Seeing a lot of discussion about making iPad a Mac replacement and moving on from that idea. It’s an interesting shift in discourse.
I believe the iPad is still a viable computer replacement. But, the bloggers, podcasters, and tech nerds who tried to do it and ended up back at a Mac, asking for macOS on iPad, never were going to do it in the first place.
It feels like we should. The iPad is 99% of the way there. But that 1% is a huge hurdle. We all have our pet features we could name that would make the iPad a perfect Mac alternative, for us.
It is a shame that the conversation had to shift to such a defeatist attitude after so many years of optimism. I’m going to continue hoping Apple sees the negativity towards iPad and fixes more of the low hanging fruit.
This comes at a time when the Mac is interesting again. Stage manager hasn’t found it’s legs on iPad yet. And everything feels a little awkward.
iPad is still an amazing computer alternative, for some, maybe not for you.
I believe it is because of this closeness that iPad is more frustrating and the conversation has shifted to defeat in the tech community.
Some see this as a sign apple got it wrong. I think it’s the opposite. We’re on the road to getting it right, but people are used to Apple wowing us. Making the iPad more powerful and useful isn’t an easy task.
While many will shelve this conversation and focus on the Mac, I’m still excited at the idea of making iPad my primary computer again. I still expect the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro will be one of my last Macs. Maybe. But my job is constantly shifting what it demands of me, so maybe the iPad always seems one step behind.
When I joined AppleInsider in 2019, I used an iPad only. No Mac until the 14-inch MBP. Today, the demands of my job necessitates a Mac, but not for any reasons that are too complicated. The iPad could easily step in and take over, so I’ll happily wait for that last 1% and shift back to an iPad only life.
I appreciate the dilemma. You want the iPad to be better. Then year after year you’re met with half met promises and ultimately reach a near broken stage manager.
That summer beta cycle took the wind out of the sails in iPad discussions. It made everyone who wanted iPad to work as a Mac alternative look elsewhere.
I just wish the discussion didn’t have to move into giving up on the entire idea of iPad as a primary machine. I keep seeing comments like “I’m back to using an iPad the way Apple intended.”
I don’t think this is correct. Apple promotes the iPad as a versatile computer that becomes whatever you need it to be - tablet, laptop, desktop.
If you feel it works better as a tablet, that’s excellent because it’s an amazing tablet. But there are plenty of workflows that fit iPad as a computer replacement today, and more are added with each update.
I’m excited for the modular future of computing. Just remember, use what works best for you, and if that’s a Mac, perfect.
@HilliTech Great thread, and I agree. I’ve also been disheartened to see the conversation (in tech circles) veer to this. But, I’m still a believer. I use my iPad for all my computing needs (I do still have a Mac that gets occasional use). I look forward to Apple’s continued progress.
@coperob @HilliTech it’s definitely an interesting concept. I work in web design though and there are a ton of things I just cannot do on an iPad. Namely drag and drop website builders. Even Webflow is a pain on an iPad.