“The iPad Pro runs iOS, the same operating system that runs on the iPhone,” Kirk McElhearn writes for Intego. “While Apple says, ‘And it works like your iPhone, so it’s familiar to use,’ this isn’t really a good thing. Some people may be able to replace their laptop with an iPad Pro, but for the iPad Pro to really serve as a computer, it needs a pro version of iOS.”
“iOS was designed for the iPhone, and, while the iPad version has evolved a bit, its limitations are obvious. This starts with the nearly comical image of icons on the home screen. This display is the same on all iPads, from the petite iPad mini to the largest model, roughly twice its size,” McElhearn writes. “This scaling is apparent across iOS. Apps display larger or smaller according to the screen size, but offer few additional controls or features with larger displays.”
“iOS still doesn’t have real multi-tasking,” McElhearn writes. “File management on iOS is clunky and complicated, and depends on the cloud, so whenever you don’t have Internet access, you are hobbled when you need to move files around.”
“There’s no denying that the new iPad Pro is a fine device,” McElhearn writes. “If Apple were to give it an operating system that matches its aspirations, the iPad Pro could replace a computer for many more users than it does now… It’s time for Apple to make a pro version of iOS for those people who really want to replace computers with tablets.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yup.
Imagine an “iOS Pro” mode.
Turn on iOS Pro on your iPad Pro
1. Tap Settings > General, and make sure iOS Pro is turned on.
2. There is no step two.Hey, we can dream, can’t we?
Shouldn’t such a thing already exist? Where would iPad sales be if it did? — MacDailyNews, December 29, 2015
—
The answer isn’t to try to make the iPad into a MacBook. The answer is to provide all the tools possible in iOS for developers to make robust apps that can take advantage of the multi-touch paradigm. — MacDailyNews, May 16, 2017
—
Take off the training wheels, Apple! After over a decade, we’re familiar with the touch paradigm already! — MacDailyNews, January 8, 2019
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s iPad Pro is only a few key steps away from being a killer computer – December 24, 2018
Apple’s amazingly powerful iPad Pro is a computer from the future, with software from yesterday – November 9, 2018
I can’t put Apple’s new iPad Pro down, but we really need ‘padOS’ – November 8, 2018
What Apple’s iPad Pro enables matters more than what it replaces – November 7, 2018
The Verge reviews the new iPad Pro: Apple’s approach to iOS is holding back powerful hardware in serious ways – November 5, 2018
Could not agree more. 20 icons in a folder with no multiple pages isn’t very good. File management really needs to be improved to make this a professional device but Apple has known this for years. True multi-tasking, like the article said, would be a big help to the professional and the apps that could be built. If they are positioning this as a true laptop replacement, they have some work to do.
IPad needs pro software, iPhone needs innovation, Mac needs to be updated on a regular basis, Homekit needs better integration, SIRI needs serious development… Apple needs new leadership.
Not necessarily NEW leadership, but proper, focused leadership. I’m clueless about where Apple has headed now that their iPhone business is in shambles. Services is a fairly broad strategy and maybe a lot better than just focusing on hardware. If Apple can convince investors it has a chance to become a Services company, maybe things will work out. There’s still that problem of Apple charging more for everything than any other company does. That will probably kill any chances of significant growth.
These are just my opinions and I’m not saying I’m smarter than the people at Apple. I just thought things were going well with the company and certainly not anything that would cause a sudden 40% loss of company value.
I’d recommend the opposite approach. Since Apple is convinced that users of ultraportables don’t need multitasking or a real file system or precision selection or always-visible toolbars or convenient local storage and connectivity, etc, etc — maybe Apple should just take the easy road and drop the “Pro” misnomer from all its iOS gadgets. Then offer smart connectivity so one can use any iOS touchscreen as an input device and, at user selection, a secondary display to any Mac using the USB-C cable (cable and any necessary adapters included for FREE upon purchase).
Pipeline “I’m too lazy to upgrade my hardware and software, so please rent my services” Cook isn’t going to ever convince the wise buyer that professional level computing is possible on a pad or phone, especially when iMessage and emoji are the only things that Cook seems to care about enhancing.
Buy a Mac or Windows PC that offers complete performance and functions. Problem solved.
“isn’t going to ever convince the wise buyer”
Fortunately for Apple, there’s not a lot of wise buyers out there. I mean, look at how many folks bought Android phones!
I agree with @rfrmac. Apple does have major work to do IF they really wanted to make the iPad Pro a real desktop replacement AND go head to head with the Microsoft Surface.
Once again, Apple is complacent and doesn’t want to take the next step in making the iPad Pro what it COULD be.
I don’t think iOS was designed only for the iPhone. Apple started to design the iPad first, then Jobs realized the same thing in a smartphone would be killer, so they put iPad on hold and ported the concept to iPhone and released it first.
iOS was designed for touch screens big and small and is very close to being “pro”. I would love a pro mode or whatever but I want it on all iPads not just the Pros. I don’t think it has that far to go to achieve this.
The Geek class just won’t give up, until everyone needs them for help.
Why bother, just go with a touch-enhanced version of OSX. The tech community won’t be satisfied with some pro version of iOS, so Apple would just be wasting its time. A pro version of iOS will still be compared to a desktop version of Windows and will likely come up short in reviews.
I think Apple is going to be criticized no matter which way they go with the iPad as they can’t satisfy everyone. I’m not really sure why iPads aren’t more popular but maybe people prefer built-in keyboards, so they buy laptops. I know I prefer a laptop to a tablet but that’s just me. I also don’t want a touch-screen display as a lot of people think is useful on a laptop. I hear how people like the MS Surface Pro, but I don’t think it’s ideal for all users when an iPad would be easier to use and likely get more battery life.
If the iPad IS the future of computing, reality needs to set in. Simple is OK, but multitasking, multiple pages, large documents, spreadsheets, graphics and detailed drawings/schematics do not cease to be needed.
Perhaps Apple needs a reality check: The Single Task iPad may well be the future of online browsing, video and music, but not computing. If it is to be the future of computing, make it so that it CAN compute!
The iPad is absolutely NOT the future of computing. It is a narrow niche and will continue to be so no matter how much MDN pushes it.
That is not what Apple has been suggesting since the iPads introduction.
For 99% that is all they need, no one in my family will ever use or see Acad, Navis, or Revit, but I do everyday. Get over it Geeks.
Perhaps Apple should worry about making the Macs more “pro” before worrying about making the iPad more “pro”.
“the iPad Pro could replace a computer for many more users than it does now”
The iPad Pro only replaces a computer for those who really didn’t need a computer in the first place. Apple probably won’t make a professional iOS, because it’s not about the OS, it’s about the apps. Many professionals need apps that are not available for iOS.
The 99%….
What I hate most about using my iPad Pro is that despite having a display the size of a McBook Pro I get the mobile version of websites- some even when I request the desktop version. I despise the mobile web.
So why do you put up with it? Try the Puffin web browser, it will change your life for the better.