Apple Said to Be Targeting Fall 2014 Launch for 12-Inch iPad Focused on Enterprise

[Renzatic]

I'm amazed when people talk about limitations of an iOS device. There is nothing that an iPad Air can't do that a medium laptop can.

The only current downside to iOS is that the OS itself is just kind of...there, and the apps are what do all the work. This isn't a bad thing if you're only using one app at a time, but if you're working on a project that requires multiple apps, it can be a pain in the ass.

Like editing pictures in one program to be later put a document in Pages. You have to import the pictures through the Photos App, then import them into your editing software, then export them back to Photos when you're done, then open Pages, then import them one at a time into your document. It's convoluted and stilted in comparison to a desktop OS, where you can drag and drop files between Pages/Word and Photoshop from Finder/Explorer with a swish of the wrist. iOS doesn't act as a common ground for all your files and applications, and that's what hurts productivity the most on the iPad.

 

[iWaldo]

A 12-inch iPad focused on Enterprise:

 

[PicnicTutorials]

I'll buy it! It's real simple. In order to completely dominate the market apple simple needs to put a ipad air funcionality into a 12 inch ipad. That's the only thing I dislike about the ipad. The fact that it lacks ports, flash, java, file structure, etc, etc. Seems like a no brainer. That's the only thing holding some back. They need those things and see no rational in buying a computer with out those attributes. Apple wins the hearts of most buyers with emotion - they just have to have it because it's apple and it's pretty regardless if they need it. Add rational thought to that matrix and they will have the entire market. LISTENING APPLE? In fact I'm probably a more android type of guy. I do appreciate the control android users have over there devices. I have just already delved too far into the apple ecosystem to turn back now lol.

 

[petvas]

I'm amazed when people talk about limitations of an iOS device. There is nothing that an iPad Air can't do that a medium laptop can. It all depends on the application. There are several very complex apps on the App Store that do amazing things. I hear a lot od people complaining they can't access iOS file system. The thing is: you don't need that! Simple apps will not expose it. Complex apps can expose it by either working with local folders or cloud folders. There are plenty of apps that already do that. Apps like GoodPlayer, for instance, allows you to save videos locally or remotely and you can structure it in foldes. There are several methods of retrieving and and saving files. If an app doesn't allow something, it's not a limitation of the OS, it's the applications itself. iOS has several ways to share and transfer files between applications. The developers of the applications need to know how to do it. The most updated form of sharing files is through the cloud. Mobile devices can do that very well using services like Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive for simple applications or Amazon storage, etc. for business. I sincerely can't see any business application or process that can't be implemented in an iOS device.

You must be kidding me, right? Even the best of the best apps can't touch any serious productivity app on a Mac or Windows computer.
Yes, there are many things an iPad can do and as time passes by it will become even more powerful, I am sure of that. A tablet is great to use in places where a laptop or desktop is cumbersome to use. For normal office usage an iPad is just underwhelming. There are many reasons for it, and it is not just the limitations of the OS. It is also the lack of processing power. I can't imagine someone doing serious photo editing and post processing on a tablet. I can't imagine anyone writing a professional looking book completely on an iPad (maybe some text here and then and that's it). I can't imagine anyone using an iPad to create a lab with Windows Servers to test stuff (necessary in my profession), and the list goes on and on.
The lack of a file system can be compensated. There are many enterprise integration solutions that provide a secure file vault, a secure container that provides access to files saved locally on a device. Access to these files can happen only from special apps. This is something that many vendors advertise and enterprises use.
Have a look at Good Technology, or at Citrix or at Mobile Iron. No serious business works with tablets without having some kind of mobile device management solution in place.
No modern enterprise wants its users accessing files locally on an iPad. They have Sharepoint for that! There are so many things you can do with an iPad, but most of them are for road warriors, people that need to work when mobile. These people will use a PC/Mac when at the office. This isn't going to change by a bigger iPad.
A bigger iPad might enable a new generation of applications that take advantage of the extra space, but Apple also needs to provide more enterprise features to its OS. A bigger screen is important, but not enough.

