devices simply aren't designed for them. And that expecting Apple to dilute the value proposition with unpopular features like DEX is kind of misguided.
- ProfessorLayton 2y ago
  iPad sales have been stagnant for over a decade now, and they were bringing in 30B in revenue in 2012. You're correct that these devices weren't designed for some people — Which is why they aren't buying them. And why I'm suggesting they start making what the people want.
  - threeseed 2y ago
    > And why I'm suggesting they start making what the people want. No it's what you want. The people have spoken. Nobody is buying Dex. Everyone is buying iPads. There is little to no demand for turning the iPad into some tablet-computer hybrid.
    - deleted 2y ago
      [deleted]

julienb_sea 2y ago

I have to imagine Apple is working (very long-term, slowly) towards either a unified OS or a true overhaul of ipadOS that addresses the concerns. They just are fundamentally not incentivized to actually fix the problem. People will just buy both. Also, who is really the market for an ipad pro. The average consumer is going to want a cheap ipad model for media and game consumption on the go. Ipad pro is for creatives or tech enthusiasts with disposable income; in either scenario, owning both ipad and Macbook is fairly likely, and they do work well as complementary devices. I'm still using a 2018 ipad pro. it has the modern design and modern keyboard and flies through everything. I use it to look at slack sometimes. It's pretty pointless to me as primarily a macbook user and I don't see any reason whatsoever to upgrade it.

thefounder 2y ago
Soon it will stop upgrading the OS and then the apps will stop working and then AppStore itself will stop working as well. Apple services will stop working as well. I have a perfectly good Mac mini (32gb ram, intel based) but after I’ve updated the iOS on my iPhone the account stopped working on Mac mini. It says I need to upgrade the OS in order to use apple services(I.e iCloud, mail etc) but there is no OS upgrade option for the old Mac mini
- aspenmayer 2y ago
  You may have success running new enough macOS with OpenCore Legacy Patcher. I use it to run macOS Sonora (current latest version) on a 2015 MacBook Pro (Intel) and it works fine. It’s technically a MacBook Pro 12,1 and I spoof a MacBook Pro 15,2 with OCLP relatively easily with the GUI tool, and mostly all the features I want from the upgraded macOS like handoff etc work. Features that require updated macOS like Contact Key Verification also do work. Some features that require ARM processors don’t work; for instance, I can’t install or run iOS/iPadOS apps from the App Store, unfortunately, but I don’t really need to do that very badly. https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/ https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/ https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher https://discord.com/invite/rqdPgH8xSN https://discord.com/invite/rqdPgH8xSN

brokenmachine 2y ago

Every Apple review I read reminds me of Russians doing videos begging Putin for things that he definitely won't ever care about. >First, as I’ve said multiple times, I love my iPad and want the platform to get better. If you care about something or someone, sometimes you have to tell them what’s wrong in order to improve and find a new path forward. I hope this story can serve as a reference for those with the power to steer iPadOS in a different direction in the future. Then goes on to list a million reasons that it sucks, and has sucked for the last 12 years! But Apple isn't a dictator and you don't have to stay with them. If it doesn't do what you want, buy what does. Or just don't buy a product that you know won't do what you want. As an aside, both my Android phone from 5 years ago, and my Android tablet, do everything that he complains about his expensive ipad not doing (the only thing I'm not sure about is recording Skype calls).

walterbell 2y ago
> But Apple isn't a dictator and you don't have to stay with them. Waiting for a hardware competitor that can run standard Linux. Hopefully ex-Apple Nuvia/Oryon delivers at Computex next week.
- brokenmachine 2y ago
  That could be great. Is it possible that there could be a standard linux (fanless) tablet?
  - walterbell 2y ago
    That's what has been promised for 2024 Aug/Sep shipping devices, including mainline Linux support and Arm SystemReady UEFI booting of any compliant Arm distro, on laptops and/or tablets from Microsoft, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo and more. Pricing is an open question, but even if the initial devices are "premium" due to post-IPO Arm licensing tax on Qualcomm, competition between multiple PC vendors and Apple will be good for everyone In a year or two, hopefully that means Framework Arm devices with power and performance >= early Apple Silicon devices. https://www.phoronix.com/news/Qualcomm-Mainline-Linux-2024 https://www.phoronix.com/news/Qualcomm-Mainline-Linux-2024

