Steve Jobs introduced the iPad in 2010 not as a bigger iPhone or a sidekick to the Mac, but as a revolutionary “third category” of device — a magical slate of glass that would usher in the post-PC era. He envisioned it as a primary computing device: intuitive, touch-first, powerful enough for everyday creation and consumption, yet simpler and more approachable than a traditional laptop with its mouse-and-pointer model. Jobs famously compared PCs to trucks and tablets to cars — the future belonged to the more personal, portable form factor.
Under Tim Cook, the iPad evolved into a capable but often frustrating “in-betweener”: computer-like when docked with a Magic Keyboard, yet held back by iPadOS limitations that prevented it from fully supplanting the Mac for many users. Now, with hardware engineering veteran John Ternus set to become Apple’s CEO in September 2026, there’s a real opportunity to steer the iPad back toward Jobs’ bolder vision — and the timing couldn’t be better.
Why Ternus Is Uniquely Positioned to Revive the iPad’s Ambition
Ternus has deep roots in Apple’s hardware story. He played key roles in the original iPad, the shift to Apple Silicon that supercharged the Mac, and recent products like the wildly successful MacBook Neo — a budget-friendly machine that proves Apple can deliver premium experiences at accessible prices without compromise.
As an engineer-first leader – a “product guy,” hurray! – Ternus obsesses over details and has shown willingness to make decisive hardware bets. Recent comments from him emphasize making “the best iPad we can possibly make” while keeping Macs and iPads distinct — not mashing them together, but pushing each to its strengths.
His excitement about AI unlocking “unlimited potential” for products suggests he sees software-hardware integration as the path forward.
Unlike Cook’s operations-focused era, Ternus’ hardware background could bring a renewed focus on bold product reinvention rather than incremental updates.
How Ternus Could Return the iPad Closer to Jobs’ Vision
Here’s how the incoming CEO might bridge the gap between the iPad’s current “computer-like but not quite” reality and its original promise as a primary device:
1. Evolve iPadOS into a Truly Flexible, Touch-First Computing Platform: iPadOS 26 already introduced more desktop-like features — better windowing, a menu bar, improved pointer support, and enhanced multitasking. Ternus could accelerate this without turning the iPad into a Mac clone. Imagine a smarter “desktop mode” that activates seamlessly with the Magic Keyboard (offering pointer precision and full keyboard shortcuts) but defaults to pure touch when undocked. Full external display support with independent app spaces, advanced file management, and background task handling would make the iPad feel like a complete computer for students, creators, and professionals — all while preserving the intuitive, app-centric touch experience Jobs championed.
2. Hardware Innovations That Prioritize Portability and Versatility: Ternus oversaw the MacBook Neo’s ground-up design for quality at lower cost. Apply that thinking to a refreshed iPad lineup.
3. Deep AI Integration to Make the iPad Feel Magical Again: Jobs’ iPad was about simplicity and delight. Ternus has highlighted AI’s potential to create “entirely new opportunities.” On-device Apple Intelligence could supercharge productivity: context-aware writing tools, intelligent app orchestration, voice-driven creation that reduces reliance on precise pointer input, and seamless integration across devices. This could make the iPad excel at tasks where touch and voice outperform mouse-and-keyboard workflows — turning it into the go-to device for idea capture, content creation, and daily computing without the friction of traditional desktops.
4. Clearer Differentiation and Ecosystem Synergy — Without Cannibalization: Ternus has stressed that Apple isn’t trying to merge Mac and iPad. Instead, he could position the iPad as the primary personal computer for most people (light creation, media, browsing, education) while the Mac remains the powerhouse for pro workflows needing maximum precision or legacy software. Features like enhanced Universal Control, shared storage, and effortless handoff would make owning both feel complementary, not competitive — but the iPad would finally stand on its own as a full-fledged daily driver.
Why This Shift Makes Sense Now — And Why It Matters
The computing landscape has changed dramatically since 2010. Touch interfaces are ubiquitous, AI is reshaping how we interact with devices, and younger users expect fluid, portable experiences over clunky desktops. The MacBook Neo’s strong demand shows appetite for accessible Apple hardware. Meanwhile, the iPad’s sales have lagged in its “in-betweener” state.
Returning closer to Jobs’ vision isn’t about nostalgia — it’s smart business. A bolder iPad could reignite growth in tablets, attract switchers from Windows/Android, and position Apple as the leader in personal computing again. Ternus’ hardware expertise combined with his stated excitement for the “incredible road map ahead” suggests he understands the need for decisive moves in the AI era.
Of course, challenges remain: balancing pro features without alienating casual users, maintaining strict separation from macOS, and executing on software polish. But if anyone at Apple can thread that needle, it’s the engineer who helped birth the iPad in the first place.
