If you find something a simple as opening files more difficult on iPadOS then it needs to be addressed. How would you make it simpler if your feedback was to be heeded?
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Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS
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Just let me translate it to human speech: Money and fear to lose power/control.
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No. Your point doesn't "remain" but rather it changed.
My point was iPad should never run macOS. You argued "well, iPad does XYZ" as a counter point, essentially pointing out that iPad should run macOS due to XYZ reason.
You're now stating "iPad differentiation" which is not the same as "putting Mac on an iPad". It's a completely different point. Since it's now a different point and not really what I'm talking about, I think I'll leave it at that.
Apple will take years to develop whatever it is they believe will be a quality product. Be it software, features, or hardware. Both the iPad and iPhone were not feature complete at the time they came out. But, they excelled overtime by adding features that either should have already been there. Or features that are requested. The latter speaks more to the iPad now with OS 26. People wanted it to do more. So they uplifted the OS to do that in a way that fits the iPad. Not by installing macOS, but by making iPadOS better for the iPad.
They rarely move a lightning speed to bring about new features. They are not Samsung or OnePlus or any of the Chinese brand devices in the sense that they don't just do "new" for the sake of it. They create something, and refine it over time. They add features they feel make sense, works, and refine it over time. They move slower than many would like. But it is deliberate and generally well received when the final product ships.
I would argue they don't push anyone in any direction. They provide the best they can, to their standards. If they can't, they don't (Ai Siri, etc). Not that they are perfect at anything. Just judging it as they define it. Other brands offer alternatives that are superior and also not so good too. It will always come down to user preference. If the Apple way fits a user, they tend to make that purchase. If it doesn't they purchase something else.
This is a strange take.
The iPad comes with a complete set of apps, that offer the same level of usefulness/uselessness as the Mac’s counterparts. No one on earth would buy a Mac and never install another app, and almost all of the alternatives you can find are far far better than apples attempts.
The iPad on the other hand (largely to do with apples stranglehold on the platform, meaning their own apps can work with the OS to a better level and are first class citizens), contains an inbuilt suite of apps which really can be enough. Not many people I know replace the inbuilt apps with anything. Sure they install things left right and center, but aside the enthusiasts, why install a notes app that you potentially have to pay for in some way, when the inbuilt one is (despite what you ascertain) quite sufficient?
It's different, but I never really found file management on the iPad that much more complicated. But I have also been using an iPad since 2012 (long before the iPad had the files app or supported external storage), so it's possible that for me, iPad's style of file management is "the norm" while PC-style file management is the "anomaly". The iPad was just so new and revolutionary to me that I was willing to invest the time and resources to make it work.
I think that on one hand, I do find it situationally beneficial to have my files duplicated and silo'ed across different apps. It probably helped that when I first started working from an iPad, its file system was practically non-existent, so I basically moved all my documents onto dropbox, and have basically used it as my central file system ever since.
For example, I have pdf copies of my school textbooks and workbooks saved in onedrive. A copy is also exported to Notability, and I like that I can annotate on them in class while preserving the original copy in onedrive.
Onedrive is also quite tightly integrated with office, so there are no issues with opening them in the respective office apps, and any changes are automatically saved and synced. I do find it annoying at times when I have to navigate to the corresponding folder to open a file, compared to being presented with all my files that are saved in iCloud when using, say, iWork's.
It's ironic really. The limitations of iOS early on drove me to adopt cloud storage, which I found to be more convenient as it meant my files were readily available across all my computing devices, which in turn meant less of a need for external storage. I think this goes back to the old "min/max" mindset where you change yourself so that the limitations of a device end up not really being a drawback anymore. It doesn't mean the flaws no longer exist, but sometimes, those limitations are what end up giving you that much needed push to embrace a different way of working.
It's getting the balance right, more advanced functionality without compromising the simplicity of the OS for average users.
UI is fine.
All the limitations are things Apple has chosen to block. Removing those limitations changes nothing for “common users”, but would make the platform usable for “advanced users”. All those can me opt in to ensure literally nothing changes for a common user.
Options like
- Terminal available
- Never terminate a process (swap it out instead)
- Allow background processes from Terminal
- Allow JIT
- Allow Docker
- Allow running these apps (from outside App Store)
- Allow running self compiled apps
Until it goes out of sync. Until you are managing fairly large files ... so on and so forth. Don't get me wrong, I use Cloud Storage all the time, but the idea that local storage can be replaced with Cloud Storage, in practice does not work well.
The iPad since ever, just to write an email with some depth, beyond a short reply, its cumbersome. I mean, its better now with keyboard support but not long ago it lagged a bit ... Something that macOS never had such a problem.
My kids have moved beyond the iPad. Granted, they still use it, one to watch videos and play games. The other, he is an artist, likes to use the pen and touch to sketch and doodle. But both of them, beyond that, have moved to their MacBooks (one is 15, the other, 18). Actually the younger is asking for Windows because he also play better games. The obstacle is actually me, because I don't want the extra complexity that comes with managing disparate systems and other out of band issues that comes with it.