 

[smulji]

Can we start referring to it as the iPad Pro? Ever since the 5th gen iPad was released as iPad Air, it seems inevitable that there will be a Pro.

Or maybe Apple won't call this alleged larger iPad, iPad Pro. Maybe they'll still call it iPad Air but now in two sizes - 9.7" & 12" (12.9"). Kind of like how you have two sizes of the MBA. You don't see Apple calling the 13" MBA, MBA Pro.

 

[perealb]

The only current downside to iOS is that the OS itself is just kind of...there, and the apps are what do all the work. This isn't a bad thing if you're only using one app at a time, but if you're working on a project that requires multiple apps, it can be a pain in the ass.

Like editing pictures in one program to be later put a document in Pages. You have to import the pictures through the Photos App, then import them into your editing software, then export them back to Photos when you're done, then open Pages, then import them one at a time into your document. It's convoluted and stilted in comparison to a desktop OS, where you can drag and drop files between Pages/Word and Photoshop from Finder/Explorer with a swish of the wrist. iOS doesn't act as a common ground for all your files and applications, and that's what hurts productivity the most on the iPad.

Again, not a limitation of the iPad or iOS per se. It's a limitation of the apps you are working with. Developers have acces to tools to be able to manage files on a local network or internet. There are also ways of sharing data between applications, like opening a file with another application with the "Open in ..." feature.

You must be kidding me, right? Even the best of the best apps can't touch any serious productivity app on a Mac or Windows computer.
Yes, there are many things an iPad can do and as time passes by it will become even more powerful, I am sure of that. A tablet is great to use in places where a laptop or desktop is cumbersome to use. For normal office usage an iPad is just underwhelming. There are many reasons for it, and it is not just the limitations of the OS. It is also the lack of processing power. I can't imagine someone doing serious photo editing and post processing on a tablet. I can't imagine anyone writing a professional looking book completely on an iPad (maybe some text here and then and that's it). I can't imagine anyone using an iPad to create a lab with Windows Servers to test stuff (necessary in my profession), and the list goes on and on.
The lack of a file system can be compensated. There are many enterprise integration solutions that provide a secure file vault, a secure container that provides access to files saved locally on a device. Access to these files can happen only from special apps. This is something that many vendors advertise and enterprises use.
Have a look at Good Technology, or at Citrix or at Mobile Iron. No serious business works with tablets without having some kind of mobile device management solution in place.
No modern enterprise wants its users accessing files locally on an iPad. They have Sharepoint for that! There are so many things you can do with an iPad, but most of them are for road warriors, people that need to work when mobile. These people will use a PC/Mac when at the office. This isn't going to change by a bigger iPad.
A bigger iPad might enable a new generation of applications that take advantage of the extra space, but Apple also needs to provide more enterprise features to its OS. A bigger screen is important, but not enough.

I am not saying you can get rid of other computers and do everything with an iPad. You still need more robust computers to support on a backend just like when you are working on a midium grade laptop. You need servers and developing/design/manufacturing/etc computers. I'm talking about business/commercial applications. Those can be done with an iPad. I believe that even office applications can be productive on an iPad. But those tend to be more specialized, simplified and more user friendly. Thats the whole purpose of an iPad; to be easy to use. It's all up to the developer of the applications, though. For instance, I'm a big Photoshop user and I've never been able to do serious editing of pictures on an iPad - until I found ArtStudio. It's an amazing app, very complex. You can do A LOT with it. When I'm traveling without my laptop, that's what I use - it works beautifuly. I do agree with you that the iPad is for mobile use, though. That doesn's mean it can't be as powerful as a laptop.

 

[Renzatic]

Again, not a limitation of the iPad or iOS per se. It's a limitation of the apps you are working with. Developers have acces to tools to be able to manage files on a local network or internet. There are also ways of sharing data between applications, like opening a file with another application with the "Open in ..." feature.