prng2021 2y ago

I don't think Apple cares much about improving ipad OS and instead use this form factor to test and scale new technology to be used in products they care much more about, iphones and macbooks. For example, 120Hz Pro Motion, liquid retina, and now the tandem OLED in the latest model all went to ipad first.

walterbell 2y ago
If iPad Pro is an experimental developer device, let there be more experiments!
- intrasight 2y ago
  People like to be able to either share or monetize their experiments. Neither is really possible here.

walterbell 2y ago

iPad has been treated like a relic from a lost civilization. We can debate origin stories and mythology, but no one (yet?) has the creative power to change the ancient artifact. Meanwhile, it adorns inadvertent museums.

tonymet 2y ago

Lack of background apps alone kills remoting via SSH. Another gripe I have is lack of keyboard shortcut consistency. MacOS apps are encouraged through the API and defaults to provide keyboard shortcuts for all actions. On iOS most Apps don't implement them at all. Gmail app is the worst example. Copy paste is clumsy as well.

walterbell 2y ago
> Lack of background apps alone kills remoting via SSH There are workarounds, e.g. live PiP window used by iPulse.
- tonymet 2y ago
  I'll take a look thanks for sharing.
rcarmo 2y ago
Funny, I’ve been using my iPad for SSH and mosh sessions for almost a decade. What exactly is it you are referring to?
- tonymet 2y ago
  background disconnects
theshrike79 2y ago
Mosh is your friend when mobile SSH is an essential requirement: https://mosh.org https://mosh.org
- tonymet 2y ago
  is your approach to use mosh to auto re-connect when the terminal is foregrounded?

multimoon 2y ago

Please just let me run macOS apps and I’ll buy one tonight. I’d even pay a software unlock for it. It’s the perfect convergence device if only Apple would let it be.

reaperman 2y ago
And vice-versa! Please :)
- multimoon 2y ago
  If I’m not mistaken didn’t Apple already let you run mobile apps on macOS?
walterbell 2y ago
> let it be Reinstate the Hypervisor API that was banished in 16.3.1.

browningstreet 2y ago

This is true for both iOS and iPadOS -- they way they handle security for links. Example: I have Youtube installed on the i*device. I click on a Youtube link and it opens in a webview, but doesn't know who I am. I'm logged in via the app, and I'm logged in via Safari, but in the protected webview, it doesn't know. Sometimes it's easy to click on the "Open in App" link, and sometimes it doesn't work at all. If I try to login, then the system sends me to login via Google, which will then send me over to Gmail for MFA validation. This can't be. It doesn't work like this on macOS. The security model is hell.

sureIy 2y ago
This is one of the most mind-boggling parts of Apple’s mobile OS. Why are they allowing apps to jail unrelated parts of the mobile experience? They’re so strict, yet they allow completely unnecessary web views. Photos galleries are another incredibly painful point. Every app thinks they can reinvent the photo picker, for absolutely no reason. Rein them in please Apple.
- pests 2y ago
  This happens in Android too and it's a little annoying too. If the app is using a certain web view tech (Android has a few) then it enables a frame using your default browser and an option to "Open in (...)" which correctly pops open the YT app. If it's an older web view sometimes it's just impossible - sometimes a share action will work, other times there is a link on the page. Sometimes I'm logged in (I guess one of those web views got logged into at one point) and then I can watch a few seconds, manually open the app, go into history and restart it proper. Not fun.

