Apple Promotes iPad Pro in New Ad With 'The Little Mermaid' Musical Spin

[LeeW]

It is a BS ad, but it works for the target market of everyday user. Though, frankly, I think that target market is changing as younger generations are much more tech savvy. Apple needs to keep in mind the average is no longer clueless person struggling to plug in an HDMI cable.

Indeed, I agree that these days people are more aware of what they need and what will work.

 

[mikerahl]

I normally like Apple ads, and I adore my new iPad pro (got the 512gig 12.9" 2021), but that ad was horrifyingly bad. I like Disney songs for the most part, but I'd rather hear nails go across a blackboard than listen to a repeat.

 

[sdz]

comes with ChildOS preinstalled.

 

[cmaier]

I mean really, what BS. A clear 'gamer guy' type setup suggesting an iPad can replace that. General office people who would not be using Macs anyway will not be able to use just an iPad. All the sheep will be along to laud it but really is a BS ad.

Sometimes you just have to have a little fun in life, man.

 

[Expos of 1969]

It doesn't have to be an iPadPro and 3rd party kbd-cases can do the trick.

Just as well as the very expensive Apple keyboards seem to have a bit of a history of the fabric wearing very badly.

 

[rgeneral]

The ad is meant for the general public. They play causal games. Mostly browsing. Download a few files. Watch video. Make simple spreadsheets etc. Easy patch management. No need to worry about antivirus. Etc. iPad is excellent for them. No need a computer.

 

[Realityck]

Always remember with iPad Pro's, only buy it for what it is today, not what it might be tomorrow.

 

[Expos of 1969]

It is a BS ad, but it works for the target market of everyday user. Though, frankly, I think that target market is changing as younger generations are much more tech savvy. Apple needs to keep in mind the average is no longer clueless person struggling to plug in an HDMI cable.

Apple should also realise that outside North America and perhaps a few select markets, the young tech savvy potential customers do not have or don't want to pay what is being asked for a fully kitted out iPad. Nor, in my experience do they want to use an iPad at all for mobile computing. I have been going to many cafes and coffee shops in Northern Europe a few times every week over the past 5 years and I think I have seen one or two iPads in use by people under 40. A huge number of MacBook Airs and a smaller number of Surface and Dell and HP devices.

 

[cmaier]

Sort of very unrealistic. Oh well...

Wait for any PC maker to start to make fun of Apple regarding "dongles".

Guess what? If you drink Budweiser a surfing dog doesn’t show up in your living room with a bunch of girls in bikinis.

Sometimes ads are just supposed to evoke an emotion, like “freedom.”

 

[cmaier]

Apple should also realise that outside North America and perhaps a few select markets, the young tech savvy potential customers do not have or don't want to pay what is being asked for a fully kitted out iPad. Nor, in my experience do they want to use an iPad at all for mobile computing. I have been going to many cafes and coffee shops in Northern Europe a few times every week over the past 5 years and I think I have seen one or two iPads in use by people under 40. A huge number of MacBook Airs and a smaller number of Surface and Dell and HP devices.

Yep, the european kids nowadays, lusting after dells.

 

[theroaringbadger]

Indeed, I agree that these days people are more aware of what they need and what will work.

As a student, I am in love with my iPad Pro. It’s my main device as a philosophy major. I type essays and notes, annotate PDFs with the pencil, watch videos, and some gaming and movies. Plus some photo editing and video editing. It offers all day battery life thin and light optimized apps and is built on cloud storage and simplicity. It’s not for traditional computer people who expect the same workflows. I can use it for citations, formatting my essays in word (starting to use pages more). Sure I have a desktop but it has way more ram and I am a power user to my heart. But at the core the iPad is my main device. It’s awesome.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Yep, the european kids nowadays, lusting after dells.

Ok, ignore the other details in my post to push your pro Apple agenda.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Man, do these people have terrible cable management or what?

 

[cmaier]

Ok, ignore the other details in my post to push your pro Apple agenda.

Is there some forum rule that I need to address all your points? And what “pro apple agenda?” Based on all the “dislikes“ and nasty comments in response to me complaining about the touchbar, butterfly keyboard, catalina alert boxes, etc., I was told I have an anti-apple agenda.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Guess what? If you drink Budweiser a surfing dog doesn’t show up in your living room with a bunch of girls in bikinis.

Sometimes ads are just supposed to evoke an emotion, like “freedom.”

Drinking Budweiser voluntarily should lead to medical intervention. Hard to believe they get away with charging money for Bud Lite

 

[Bug-Creator]

I have seen one or two iPads in use by people under 40. A huge number of MacBook Airs and a smaller number of Surface and Dell and HP devices.

And why would it bother Apple if those people buy an MBA instead of an iPad?


