Apple Explains Why iPads Don't Just Run macOS

[eleuthero]

Apple have made toolbars and UI elements like the "stoplight" on iPadOS physically smaller than they already are on macOS.

And they require touching/hovering over to make larger and usable.

We are already "there" on the touch vs desktop thing

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This, of course, means that yet more of the previously tappable and useable space is now consumed with required menu space instead of tool space. Hopefully the app developer gets to choose what shows up in the menu beyond the minimums Apple sets?

Is there any parallel to the SwipeOver feature (having a full screen app and easily leaving it on screen and temporarily having a partial screen app for note-taking before switching back to the full screen app)?

 

[jouster]

I am pretty sure the M1 was capable of it since 2021

And older processors were too, presumably. It’s being released for pre-M series iPads.

 

[breenmask]

Given that any M-Series Mac can run iOS apps natively, albeit with a few visual limitations, at some point there is a genuine case for OS convergence at least on iPads and Macs at the very least - iPads are becoming more and more like "light" laptops, and MacOS is adding entire feature sets from iOS. If the entire set of hardware offerings is essentially running variations of the same chipset, it seems like someone will eventually run a cost analysis of keeping everything as separate forks vs. a unified OS.

You're going to tell Steven Spielberg that he has to edit his next movie on an iPad?

 

[matsan]

Following the trajectory of messing around with macOS UX I foresee Macs will be running ipadOS in 2027 :-(

 

[AlexESP]

I get the reasoning, but they are selling keyboards and mice for the iPad. You can also plug the iPad into an external screen so it is a computer with a touch screen. I get that MacOS is not optimized for touch, but who cares you can use it with a keyboard and mouse like normal. The reason is it would kill a large portion of their laptop sales. So many people could get by with a simple iPad, they are fast, long battery and will/would do what any average user would need it to do.

They sell keyboards and mice, and they’re OPTIONAL accessories — the default interaction input for the iPad is touch.

“Who cares?” We’ve seen how many companies didn’t care about using desktop UIs in a tablet, and the result wasn’t great.

Having an OS that only works with a keyboard, or works with both touch and keyboard but the UI is completely different, etc. results in very poor UX.

And it’s not like many people “could” get by with an iPad, actually many people “can” do it. The iPad outsells the Mac in terms of units dramatically.

Many many people are satisfied with the iPad — there’s a real risk for Apple if they tried to use macOS, which is not that people stopped buying laptops, but that they stopped buying iPads.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Well...
at least since both the iPad and the Macs have the same or very similar M-Processors, the "argument" of nothing else than the marketing-perspective is ridiculous.

revenues of apple were sudeenly -30% if they would allow to do (nearly) the same things with an iPad and a Macbook.
That would even be enough for at least 90% of the customers that purchase BOTH the iPad and a mac since two decades now.

But I hope the competitors will continue to chase apple until apple is forced to give up its monopol over the operationg systems of iPad and Macs.... by enlarging the capabilities of the iPad (which they have already done since the M-Processor hit the market)...

They will rise the price of the iPadPros more and more - just to the level that their total benefit will stay the same for just one iPad as now by selling BOTH the iPad and the mac...

.

 

[Plerf]

Let me restate this without Craig-speak:

We made a choice to keep them separated. We deliberately have not improved macOS to run on a touch surface for reasons.

(And I think we all know the reasons why.)

 

[turbineseaplane]

Following the trajectory of messing around with macOS UX I foresee Macs will be running ipadOS in 2027 :-(

This is the move I'm worried about here.

 

[fenderbass146]

I want my iPhone to do this. It doesn’t need to edit 8k videos, but it would still be a desktop environment.
*when plugged into a USB dock

No reason it couldn't if they ever made iPad do it, That be awesome. I think eventually that will happen. It just makes too much sense.

 

[fenderbass146]

That seems to be what a lot of people want. They could even charge an insane premium as to not cannibalize either market.

If an ipad pro and macbook air are each $899 ($1800), charge $2400 for a 2-in-1.

Yup, I'd be in.

 

[Marx55]

Really. Bring the Mac tablet. I do not want the jailied limited iPad toy, even for free. A want a true and full computer with a true useful Finder like the Mac and touch screen. Light and small. Awesome for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.

 

[rubaxter]

"Blah-Blah, Woof-Woof, Don't Cannibalize the MacOS Market"

Nothing new here, move along, please ...

 

[Marcos_Diez]

GOOD. The iPad should NEVER run a Mac. It's a ridiculously stupid idea. Touch first devices should run touch first operating systems.

Those who want a Mac on an iPad should just buy a freaking Mac. 🤦‍♂️

Agree.

I wish the iPad could do things you can do on a Mac, but in the iPad way, not macOS way...

 

[djphat2000]

They could have released the features like iPadOS 26 ages ago. It is not an argument to provide such an able chip and make it just an oversized iPhone. They are now opening up as competitors are launching highly capable pads. Myself, I use an average iPad, while my friend has Samsung. To be honest, that machine had everything the average user would need in the box. Apple likes to make users purchase the ability to do the same that Samsung provides for free of cost.

make users? How exactly does Apple make anyone do anything?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Agree.