That's true, and it is a handy feature. But the downside to that is that app developers will have to take into account every single app a file might be able to be opened in. If you use a powerful, but relatively new or not widely used app, you might not have that option. Then you'll have to go about doing things the long way.

Overall, iOS (or really, all the touch based OSes) could use some more polish when it comes to multitasking between apps.

 

[69650]

Why does every new product have to be released "in the fall". FFS spread things out a bit through the rest of the year.

Why is it so difficult for Americans to call it Autumn instead of the fall. It's latin, it's a universal name. The rest of us manage to do it with no problem. Next you'll be changing Spring to "bloom" or some other ********** stupid name.

 

[Renzatic]

Why is it so difficult for Americans to call it Autumn instead of the fall. It's latin, it's a universal name. The rest of us manage to do it with no problem. Next you'll be changing Spring to "bloom" or some other ********** stupid name.

Why do you all call a subway the underground? Why do you all call a truck a lorry? Why do you call fries chips and chips crisps? Why did you all decide to start calling zee zed about 40 years ago? WHAT IS WITH ALL THOSE WORDS THAT USE AN ENTIRELY SUPERFLUOUS AND TOTALLY UNNECESSARY U? COLOUR? HONOUR? GAWWW! WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK YOU ARE? FRENCH? IT MAKES ME SO MAD!

 

[Casiotone]

That's true, and it is a handy feature. But the downside to that is that app developers will have to take into account every single app a file might be able to be opened in. If you use a powerful, but relatively new or not widely used app, you might not have that option. Then you'll have to go about doing things the long way.

Overall, iOS (or really, all the touch based OSes) could use some more polish when it comes to multitasking between apps.

iOS will automatically populate the "Open in..." menu with a list of installed apps that support this file type, developers don't have to specify that.

Also, there are multiple apps on the app store that can act as a "filesystem". The one I use is GoodReader which doesn't seem to get updated anymore, but I know there are other equivalent.

You can send any kind of file you get from Safari, Mail and any other app that support the Open in... feature and send them to GoodReader or other file manager app and organize them as you wish with folders. Those apps can preview many file types and for those they can't open, feature their own Open In... button so you can open those files with another application.

That being said, this approach doesn't work well with documents users are currently working on, as sending the files back and forth between the file manager and editing app will create unnecessary copies (and too many steps).

But I don't think Apple is philosophically opposed to a shared filesystem and file browser on iOS.

I think they want to find the right approach so they can bring back some advantages of this legacy file browsing system, without the inconveniences and unneeded complexity that plagued the average computer user for the last 30+ years or so.

After the big iOS 7 transition, which required a lot of resources, I believe Apple will begin adding the kind of features needed to make iOS closer to a "full fledged" computer OS.

 

[69650]

Why do you all call a subway the underground? Why do you all call a truck a lorry? Why do you call fries chips and chips crisps? Why did you all decide to start calling zee zed about 40 years ago? WHAT IS WITH ALL THOSE WORDS THAT USE AN ENTIRELY SUPERFLUOUS AND TOTALLY UNNECESSARY U? COLOUR? HONOUR? GAWWW! WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK YOU ARE? FRENCH? IT MAKES ME SO MAD!

LOL. Relax. Take a valium or something. Given that we invented the language in the first place I think we're entitled to decide what is proper English and how it should be spelt. We didn't add the U, you guys took it out for no reason other than to be awkward.

 

[perealb]

That's true, and it is a handy feature. But the downside to that is that app developers will have to take into account every single app a file might be able to be opened in. If you use a powerful, but relatively new or not widely used app, you might not have that option. Then you'll have to go about doing things the long way.

Overall, iOS (or really, all the touch based OSes) could use some more polish when it comes to multitasking between apps.

The way the iOS SDK works for that feature is that an app can associate itself to specific file types. That way, any time another app uses the "Open with/in" feature, all compatible applications will be displayed as an option. I'm not saying this is the best implementation for file sharing but it works. What happens is that most mobile application developers have not worried about integration with other applications or don't know about how to implement it.

