Apple Depicts iPad as Laptop, Textbook, and Paperwork Replacement in Series of New Ads

[now i see it]

In the end it's just an ad. Like car ads, hamburger ads, soft drink ads, beer ads., pizza ads...

 

[joeblow7777]

Put a mouse and Desktop applications on the iPad and we can start talking about being a "real" replacement for a laptop.

And a real file management system while they're at it.

 

[Abazigal]

To say an iPad is a notebook replacement is like saying a bicycle is a car replacement. Something can only replace another if it can do ALL the things, not just some & certainly not in a clunky way either. iPads & for that matter all iOS devices can't run a proper web browser for f### sakes, can bulk delete emails, can do a lot of simple things simply.

Nobody had ever had to go from their macbook to an iOS device to finish a task that couldn't be finished on the macbook. The reverse situation happens 24/7, laptop replacement my a$$.

No, it just needs to do the things I need it to do.

For example, I can’t code iOS apps on an iPad, but I have no reason to, so it’s a drawback which simply isn’t applicable to me. And I am not going to miss what I don’t need.

And anyways, I find this entire discussion of iPads not being able to replace laptops disingenuous. The reality is that iPads have become very capable devices in their own right, and will only get more versatile as more apps and features being available in time.

Rather than focus on what the iPad can’t do, why not focus on what the iPad does do well and how people around the world have been meaningfully using them for productive work? So what if I can’t thrash my iMac just yet. For me, the iPad represents that perfect blend of battery life, ease of use and portability that I just don’t get in other devices.

Yes, there are things I can’t yet do (or at least do comfortably) on an iPad, just as there are things I am doing on an iPad which are so much more convenient compared to a conventional laptop. Just the aforementioned example of me walking around my classroom, with my iPad mirrored to the projector via an Apple TV, annotating on pdf documents in notability using my Apple Pencil...

I wouldn’t trade this for the highest-specced laptop in the world.

 

[epox999]

I don't know who they are running this marketing campaign for, if it's marketed as a complementary device, you are going to sell someone a computer and an ipad. Everyone who wants a tablet likely already bought one, as in hinted at by the ipad sales numbers trending downward since 2013.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

It's funny how people always demand new stuff from Apple and then insist on doing things the old way.

It's time to modernise your thinking, you're not going to get a "faster horse".

The problem with the faster horse/car analogy is it doesn't hold up when what you've already got is better suited to the job.

If you race in the kentucky Derby or The Grand National a "faster horse" is exactly what you need regardless of car manufacturing. Similarly if you make mobile computers then improving laptops should be your priority not introducing a new tier of device and saying "well it's good enough for some people".

 

[bioperational]

Lol why do some people seem to get irate that Apple is pushing the iPad as a laptop replacement? For a lot of people it is. Everything you “present” as “evidence” against the iPad being a replacement device is purely anecdotal. Hate to break it to some of you but the iPad/iPad Pro CAN be a computer replacement for some people. Not everyone is a “pro” user. I’d argue that half the people that refer to themselves as “pros” aren’t.

I've been using a Surface Pro, Windows 7 laptop for work, iphone and ipad pro. I do a fair amount with the ipad pro, but can't access many corporate systems nor even copy and paste a powerpoint slide form one presentation to another with the ipad pro. Using a stylus is way slower in powerpoint and excel than a mouse.

For me, it's not a serious or reasonable option to replace the laptop at this point.

 

[Marx55]

Apple: no. Not really. Apple should release a Mac tablet. iOS is a limited jailed-sandboxed toy without an accesible file system and lacking USB port among other shocking limitations.

 

[brdeveloper]

Laptops are factory-jailbroken, iPads not. How can you do serious stuff without full filesystem access?

 

[Martius]

Oh, I can scale something in Keynote on iOS... I do nothing but that on my iPad. //sarcasm

I wish Apple showed us the complete video, how this "made on iPad" work is really made without using Mac...