gcanyon 2y ago

What's absurd to me is: forget all of what this article writes about, because Apple could fix all of it and the iPad would still be fundamentally flawed at a more basic level than anything listed, because editing text is horrifically broken, has been since the first iPhone came out, and hasn't seen any significant improvement since I can't remember. And the crazy part is: just like this article, everyone overlooks it. Pay attention, and you'll notice it. (sorry to everyone who had blanked it out). Think about how long it takes/ho many steps it takes to put quotes around a chunk of text; to correct a misspelling; to rearrange some words. It's agonizing once you think about it, and Apple (nor Google, as far as I know) has done zero to fix it in years (a decade?).

rocmcd 2y ago
How do you suggest they begin to address it? I have reached the point where I believe it is a fundamental flaw in _all_ touch-screen interfaces. I would certainly love to see better alternatives.
- gcanyon 2y ago
  That's a fair question to ask. The cheeky answer is that it's not my problem to solve, it's theirs. But I am a product manager, so I'll take a shot. None of these replace what we have. Some of them conflict. 1. Bring back deep presses, which isn't very discoverable, but it's memorable once you get used to it, and make it immediately position the cursor. 2. Allow touching with two fingers. If they're next to each other, immediately position the cursor. Spread them and the selection widens. 3. Allow double-tap to select a word. 4. Double-tap and drag to select word by word. 5. Pinch on a selection to cut. 6. Deep press on a selection and drag-swipe in different directions to copy, cut, and formatting options. 7. Deep press on an unselected spot and drag-swipe in different directions to paste and other options.
  - samldev 2y ago
    FWIW I use 3 and 4 on iOS all the time for fixing typos etc

rado 2y ago

I’ve been using iPad Pro with keyboard and there are strange limitations indeed, like I can’t submit a Discord or FB post with keyboard alone, I need to use a pointer.

russelldjimmy 2y ago
That sounds like a limitation of Discord and Facebook.

cloudengineer94 2y ago

Honestly, it' crazy how limited the iPad still is in this day and age. I was hoping for them to add a terminal and improve the files app. But I already gave up on it especially after the recent comments from Apple as they want people to buy both devices to 'complement' each other: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/13/apple-vp-mac-ipad-complementary/ https://www.macrumors.com/2024/05/13/apple-vp-mac-ipad-compl... I own an M1 iPad Pro but 80% of the time I use it as a sidecar due to how limited it is.

SeanLuke 2y ago

Fun fact. Three of the apps the author is missing (TextEdit, Dictionary, and Preview) are not originally MacOS X apps. They were NeXTSTEP apps.

Etheryte 2y ago
Preview is honestly such a good app. On top of everything else, it's also a very powerful PDF editor, which is something many companies built full paid products around — but on macOS you get it for free.
- maccard 2y ago
  Couldn't agree more - It's probably the app I miss most when I'm on windows. It's an absolute sleeper.
- FinnKuhn 2y ago
  Preview, especially the .pdf editor, is probably the biggest feature I miss when using Windows instead of MacOS. I still don't get, how there isn't a comparable .pdf editor (that I know of) for Windows. The integrated one in Edge is fine for just reading things or highlighting something, but for adding notes, text or even just censoring things it is way worse than Preview.
  - adhamsalama 2y ago
    Have you tried Okular?
    - FinnKuhn 2y ago
      Thank you for the suggestion. While not quite as good as preview this seems way bettet than using Microsoft Edge for working with .pdfs on Windows.
  - theoldlove 2y ago
    I think Microsoft assumes you’ll use Adobe Acrobat Pro

nbzso 2y ago

Let me start with this. My initial reaction from the first iPad still holds. Why not touch macOS? There is just one answer: Profit. The business is not in solving user problems. It is to create a shiny toy with a limitation which you promise to solve in the near future. I moved away from iPad for drawing and just use it for a second screen on the go. For mobility, I have a smartphone. It is getting ridiculous in an Apple camp. You introduce the last processor on a iPad? But iPad still is not a full laptop or desktop replacement? Why?