 

[doelcm82]

I want a full Mac computer (whatever form factor), not a iOS toy (whatever form factor).

Then you would not be the intended audience for this device. And the intended audience doesn't care what you want.

----------

A 12-inch iPad focused on Enterprise:

Image

Look at the bezel on that thing!

 

[perealb]

iOS will automatically populate the "Open in..." menu with a list of installed apps that support this file type, developers don't have to specify that.

Also, there are multiple apps on the app store that can act as a "filesystem". The one I use is GoodReader which doesn't seem to get updated anymore, but I know there are other equivalent.

You can send any kind of file you get from Safari, Mail and any other app that support the Open in... feature and send them to GoodReader or other file manager app and organize them as you wish with folders. Those apps can preview many file types and for those they can't open, feature their own Open In... button so you can open those files with another application.

That being said, this approach doesn't work well with documents users are currently working on, as sending the files back and forth between the file manager and editing app will create unnecessary copies (and too many steps).

But I don't think Apple is philosophically opposed to a shared filesystem and file browser on iOS.

I think they want to find the right approach so they can bring back some advantages of this legacy file browsing system, without the inconveniences and unneeded complexity that plagued the average computer user for the last 30+ years or so.

After the big iOS 7 transition, which required a lot of resources, I believe Apple will begin adding the kind of features needed to make iOS closer to a "full fledged" computer OS.

Well, you beat me to it and I completely agree with the rest you've said. That just enhances what I've been saying that Apple wanted an mobile OS that is easy to use and hides all bs complexity from a regular OS.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

What you propose work for probably less than 20 files. I just did a search, I have over 5000 excel and close to 3800 powerpoint files on my HD, all broken out by client, project, task, sub-task. Most of those files have more than 1 version, with probably close to/over 80% of the ppts have 10+ revisions.

This. A proper file system is crucial. Trying to work with iCloud is a mess and a joke. On the other hand if they changed iCloud to work like DropBox, for example, and deeply integrated it into iOS you might then have a winner.

 

[Renzatic]

iOS will automatically populate the "Open in..." menu with a list of installed apps that support this file type, developers don't have to specify that.

Also, there are multiple apps on the app store that can act as a "filesystem". The one I use is GoodReader which doesn't seem to get updated anymore, but I know there are other equivalent.

You can send any kind of file you get from Safari, Mail and any other app that support the Open in... feature and send them to GoodReader or other file manager app and organize them as you wish with folders. Those apps can preview many file types and for those they can't open, feature their own Open In... button so you can open those files with another application.

Huh. I did not know that. I always assumed it had to be set specifically by the developer, because I have seen a few apps that don't appear in my "Open In" menu before.

That being said, this approach doesn't work well with documents users are currently working on, as sending the files back and forth between the file manager and editing app will create unnecessary copies (and too many steps).

Yup. Too many slow, stilted steps. For jumping between apps, iOS7 is fine. But actually working between them? Not so much.

I'm still patiently waiting for the day when a touch OS is as elegant a multitasker as OSX is. I don't expect the touch-based implementation to be exactly the same as what we use with a keyboard/mouse setup, but I believe we could have something that'd just as quick and intuitive on an iPad as OSX is on a Macbook.

But I don't think Apple is philosophically opposed to a shared filesystem and file browser on iOS.

I think they want to find the right approach so they can bring back some advantages of this legacy file browsing system, without the inconveniences and unneeded complexity that plagued the average computer user for the last 30+ years or so.

A folder based file system is only one way to address a problem. I believe a system that sorts and pools based on file types and metatags could work just as well, and probably be slightly easier for a stark newbie to come to terms with and learn to expand upon. At the very least, it won't look as threatening and convoluted at first glance.

But the OS will have to handle this itself, and act as the common platform all apps interface with. iOS' current app by app setup only makes a process that should be relatively simple far more complicated than it should be. Each app having it's own pool of files to pull from is redundant, and becomes harder to work with as you add more and more apps to your workflow.