 

[curtvaughan]

Why does Apple feel the need to promote the iPad by denigrating laptops? I use both, but if I was forced to pick between a nice tablet or a nice laptop, I'd pick the laptop hands down. It is a more generalized device, very good for complex or multiple tasks. In some cases, the iPad's form factor becomes superior to the laptop - for example, my iPad Pro 12.9" works great as a replacement for sheet music in rehearsal or performance. The stylus can even be used to make markings on the music. A laptop would not work in that situation, and is one of the reasons I purchased the iPad. But for all-round computational tasks, document editing and production, multiple windows/screens, as well as storage and memory options to facilitate all those things, the laptop (or desktop) is the best tool. The only reason I can come up with for Apple taking this tack - emphasizing the iPad as a replacement for laptops - is that their overall goal is to get out of the laptop business. Lack of emphasis on the Mac line the last several years lends to that theory.

 

[Order_66]

People in these comments are really ****ing butthurt over these ads. In all of these cases an iPad could be better than a laptop. A laptop is best for some things, an iPad is best for others. I don’t pull out my MacBook Pro on a flight when I can take out my 12.9" iPad instead, the iPad is vastly superior in that situation.

People act like you can only own one of these ****ing devices, own one or both or none. It doesn’t take away from what each device does better.

I think what it boils down to is the current sad and sorry state of mac hardware, with Apple pushing the iPad as a PC replacement and at the same time ignoring their desktop hardware, a conclusion can easily be drawn from that, Cook hates the desktop and wants it to disappear.

IPad will never become a true replacement for the PC, no mouse support, weak mobile apps.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

Maybe I am being paranoid here, but mouse support is a Pandora’s box I would rather not open.

It seems like it's more than just paranoia, but insecurity too. I've seen many folks around here act the same way when mouse/trackpad support is requested when talking about iPads.

Damn shame.

 

[artfossil]

I don't know why when anyone mentions that the iPad needs mouse/trackpad support, the iOS/iPad fanboys immediately start hollering, "Oh noes, the iPad is not a PC, it doesn't need mouse/trackpad support..."

They say the iPad doesn't need mouse/trackpad support, but do not mention any worthwhile reason why they wouldn't want the most superior form of input in existence on their devices.

Just thinking about using a touch screen to create, edit, and alter documents on Word, Excel, and Powerpoint makes my head hurt.

Options are good people. Your precious iPads will still be iPads with mouse/trackpad support, but only better.

The mouse is "the most superior form of input in existence"? Bless your heart. Are you not able to use a keyboard? I use one with my iPadPro to do my work.

You want a mouse? Great. I don't need one. Also great.

 

[usarioclave]

The use cases for most people's laptop/desktop is:

• email
• web
• video
• photos

Anyone reading MacRumors has automatically self-selected out of the "most people" category.

I suspect that for many people, their phone has mostly replaced their laptop/desktop for the most part.

 

[Lone Deranger]

This is Apple's war on laptops/desktops/workstations. A market they never could conquer after losing out to IBM & MS 3 decades ago. So instead they decide to marginalize it. To sabotage it and tempt the masses onto their iToy platform. This is Tim Cook's long term strategy.

 

[CrazyForCashews]

The mouse is "the most superior form of input in existence"? Bless your heart. Are you not able to use a keyboard? I use one with my iPadPro to do my work.

Overall, it is. Considering its versatility.

In regards to using a keyboard on an iPad, this is a whole different matter of discussion. A physical keyboard with buttons that you can feel and press is the most superior form of input for TYPING compared to using a touchscreen.

Without mouse/trackpad support, doing "work" on an iPad is nothing but a compromise.

 

[Cookie18]

At least with the iPhone, you can make a good argument that Apple should advertise it more than both the Mac and iPad, due to the larger potential customer base. And to an extent I agree.

But both the iPad and Mac bring in close to the same amount of revenue, which I was actually shocked to see given how much more advertising is bought for the iPad, even marketing it as a "laptop replacement".

It seems like Apple wants the iPad to eat into the Mac's market share, which is only another blow for those of us sticking to the Mac platform for various reasons, and witnessing its continued neglect.

There were brand new Mac ads released just last week, this is being very selective with your evidence.
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I think what it boils down to is the current sad and sorry state of mac hardware, with Apple pushing the iPad as a PC replacement and at the same time ignoring their desktop hardware, a conclusion can easily be drawn from that, Cook hates the desktop and wants it to disappear.