Steve Jobs saw the iPad as the future of computing — intimate, powerful, and liberated from old paradigms. Under John Ternus, Apple has the chance to finish what was started: making the iPad not just a great tablet, but the primary computing device for a new generation.
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“Instead, he could position the iPad as the primary personal computer for most people (light creation, media, browsing, education) while the Mac remains the powerhouse for pro workflows needing maximum precision or legacy software.”
This is the right strategy
“How John Ternus could finally fulfill Steve Jobs’ original vision for the iPad as a true primary computing device”
Some of the writers over at Macworld think the opposite:
https://www.macworld.com/article/3109565/ipad-demise-touchscreen-macbook-pro-neo-iphone-fold.html
B/c of what my ph does, my iPad sits except for periodic charge-ups.
MBP and Mac Studio will never be given up for an iPad.
Since the Neo has come out (we have one and it’s great!), I think the iPad will be a much harder sell.
I have come a full circle in thinking. Let Macs be Macs and iPads be iPads, Ecen if their touch
OS exctly match.
GM in nineties had Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillacs.
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I think the actual vision of Steve Jobs was for a pocketable device to become be THE primary computing device. That’s why he picked the catchy but non-descriptive name “iPod” instead of something related to playing music. It became “Phone,” that marketing opportunity too good to pass up. iPhone now has the enough computing capacity, but needs ability to use nearby interface devices, like a large screen, keyboard, mouse/trackpad, smart wall, handheld tablet (in many sizes), 3D visor, etc. iPhone interacts with them seamlessly as the ONE computing device, staying in user’s pocket most of the time. It’s already starting with features like Handoff and iPhone Mirroring. When ready, it becomes the “next big thing,” no longer iPhone. I hope it becomes iPod again. The original device with oddly nonspecific name, because Jobs wanted iPod to evolve to become anything.
There is one area of computing where the iPhone is orders of magnitude better than both the iPad and the Mac namely GPS positioning. The iPhone in Pro and Pro Max models since iPhone 14 has the dual band GPS receiver chipset from Broadcom; the other devices do not. That’s a huge unforced error, Apple; and one that is trivially easy to fix.
The iPads are absolutely perfect for what they are designed to do: servicing media. They don’t need keyboards attached … they don’t need a mouse or a stylus … they don’t ‘want’ to be “PRIMARY COMPUTING DEVICEs”. [The comment about Steve Jobs is likely nonsense]. In fact, the iPads with their OSs that are app-based and touch-based DO NOT make for good primary computing devices at all. However, they make GREAT media consumption devices. But drawing on an iPad using an Apple Stylus is extremely cumbersome. [For one thing the tip of the stylus has the wrong ‘tooth’ (coefficient of friction) against the glass and is way too slippery. It should be made to feel like a lead pencil against paper but that’s not the case currently.] Drawing limitations aside, magazines are stunning on iPads and ebooks are a delight .. as are videos, movies, music, radio stations from around the world, and knowledge apps like Flightradar24, Skyview, ISS Spotter, The Elements, Klimt, Moon, Khan Academy, WolframAlpha, and all of the new A.I. agents, to name just a tiny fraction of the thousands of apps that work so well on the iPads but are extremely cumbersome on MacBooks or iMacs. IMO, the touchscreen works so incredibly well on the iPads but is a ridiculous interface for laptops or desktops that are best served by keyboards, touchpads and mouses when actual work needs to get done efficiently and effectively.
The problem with iPad is the reasons behind Steve’s vision aren’t there anymore. Not because the iPad is not good enough to fulfill Steve’s vision but because other devices have solved the problems that iPad was created to fix. Steve introduced the iPad as a third device between the iPhone and the Mac. Back then iPhone was too small to do what the iPad does. It had only 3.5” screen but now Pro MAX is 6.9”, and fold will have even more screen space. The killer feature vs Mac was that iPad was light and instant-on with full day battery life (that really was the #1 reason for me to go for the iPad in the early years). But now Apple Silicon Macs are just as good. Performance wise, Neo has an iPhone CPU making it obvious there’s no performance gap to fill either. So, there just isn’t as much room between the iPhone and the Mac to justify a third device as there used to be, and that’s a problem you can’t fix by making the iPad better. The only way to fix it is to make the Mac obsolete.
first move, put the camera back it the portrait position. lighter, ok, thinner no need, at some point they would be too thin, bigger, naw, faster, yes, 64 gigs of ram oh yes. as the macs go to 128, 256, 512, 1024 MB. even odd cpu split. odd m5,m7,m9 pads, macbooks evo, air, and macbook pros, m6, m8, m10 desktops no more watching paint dry. every other year works for new processor time to speed up shrink down lower power requirement for the portables. no more excuses as to why games are not running as fast if not 70 % fast on mac at highest resolution. intel and amd will catch up sooner or later. we need actual 24 hours at highest light setting and highest processing power for 24 hours on portables. time for light speed external drives.