yreg 2y ago
Yet, even after 14 years to catch up users still prefer iPad to Windows tablets. The OS is a pro, not a con. > You introduce the last processor on a iPad? It makes sense since iPad is refreshed less often. Other M4 hardware is right around the corner.
- nbzso 2y ago
  Did you read the article? It is full of questions. I use Apple computers since 1998. And I am still not a fanboy. I am a user. Calling a spade a spade is actually a much-needed improvement in today's landscape.
- pjmlp 2y ago
  > et, even after 14 years to catch up users still prefer iPad to Windows tablets. Depends pretty much on the region.
  - yreg 2y ago
    It's the sum of all regions that matters.
    - pjmlp 2y ago
      In that case, the sum is around 50% in world market.
sevagh 2y ago

kalyantm 2y ago

This probably will never happen, but if they let me run MacOS on the iPad, I'd buy it in a hearbeat.

mikeocool 2y ago

Man people love to hate the iPad. I agree many of these critiques (though it seems odd to complain about the lack of TextEdit and then describe the notes app so precisely). I still use my iPad (and I imagine the author does to) because there are things it does SO much better than a computer — even beyond consumption. Using the Apple Pencil with apps like Notability, Procreate and Lightroom is IMHO so much better than the equivalent experience on desktop. Notetaking on computers has been sorely lacking basically forever. Being able to quickly take notes, interspersed with sketches, arrows, and symbols, and layout the page exactly how I want — just how I’d do it in a physical notebook — is awesome.

SuperManifolds 2y ago
Ah yes, Federico Viticci, famously an iPad "hater"
LegitShady 2y ago
The apple pencil is just alright. The design decisions they made to have it magnetically attach to the device, while cool, mean that its not a very ergonomic implement for long term use. For comparison check out the shape of the Wacom Pro Pen 2. https://estore.wacom.com/media/Global/Products/accessories/pens/Pro-Pen-2-with-Pen-Case/KP504E_f.jpg https://estore.wacom.com/media/Global/Products/accessories/p... I can use the pro pen 2 all day and not feel issues with my fingers or wrists. The apple pencil requires me to use some goofy silicone addons to make it ergonomically functional if you plan to use it for more than an hour. Plus those add ons get in the way of mounting the pencil magnetically, often get in the way of using the touch buttons, and limit what cases you might use. This is the silicone add on I use, which ergonomically makes the apple pencil an actual functional tool that doesn't hurt hand/fingers/wrists. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C21XNJJC/ https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0C21XNJJC/ The apple pencil is a pretty 'ok' tool if all you're doing is the occasional sketch. The apple pencil + ipad is a nice drawing platform because its almost always the one you have with you. It's not so much better than a dedicated drawing platform on computer - a proper wacom drawing display. But thats a dedicated device, and costs as much as an ipad, so you pay more for the better product + the computer.
pompino 2y ago

ggm 2y ago

I work with seniors helping them navigate online life and by choice specialise in ipad and iPhone owners. All of them miss skuomorphic elements and clear signals of what is and what is not an active touchable region. Apple don't manage pre- digital seniors well. With lots of emerging functional loss if not outright dementia, these devices are confusing. I would love to talk to Apple UX about some of the inconsistency.

AnonC 2y ago

I skimmed through the article but didn’t find mention of one glaring deficiency in iPadOS — it still doesn’t support multiple users and multiuser switching, even though the hardware is capable of it (and exceeds the capacity of many Macs before it). I decided several years ago that I’m not buying another iPad until this is sorted out by iPadOS. I think of iPhones as personal devices, where each person may have their own. But iPads are more likely to be shared for personal use in families. The fact that each person using it cannot have their own user profiles, app data, etc., is a huge drawback. Apple has supported this for a long time (though probably not in the best way) for education, but it’s not available to others. Even tvOS supports switching between user profiles quickly. Apple enforcing the idea that iPad (with iPadOS) should also be a personal device — one device per person — makes the user experience quite poor.