There's definitely room for improvement on this front.

 

[thleeal]

Why do you all call a subway the underground? Why do you all call a truck a lorry? Why do you call fries chips and chips crisps? Why did you all decide to start calling zee zed about 40 years ago? WHAT IS WITH ALL THOSE WORDS THAT USE AN ENTIRELY SUPERFLUOUS AND TOTALLY UNNECESSARY U? COLOUR? HONOUR? GAWWW! WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK YOU ARE? FRENCH? IT MAKES ME SO MAD!

lol, thanks i needed that.

awwww english vs american, lets just see them as two different languages.
one for those who can and the other for americans.

 

[anomie]

I don't want it I'm happy with the 9.7 inch the air has

Why should this information be of interest to anyone but you?

 

[disgruntleddave]

I'm amazed when people talk about limitations of an iOS device. There is nothing that an iPad Air can't do that a medium laptop can. It all depends on the application. There are several very complex apps on the App Store that do amazing things. I hear a lot od people complaining they can't access iOS file system. The thing is: you don't need that! Simple apps will not expose it. Complex apps can expose it by either working with local folders or cloud folders. There are plenty of apps that already do that. Apps like GoodPlayer, for instance, allows you to save videos locally or remotely and you can structure it in foldes. There are several methods of retrieving and and saving files. If an app doesn't allow something, it's not a limitation of the OS, it's the applications itself. iOS has several ways to share and transfer files between applications. The developers of the applications need to know how to do it. The most updated form of sharing files is through the cloud. Mobile devices can do that very well using services like Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive for simple applications or Amazon storage, etc. for business. I sincerely can't see any business application or process that can't be implemented in an iOS device.

You provided an excellent explanation of what is wrong with iOS and/or the iOS ecosystem. Just look at how many layers of complexity your explanation of why it isn't possible and what potential solutions could be.

Here is the solution on Android:

1. Install Dropbox or Google Drive. (I like Dropbox because I dislike Google)
2. Hit reply on an e-mail.
3. Click paperclip. Select dropbox. Select file(s).
4. Send mail.

It isn't that this task is too complex for a device. Competing devices/operating systems build this into their basic applications. Only Apple sends you on a goose chase to find a half baked third party solution to something as simple as attaching a file.

Perhaps this isn't an operating system problem as you said. This is an app problem, given Apple's "sandboxed" architecture where the app controls the files. But it is still an Apple problem because their mail client doesn't provide for this basic feature AND their method of sandboxing of apps makes it hard for third party developers to support this feature.

As a note, I do own GoodReader and Quick Office so I can "see files" on my iPad. These are considered the best apps out there for productivity and file management. In both apps I still can only send one file to the mail program, which opens a brand new mail with that one file. I then have no way of easily adding additional attachments. Further, I am not looking to send a new mail - I am looking for the simple function of "reply all and attach".

I realize I am harping on this one mail issue. There are others. When you step outside of the iOS ecosystem for just a few days you realize how all of these little quirks that we come to believe as "not meant for a tablet" actually are super convenient (and totally possible) to get as a feature elsewhere.

I'm not a Google or Android fan as I stated. But Apple can't have their head in the sand about what their competitors enable users to do (even inside core apps like Mail). They are risking potentially going down the path of the Apple of the early 90's.

 

[anomie]

LOL. Relax. Take a valium or something. Given that we invented the language in the first place I think we're entitled to decide what is proper English and how it should be spelt. We didn't add the U, you guys took it out for no reason other than to be awkward.

You didn´t invent ****. Languages change. Why don´t you speak your language as it was 400 years ago?
Btw the majority of non-native speakers like US-english better than british english. Get over it!


@above me: did you really register to repeat the same "Apple does wrong / Apple is doomed"-BS we hear since 2007 and even before?
They are making billions, even the business market wants iOS devices, but now you came to teach all of us the truth?
Get the f... outta here!