The situation here in the house, to be entirely honest, don't see any reason to upgrade the iPads since 2020. Probably these are going to be the last for a very, very very long time ... now my Macs, that is another matter.
Will see. In my view, this is looking less and less and less like a Post-PC device, at least not what I would expect from it.
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Apple IS letting you decide. Buy the hardware (Mac or iPad) that does what you want. Geeks don’t seem to understand: iPad is a finished product, not a naked robotic core that you can tinker with to your heart’s delight.
You wan’t all that stuff? Then BAFMA! (Buy A Freakin’ MacBook, Already).
Totally! Apple’s product and marketing philosophy has never been about shoehorning one product’s OS onto another just to appease a few tightwad geeks.
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I don't understand what is the value add of this answer. I mean, buy whatever it fits your case is a tautology. There is no need for feedback then ... no learning involved.
Not directed specifically at you, but really tired of all these people who already have great MacBooks, Mac Minis, iMacs and Mac Studios for their use not being satisfied and grateful for this, but instead want to greedily takeover iPad, too. What’s it hurting you folks to let the rest of us have our device?
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I just came up with the perfect solution to this debacle: let those who want to run macOS on iPad do so, but on a subscription basis. For, say, $40/month (I was going to say $20, but this is Apple we’re dealing with) you get a special non-transferable key code that enables your iPad to enter a special macOS mode. This would cover the cost of Apple providing support staff for this exclusive service.
These users could now have the dual-boot device of their fantasies! (Although after 2 years of paying for this, some may think they might have done better just putting that money towards purchasing a MacBook.)
These users could now have the dual-boot device of their fantasies! (Although after 2 years of paying for this, some may think they might have done better just putting that money towards purchasing a MacBook.)
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I like the direction that iPadOS is going in. This is a BIG step forward.
Running MacOS on it - IMHO would pose a lot of problems.. iPads can run hot just doing iPad things.. I can't imagine what MacOS would to the the heat that the passively cooled device would be able to manage.
Imagine Lightroom - the Desktop version and all the complaints - do we blame Adobe, Apple? This is just one example.
Make iPadOS better, and then better again.
Running MacOS on it - IMHO would pose a lot of problems.. iPads can run hot just doing iPad things.. I can't imagine what MacOS would to the the heat that the passively cooled device would be able to manage.
Imagine Lightroom - the Desktop version and all the complaints - do we blame Adobe, Apple? This is just one example.
Make iPadOS better, and then better again.
I can only imagine the aggravation of opening up an iPadOS version of Activity Monitor, tapping on and quitting various apps and processes that are running in the background. Apple has no interest in opening up the iPad to that extent. Or even worse, Windows' Task Manager, which is multitudes more complicated.
I have multiple MacBooks.
But, I do enjoy iPad form factor / design; and would like to be able to use that for travel.
I think you are seeing it the wrong way.
We are talking about having macOS supporting pen and touch input in a tablet form. Not the destruction of iPadOS.
At least my point is, if the iPad is to adopt meaningful macOS features, such as mouse and keyboard support and many others, it’s looking more and more like macOS yet not as good. Why do you feel so strongly that such reasoning should not go both ways also?
Who ever wants iPadOS in a desktop gets it. Whoever wants macOS in a tablet gets it, is that simple. Everything is in one download and install way. Your reasoning seams to penalize who does not want what you want on a Tablet within the Apple ecosystem. … for no reason as a customer.
For instance I would probably prefer something like this than a MacBook Air. Especially in the Uni. Other people such has you could prefer to have both. That is all fine.
The question is … is there a market for such a thing? Especially in the MacbookAir space, the best selling Mac? … I think that the probability for that is quite high. In particular because iPad sales look a lot like a rollercoaster.
Cheers.
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This is simply not the case. The laptop form factor of a MacBook means they have almost double the battery life of an iPad and weigh less than an equivalent iPad and Magic Keyboard for example. Some people prefer that.
On the other hand some people want the flexibility an iPad offers, tablet use and for drawing etc.
Either way Apple makes a sale
Why then is the first device in the morning that he uses for an hour a Mac?
Funny thing - my colleague lost her thumb drive a few months back, together with all the work files she had saved on it. Even had to reset her exam paper, because she couldn't be certain that the drive wouldn't land into the hands of a student and the questions subsequently leaked.
I guess it works well enough for me as a teacher since I am typically dealing with fairly small files. The largest ones are pdf scans of textbooks and workbooks. That said, onedrive has been increasingly buggy ever since I upgraded to the M4 iPad Pro though (previously had no issues with my 2018 iPad Pro), so I am not entirely sure where the issue lies. PDFs not opening in the files app (meaning I can't view or annotate on them), and office docs not opening in the files app either (but can be loaded within the respective office app). Logging out of onedrive usually fixes the issue for a day otherwise two, then it's back to square one.
One reason why I am looking forward to the standalone preview app in iPadOS 26. 😛