PrettyPastry 2y ago
Does tvOS user switching do anything at all? I tried recently, and all the third party app data was shared across users.
- gumby 2y ago
  Mainly it makes the Apple TV+ app understand your watching history (“up next”) better. Apple has an API so that third party apps can tie profiles to appletv user ids (iCloud ids) but I haven’t seen a single 3P app that uses it. Apple could make it mandatory at some point I suppose but the UX for connecting the two in each app would likely be tedious. Also there is no password protection with changing user ids so kids can accidentally screw up your watch history / preferences. And without any passwords you don’t want to connect photos or anything like that to the tv. It’s pretty much a botch, just like the cases described in this article.
- quenix 2y ago
  It basically just switches over Apple app accounts, such as Music and Photos. Everything else---all third party apps and the home screen layout and BT devices---are exactly the same. It's laughably bad, since Photos doesn't even support more than one iCloud photo library per TV, so switching just makes the Photos app not work.

littlecosmic 2y ago

Apple locks down the platform which means others can’t contribute, but then isn’t capable enough to fill all the roles it takes to make a professional platform.

swatson741 2y ago

All of this is very problematic and a good reason to skip the iPad despite it's exceptional hardware. Personally, as mentioned in the article, the lack of multiple audio streams (or background audio) is very annoying. If you play any audio from Safari it completely pauses what your doing in other apps like YouTube or Twitch. So when you're done with Safari you have to go back into those apps and resume them. Stage manager is glitchy on external displays. There are a lot of known shippable bugs in stage manager. Bugs that haven't been fixed in years. Most unfortunately of all, as a utility, there's no developer tools. When you do software development for an iPad you usually have to put it into developer mode. Why not pull down Xcode, Xcode cli tools, and a terminal emulator as well as enable the developer section of the App Store as part of enabling developer mode? There's no reason for things not to work like this.

kome 2y ago

Basically, iPad needs macos.

mrcwinn 2y ago

I agree iPadOS is not good enough, but when I hear people call for Apple to merge devices and troll them for maximizing profits, I have to roll my eyes. Okay, let's add background task processing, hungrier apps like Xcode, more simultaneous apps. I guess we'll need more memory and compute resources, and so therefore we'll need more battery, too. So now I have a 2 lb iPad that doesn't have enough internal space to cool itself. Great. Thanks internet.

iknowstuff 2y ago
8/16GB iPad Pros have 40Wh batteries. 8/16/24GB M3 MacBook Airs have 49-52Wh batteries. Don’t be melodramatic.

Jgrubb 2y ago

> I share my frustrations because I care about the platform and want it to get better. Caring about someone else’s platform - especially when you care about it more than the people who have control over it - is not where you want to be.

meyum33 2y ago

It seems to me that most complains can be simply solved by letting it run macOS.

anArbitraryOne 2y ago

I made this account specifically to hate on MacOS systems. Thanks for the validation

can16358p 2y ago

I believe the biggest barrier here is the background processes (and true inter-app communication that'd come with it). Many pro apps have either plugins and/or interoperability with other apps/extensions on the desktop. In iPad, even if you have the app (e.g. Logic, Resolve, FCP) it's very hard to create a "real" experience like the desktop with file/plugin interoperability or a true ecosystem. In addition, this is why we don't have any developer tools that'd actually be anything of a daily driver (rather a proof of concept). If we get true multitasking/background tasks, then I believe many other pro apps will jump onboard. The hardware is absolutely fantastic, the SoC is more than capable. We just need the software support.