 

[Renzatic]

LOL. Relax. Take a valium or something. Given that we invented the language in the first place I think we're entitled to decide what is proper English and how it should be spelt. We didn't add the U, you guys took it out for no reason other than to be awkward.

Actually, the Frisians invented it. Then it went down south and got mixed up with the Angles and the Saxons, then hopped over east and got busy with the French for a bit before splitting to North America and Australia where on one end it got busy with the Germans again, and the other thought adding an extra o and a 'ies to every word imaginable made everything sound awesome.

So the English didn't invent it, you're just the common meeting ground.

edit: though to answer your original question, calling autumn the fall is a fairly recent thing. When I was a kid, both were used interchangeably. I remember reading books that called it only autumn, never fall. After awhile, fall started getting used more and more, until finally it became the word everyone used.

 

[Thunderhawks]

Why stop there. Let's have a 27" iPad .

Have been mentioning that several times. (And was serious about it)

Throw a ton of memory into it, excellent voice recognition and gestures, plus face recognition via camera and we are one step closer to having chips implanted into our brains.

(And, don't tell me there wouldn't be people to try that)

 

[wiz329]

You probably just offended about 1/5 of Chinese and Chinese-American visitors to this site because Wang is the second most popular last name in China. But then, a lot of American names sound hilarious in Chinese.

I bet they do. And if mine sounded funny in Chinese, I'd probably laugh right along with them. No need for offense to be taken/given just because a name sounds funny to people who speak a different language.

I went to Cambodia with a buddy of mine, Jake, and nobody could say his name without cracking up (or at least cracking a smile), because in Khmer, that means "banana".

 

[perealb]

You provided an excellent explanation of what is wrong with iOS and/or the iOS ecosystem. Just look at how many layers of complexity your explanation of why it isn't possible and what potential solutions could be.

Here is the solution on Android:

1. Install Dropbox or Google Drive. (I like Dropbox because I dislike Google)
2. Hit reply on an e-mail.
3. Click paperclip. Select dropbox. Select file(s).
4. Send mail.

It isn't that this task is too complex for a device. Competing devices/operating systems build this into their basic applications. Only Apple sends you on a goose chase to find a half baked third party solution to something as simple as attaching a file.

Perhaps this isn't an operating system problem as you said. This is an app problem, given Apple's "sandboxed" architecture where the app controls the files. But it is still an Apple problem because their mail client doesn't provide for this basic feature AND their method of sandboxing of apps makes it hard for third party developers to support this feature.

As a note, I do own GoodReader and Quick Office so I can "see files" on my iPad. These are considered the best apps out there for productivity and file management. In both apps I still can only send one file to the mail program, which opens a brand new mail with that one file. I then have no way of easily adding additional attachments. Further, I am not looking to send a new mail - I am looking for the simple function of "reply all and attach".

I realize I am harping on this one mail issue. There are others. When you step outside of the iOS ecosystem for just a few days you realize how all of these little quirks that we come to believe as "not meant for a tablet" actually are super convenient (and totally possible) to get as a feature elsewhere.

I'm not a Google or Android fan as I stated. But Apple can't have their head in the sand about what their competitors enable users to do (even inside core apps like Mail). They are risking potentially going down the path of the Apple of the early 90's.

You gave an example that works and one that doesn't. Apple certainly is very capable of doing what you want but chose not to do it. There must be a reason - I bet it's the adding complexity. They just wanted to make a simple to use mail app that even grandpa can use. They did provide the mechanisms in the OS for anyone to implement a complex version, and you'll find them in the app store. Those apps you've mentioned can send files as email attachments; whether they implemented sending more than one attachment is up to them. Within the Apple implemented apps, the philosophy of sharing files is very simple and narrow. Take it as it is but do not say it can't be done. Let's take as an example of the Photos app. You can select several photos inside the app and send it by mail as attachments. It's just a different way of doing things that not everybody likes. You can't make everybody happy - specially when you're trying to make things very easy to use.

 

[Traverse]

I wonder if it would be too unwieldily....

I doubt it will have the rumored 4K display, though...