IPad will never become a true replacement for the PC, no mouse support, weak mobile apps.

Maybe not for you but it already is a PC replacement for millions of people. Apple don’t care if you or I buy an iPad in place of a computer, they want mums and dads and kids to get them in place of stuff like Chromebooks.

And are Apple ignoring their Mac lineup because it hasn’t been updated in 2018? Because I don’t know if you noticed but the iPad Pro lineup hasn’t been updated in 2018 either.

 

[Substance90]

Thanks but no thanks, Apple. Just fix the Macbook Pro line already.

 

[iPadified]

Amazing, ads about paper replacement and convenience of small for factor triggers the usual debate about laptop replacement...

 

[ISanych]

Put a mouse and Desktop applications on the iPad and we can start talking about being a "real" replacement for a laptop.

And a real file management system while they're at it.

It's a lot of work. How about new ad instead?

 

[groove-agent]

They failed to show the iPad's screen all smudged up from finger prints after she finished eating.

When you watch her use it, it even looks uncomfortable having to reach up every time to use her fingers.

I 100% agree that iPad should receive mouse support. Then I will start to consider it as a laptop replacement. Surely it can be done (jailbroken iPads have had mouse support).

An iPad will never be a laptop replacement without mouse support. An iPad is a superior product in many ways than a laptop, but for specific situations, a mouse is needed in order to truly replace the laptop.

 

[curtvaughan]

This assertion (of an iPad sufficing as a computer for the masses) has been parroted many times, and it’s good to be reminded of it from time to time.

I do find it amusing that as the iPad gains more and more functionality, the goalposts of what constitutes a computer (or even real work) keep shifting.

Not too long ago, the phrase “you can’t do real work on an iPad” was thrown around a lot, but as more people have shown that they totally can do their work on iPads, the PC defenders have had to become more specific in their criticisms. Arguments for the continued dominance of the PC have been reduced to “you need it for sharing documents” or “you can’t do development on iOS or Android.” or some other niche use case.

The trend towards eliminating things iOS and Android devices can’t do is marching on and there’s no reason to think it will stop. With each passing day, people are changing their workflows in ways that make PCs less relevant, while iOS and Android are making changes to fill the gaps that are still there.

PCs will exist for a long time, and I have no doubt that they will remain relevant for many people, but it continues to become more and more clear that the future is not macOS or Windows, but iOS and Android. As such, I am neither surprised nor dismayed that Apple continues to favour development of iOS over the Mac.

We really should be beyond debating whether the iPad can be used for content creation. That discussion is over and those still arguing that it cannot are saying more about themselves than about the iPad with every passing day.

Well, at least at a large university from which I retired, and where I still go to use libraries and such, nearly all the students, faculty, and staff are using laptops and desktops for their work, research, and school related tasks. The only place I see more tablet usage is in gyms and exercise facilities, where they are convenient for absorbing content while using aerobic exercise machines. The main trend over the last few years is that PC laptops are starting to outnumber Macs, particularly among students. Tablets are still quite the rarity on campus.

 

[redheeler]

There were brand new Mac ads released just last week, this is being very selective with your evidence.

I'm aware of some Mac ads released recently, last month I think. Such a rare occurrence that I was actually surprised to see Apple advertising their own high-end products...

But I'm sure a lot more will be spent pushing the iPad ads out to various networks (online, TV, etc.) compared to the ads for the Mac, which I almost never see outside of MacRumors articles and Apple's website / YouTube channel. This was certainly true with the "What's a computer?" iPad ad appearing on various TV networks.

 

[tubular]

Hi, Apple. I like the iPad, but I’m a dev and I need a real computing environment. iPad isn’t it.

Headless Mac desktop that isn’t $3K and isn’t the Post-Lobotomy Mini. Or lose me.

 

[Robnsn2015]

I regularly commute to London and what I see is 90% of the people using Excel and then followed by word docs and email etc. I see the same in coffee shops or hotel lobby when people are working remotely etc.

I like the iPad for personal use but I don't see how Apple can position it as a laptop replacement when it can't do the main tasks that people need it to do.

Thanks

You can run MS Word, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint on an iPad. I've done it several times.