Kon-Peki 2y ago
Apple already has processes in place for background process execution on iPhones and iPads [1], including a way for the app to request additional background processing time [2]. The issue is that this system needs to be expanded to cover the use cases that people are describing. It really is hard to understand why Apple has not done so nor given any indication that they will. > Apps don’t normally receive any extra execution time after they enter the background. However, UIKit does grant execution time to apps that support any of the following time-sensitive capabilities: * Audio communication using AirPlay, or Picture in Picture video. * Location-sensitive services for users. * Voice over IP. * Communication with an external accessory. * Communication with Bluetooth LE accessories, or conversion of the device into a Bluetooth LE accessory. * Regular updates from a server. * Support for Apple Push Notification service (APNs). > Enable the Background Modes capability in Xcode if your app supports background features. Keeping an SSH session alive is barely outside of the existing use cases. Long-running export jobs and things like that would need a new use case defined, perhaps with QoS definitions. [1] https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_environment/scenes/preparing_your_ui_to_run_in_the_background https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_envi... [2] https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_environment/scenes/preparing_your_ui_to_run_in_the_background/extending_your_app_s_background_execution_time https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/app_and_envi...
- can16358p 2y ago

barbariangrunge 2y ago

I don’t see discussion of this elsewhere, so: the Magic Keyboard isn’t good. In some senses, yeah, it’s amazing. But I use the f keys all the time normally. I use esc all the time. The keyboard lacks both. It makes the iPad heavier than my laptop, ruins the pick up and use character; the pencil goes flying if you’re not really careful when carrying it; and you still can’t use it in many circumstances on the couch because of the weight balancing and you have to cradle it. It stops it from being a tablet and turns it into an un-ergonomic laptop

dagmx 2y ago
The new Magic Keyboard adds a function row with an escape key fwiw.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

seanvelasco 2y ago

i would love to use vscode in the ipad. one barrier to having a similar experience one the mac is its filesystem. the Files app is nowhere near Finder in terms of utility. when riding a bus in singapore, or flying short-distance, i feel awkward using my macbook. whereas if i use an ipad, i feel like it's more appropriate. this is just a personal preference though. another thing i'd love for ipads to have is, allowing its display to be used as an external monitor.

whalesalad 2y ago

I don't know why anyone would want to force a square peg into a round hole using an iPad as an actual computer. The Macbook Air is nearly identical in size, battery life etc.

pseudosaid 2y ago
Because its not a square peg in a round hole. its a round peg in a square circle. The ipads now have zero reason not to allow virtual machines beyond greed.

jmull 2y ago

I like my iPad a lot, and use it every day. But I'll probably never buy another. The OS is just too limiting. Perhaps they'll eventually decide to let them run MacOS? (Seems like a no-brainer, at least when a keyboard case is in-use, but apparently not.)

intrasight 2y ago
Some days I agree with that sentiment. But then I remind myself that I treat my iPad as a task device. In this context, task and app are somewhat synonymous. I've a short list of tasks: Apple TV: for task "watch Apple TV+" Safari: for task "surf internet" Google Maps: for task "surf geography" Animoog Z: for task "make music" While for sure I would love ipadOS to be a real OS, as long as it's the best device for even one task that I do regularly, I'll probably keep buying new ipads - but generally only once every four years, as I get my boost for my tasks from new hardware.

roody15 2y ago

It is a restricted consumer device. Basic computer functionality can often only be added with pay as you go subscription “apps” making the device a parody of a personal computer. iPad has gotten better compared to the early days but still remains a device designed around consuming content. It is great at consuming content, books, movies, comics, reading headlines .. etc. My two cents.

jimbokun 2y ago
Which kills it as a serious product for "Pro" users who want a tool to support their vocation.
- alt227 2y ago
  The 'Pro' badge on the iPad pro is just there for CEOs, Execs, and other self important people to justify using it for work.

dr_ 2y ago

Microsoft is updating it's Surface hardware with ARM chips in a couple of weeks. This would include the Surface Pro 10, which is otherwise excellent save for poor ergonomics if actually laying down and using it on your lap. If they could fix this, it would serve the population looking for a hybrid tablet/laptop device well. (it will also have an oled screen in this upcoming update). Yes, its Windows, but I much prefer the file manager in Windows to Mac, and definitely over ipadOS. They will also be announcing AI related updates in 2 weeks, and I get the feeling MSFT has leapfrogged apple by a year or two on this count.