The point is not that everyone should use an iPad or that it would be somehow cheaper to use an iPad, the point is that an iPad is a viable option for those people.

 

[BarrettF77]

iPad OS 15 is just iOS 15 but bigger. It’s NOT a computer. Not because it can’t be one. but because Apple can’t let it be one.

their advertising really has sucked for some years.

 

[cmaier]

iPad OS 15 is just iOS 15 but bigger. It’s NOT a computer. Not because it can’t be one. but because Apple can’t let it be one.

their advertising really has sucked for some years.

A mousetrap is a computer. So certainly an ipad is one, too.

 

[Chambers McMac]

Total friggin' rubbish! Apple has made it clear with their lackluster iPadOS that iPads are for play, not getting work done. They just released another flop of an iPadOS which still has a garbage filing system. They finally make the iPad Pros powerful enough to take on laptops, but they keep the iPadOS as lackluster as they can. It takes three or four times longer to get computer work done on an iPad because the iPadOS fights you ever step of the way! it is too kluge and underpowered and riddled with bugs. Apple proved beyond a shadow of a doubt with iPadOS 15 that they have absolutely NO intention of turning iPad Pros into workhorse laptop killers. They are only interested in selling toys for gaming, video, music, and social media fluff. They gave us a workhorse of an iPad Pro, now they need to give us an iPadOS that can actually use that workhorse for something other than playing.

Have you been to an Apple Store recently? I think you might be on to something.

 

[GSWForever8]

If you’re a gamer, forget about iPad. If you use your pc lightly, however, get an iPad. Overall very well done.

 

[npmacuser5]

Define an automobile. A smart car is an automobile. One shoe does not fit everyone. In our family I am the only one who needs a Mac and that is getting less every year. The vast majority, the iPad has developed into the only computer they need, period. Reality my Mac uses are driven by it is easier and more comfortable on the Mac. Not necessarily the job cannot get done on the iPad. The cables part hit home. My MacBook has a hub, external stuff attached, power strip. My iPad well has none of that, plus a pencil which I am now using a great deal of the time. The good news, for those who have the Mac requirements, a good number of choices. The iPad for a good deal of computer users is a computer and then some. The target customer of this video.

 

[Shalev Lazarof]

awesome.

 

[Minerbot360]

I think most people know that. What some people fail to realize, is others' computing needs aren't as demanding as their own. Or as demanding for tech people who hang out on tech forums, which is not Apple's largest customer demographic.

For many, a portable tablet with basic web browsing, email, messages, note-taking, light sketching/drawing, writing, etc is ideal.

There's a reason Apple dominates the tablet market, both in number of units sold and revenue. It's about understanding not everyone is into tech and many only need a great tablet with a great/responsive display for their casual needs. And... that some people who are into tech and have multiple regular computers, sometimes just want to *consume* with a tablet.

I think that this is the biggest thing that people on these kinds of tech forums need to recognize. Some other people need to calm down, this is an ad to people who don’t need 4, 4K monitors and two dedicated GPUs, just an easy to use device that can browse the web, read slack, read emails, and maybe do some light gaming.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Did they mention that your next computer also needs a $250+ keyboard-trackpad to work as advertised?

 

[Manzanito]

What a timely commercial for me. My Mac mini (I'm pretty sure) died a couple of days ago and it's really thrown me off. I didn't realize how often I went to it. But maybe it's more out of habit than necessity? Checking news in the morning, doing some light work from home, typing up on MacRumors, stuff like that. Casual gaming every now and then but my iPhone has more gaming power than that mini.

Now I'm considering what to replace it with. 5 years ago it would've been a MacBook. But now? Can I get by with just an iPad? I've never owned one. Maybe it's because I'm getting older but part of me wants to keep everything as light as possible. If I can do everything I need with an iPad or MBA, why get a MBP or iMac? The other part says get a MBP and not worry about if you can do something or not.

My mom has a 2010 MBP she's not using (I got her an iPad Air recently) so I can borrow that.

After watching this commercial several times I am reminded of why I switched to a Mac. I don't have to deal with all these OS settings. I don't have to worry about finding a BT adaptor that'll work with my BT mouse and keyboard. I don't have to worry if my GPU is compatible with the motherboard and if it'll fit my needs. Which CPU should I get? But I don't know if an iPad can fill my needs.

Maybe I can pick up an iPad Air now and, in a few months, realize I need more, and get an iMac or MBP? I've never been able to convince myself to buy an iPad to fill that void between Mac and iPhone.

If you’re unsure if it will fit your needs give the entry level iPad a try. If your work is not that heavy, you might get by with an iPad (e.g., light word editing, very light excel input), for browsing the web it’s more than enough.

If the work you intend to do is not that light, you may find the iPad frustrating. I own an iPad pro and it’s a wonderful device in addition to a mac, but it can’t replace a mac for me.