I wish the iPad could do things you can do on a Mac, but in the iPad way, not macOS way...

Can you give us an example?

What's something you can do on a Mac that you'd like to do on an iPad and what would be the "iPad way" of doing it?

 

[jclardy]

I think Apple missed one thing with multitasking - dynamic switching. I like the multitasking mode when my iPad is in the keyboard...but if I take it out, I'd prefer to go back to the non-full multitasking mode. I wonder if there is a way to detect keyboard attachment in Shortcuts and change modes that way.

Either way, the best part of this update is being able to run 3 apps on the display on an 11" iPad in "iPhone width" mode which is a huge upgrade.

Surface has much better "laptop" features, but it is still terrible as a tablet. That is iPad's main advantage, it is by far the best tablet experience, it is just having trouble growing beyond that to also replace laptop tasks.

And we are still waiting on Xcode for iPad.

 

[Jetson]

Craig Federighi, gesturing and talking down to this poor man like he's from another planet

These executives are trained in the art of gesturing towards a large audience. Maybe those techniques don't work as well on a one-to-one basis?

 

[dubiousgif]

They really wouldn’t. There are still plenty of apps that are iOS only. What the iPad truly needs now is a proper Finder and support for full desktop class apps. If anything, adding these features would likely boost sales, people could start using the iPad as their all-in-one device, which would, in turn, open up the App Store to a wider user base.

I think eventually many of the developers of those iPadOS apps would distribute versions outside the App Store so they wouldn’t have to lose the cut Apple takes.

 

[GioGiusi]

GOOD. The iPad should NEVER run a Mac. It's a ridiculously stupid idea. Touch first devices should run touch first operating systems.

Those who want a Mac on an iPad should just buy a freaking Mac. 🤦‍♂️

10,000% but you'll get lots of argument from people that have no idea what that means, or how any of this works.

 

[JoeBobBriggs]

Really. Bring the Mac tablet. I do not want the jailied limited iPad toy, even for free. A want a true and full computer with a true useful Finder like the Mac and touch screen. Light and small. Awesome for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.

Congrats! You've just created a Macbook Air.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Congrats! You've just created a Macbook Air.

Kinda what Apple is basically doing/encouraging here

 

[djphat2000]

I get the reasoning, but they are selling keyboards and mice for the iPad.

It's easier to type and edit with a keyboard and mouse for those types of use cases. It's in the way for other types of use cases. hence it being detachable. But using it as a lap top isn't great because it's too top heavy.

You can also plug the iPad into an external screen so it is a computer with a touch screen.

It's a great portable device but it only has one cable. Hence Airplay. Yes, you can plug into any TV without AirPlay. But it was designed as a touch screen device, not a touch screen laptop.

I get that MacOS is not optimized for touch, but who cares you can use it with a keyboard and mouse like normal.

Because Apple didn't want to make Metro 2.0. iPad is a touch first device. Not a touch second device. Adding keyboard and mouse support came later and works well enough (better in iOS/iPadOS 26) to have them. But its support hasn't been great. Because it's not meant to be a laptop. It can do laptop things, but it's not a laptop the way Apple sees a laptop being.

The reason is it would kill a large portion of their laptop sales. So many people could get by with a simple iPad, they are fast, long battery and will/would do what any average user would need it to do.

Apple doesn't care if one of their devices affects the sale of another. I'm very sure they would rather you buy a Mac Pro than a Mac mini or Studio. But, use/purchase the device that will do the job you want it to. Apple will happily sell you whatever device that best fits you. Apple doesn't make a one size fits all device. If you want touch screen, it's only on iPad and iPhone. If you want a powerful mobile device, then it's a MacBook (air, or pro). If you need a desktop they have 3 different models to pick from depending on your needs. Don't like any of it. Pick any number of Windows based computers (ARM/intel/AMD) that offers "more" within one device. Apple doesn't seem at all interested in a touch screen MacBook. When WinTel has had them for a LONG TIME now. Would those same folks buy a Mac instead if it had touch screen? Maybe. Enough to justify redoing macOS so it better supports it? Maybe not.

iPadOS is getting closer to macOS with this update. Not saying it will never come. But, they clearly want it to be as simple and easy to use. Just adding more features for those that really wanted it.

 

[redheeler]

They’d lose App Store revenue.

That's a factor but likely they're also afraid of cannibalizing Mac sales. If iPad is made into a serious development platform, many people will buy them instead of MacBooks.

 

[montuori]

After all, Apple devices are mostly a fashion statement, not computers.

How did you arrive here? I'm genuinely curious.

 

[JohannesO]

I gave my mum a Bondi Blue iMac when she asked me for a computer, but she struggled with it. As soon as I gave her an iPad, her life changed.

Mine too. The number of questions she asked decreased to almost zero.