shepherdjerred 2y ago
The Surface would be quite tempting if Windows 11 weren't so overtly user-hostile.
- hirvi74 2y ago
  Surely one can run some sort of Linux disto on these surfaces, no? I would imagine support might not be 1:1 with all the features as Windows 11 might support, but probably good enough. It'd be a sacrifice I'd be willing to live with.
  - VyseofArcadia 2y ago
    I haven't tried since the Surface Pro 3, so maybe this has changed, but the answer was "yes with major caveats". A quick search suggests this is still the answer. Several bits of hardware[0] still rely on drivers that haven't been upstreamed to the Linux kernel proper yet, so you'd best be prepared to run a custom kernel. Some things like the webcam don't work at all. And then there's booting. You will probably have to monkey with secure boot, which means dual booting can be a pain. Big, popular distros are starting to support secure boot, so it might just work, but it might not. And I'd be kind of shocked if MS didn't take the opportunity to ditch legacy x86 baggage[1] to completely lock down boot and make it impossible to run anything but Windows. In summary, on older Surface devices, yes you can run Linux but you have to pretend it's 20 years ago and Linux is still a pain to get running. On ARM? Good luck. [0] basically all input methods. Touchpad, keyboard, touch, and pen. [1] and the freedoms such baggage still carries

wcski 2y ago

iPadOS still doesn't have a native calculator.

wffurr 2y ago

This person really needs a Surface device instead of an iPad.

cchance 2y ago

Weren't they working on bringing full MacOS to iPad Pro's it seems like the new iPad pro would have been perfect time to just allow us to run OSX on ipad pros

kjkjadksj 2y ago

I recently had to downgrade my phone for a few days to an original iphone SE, 6s internals basically A9 chip. It was noticeably faster in the ux than my current A13 phone. Makes no sense to me. I type “cal” in spotlight on the A9 phone and I get calendar returned almost instantly. I do the same on the A13 and there’s a few seconds of delay before any results show, but get this I can’t even get calendar to return, only calculator and google calendar that isn’t even installed. So considering that new phones aren’t always faster than the old ones where it actually counts (the ux), how are these newer gen ipads fairing? Do they actually feel like upgrades?

ukuina 2y ago
Spotlight search can be slowed down by the number of apps exposing their content to the search index.
- kjkjadksj 2y ago
  I really don’t have very many apps installed. A9 phone had more installed actually. I believe it was running ios 13 though so maybe the older oss were just better.

e63f67dd-065b 2y ago

Apple is caught between a rock and a hard place here. On one hand, probably the vast majority of ipad users don't know multitasking exists, have never even opened the Files app, don't care about the lack of system utilities, and use the iPad as a simple big phone. On the other hand, they've been trying to sell these "pro" devices with impressive hardware to target a small market of consumers with "professional" workflows, who do care about all of these things. My view is that, fundamentally, a lot of "professional" workflows is just as much about shuffling data around as it is working on said data. Just as data science taught us that data cleaning is 80% of the job, the same applies to video editing, programming, etc. iPadOS is uniquely bad at moving data around due to its onerous requirements around sandboxing and its poor interfaces around inter-app communication, when these are precisely the things that are most needed. And then there's the multitasking, which remains terrible to this day. Can they improve it? Definitely, but I wouldn't want to be the guy trying to figure out how to do it without ruining the normal user experience.

AlexandrB 2y ago

The iPad is a bit of tragedy. If it was an open platform, a lot of its problems would be solved - first by third-party software, and later perhaps by Apple copying those successful features/solutions. Because the iPad is a walled garden, it's at the mercy of Apple's narrow vision for how it can be used.

blackeyeblitzar 2y ago

iPad needs a generalized OS like macOS to be useful beyond basic consumption. I don’t see any advantage to my iPad Pro above thin and light laptops.

roydivision 2y ago

Or you could use a laptop... I just don't get the obsession some people have for the iPad, jumping through hoops and putting up with so many compromises when most issues are solved using a laptop. Can someone explain this? I have an iPad but I primarily use it for watching films, I wouldn't dream of trying to get any work done on it when I have a Macbook.

oaw845o8wj 2y ago
Same. I get annoyed on systems where I have to use a mouse when I know keyboard shortcuts would be faster and more efficient, so having to do everything through a touchscreen is infuriating. And some people will say "well that's why you can buy a keyboard ..." so then it's a laptop, just not a great one. What's the point? ipad has always felt like a weird middle ground without an obvious niche, at least for my use.
- pompino 2y ago
  Not everyone has the same view as you. There are plenty of segments that Apple caters to including captive devices for field techs, education, retail, kiosks etc.
  - roydivision 2y ago
    This isn't what I'm talking about, these are niche areas where tablets fit fine. I'm talking about general use, writing, drawing, coding etc.
pompino 2y ago
Ipads/tablets are very common business devices used for a variety of applications. We issue ipads to our field techs to do inspection checklists, take pictures at job sites, write notes, etc. Its a great device for that.
- roydivision 2y ago
  Which is great, but I'm talking general use. They are a hindrance more than anything, like using a laptop with one hand tied behind your back.

enceladus06 2y ago

The iPad Pro is the most wasted potential of any device right now. Single core speed like a i9 14th gen, but the device is so limited no AAA games selection, desktop apps, or anything. This thing could literally be running desktop-class COD / Fortnite/ Photoshop/ VScode / Xcode but Apple won't let it.

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
camus_absurd 2y ago
What?

gorkish 2y ago

This is a simple story that has been told since ipad v1. They just need to let you run MacOS on it in a VM and all will be right with the world. But they won't because they are greedy selfish bastards that do not actually have the user at heart. End of discussion

AzzyHN 2y ago

Perhaps I'm just a 23 year old boomer, but the idea of an iPad as a computer replacement doesn't make any sense to me. Sure, there are lots of apps on the App Store, but it doesn't have everything. I'd rather use a Chromebook (though, not the cheapest ones) so that there's guaranteed web app compatibility. And I've still got an App Store to do my taxes (or whatever people use their iPads for, I dunno)

corinroyal 2y ago
> 23 year old boomer Can this ageist bullshit just die already? Hating on a whole generation is just fucking stupid.

tibbydudeza 2y ago

iPad Pro is a product in search of a market.

heywoodlh 2y ago

> I’m looking forward to the new iPad Pros, but I can’t shake the feeling that the same old iPadOS cycle is about to begin all over again. This is EXACTLY how I feel. WWDC will roll around and Apple will completely drop the ball for yet another year with iPadOS. I also feel that the iPad Pro is one of the best hardware form factors for a computer — but iPadOS makes it a not great laptop replacement. I can’t help but feel like it would look incredibly foolish for Apple to do their May iPad event announcing M4 iPads — only to find out at WWDC that iPadOS still sucks. Thankfully, it seems like most people, tech reviewers, etc. are vocal about iPadOS missing the mark. I hope Apple doesn’t continue to ignore the negative feedback.

classified 2y ago

It's true, iPadOS does have ludicrous limitations. I cannot tell whether that's out of sheer incompetence or the greed for subsequent monetization opportunities.

FerretFred 2y ago

If you want real pain, try being an iPad Mini owner! I love the format which is perfect for slinging in a backpack or bag and not having to worry (too much) about pulling out a newly-bent device. I briefly invested in a full-size iPad and quickly exchanged it for another Mini. To me, the Mini represents the ideal compromise between size and usability. Regarding pain, not only do Apple largely ignore the device, but accessory manufacturers seem to follow suit. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried to buy a must-have accessory without success. I'm hoping that Apple won't be killing it off any time soon- I'd hate to have to over to the dark side...

isabelremirez 2y ago

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