You wrote "I don't get why people seem to care what device people use for work". The discussion about the viability of the ipad as a productivity device, even for general users.
Because there is disagreement, and this an opinion forum
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Shares New Videos Highlighting What You Can Do With an iPad Pro
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I wish it was the way you describe, but it's really not. The bulk of comments downplay iPad users' needs as simple, saying it's a toy, or pointing out obvious shortcomings that will never come to and shouldn't come to a tablet. Operational tasks will likely always be better suited for a laptop/desktop, that doesn't mean that the iPad can't be a great productivity device for a bunch of other professions/use cases. I am all for an open discussion about the iPad as a productivity device, but unfortunately it all ends up being the same re-hashed one liners from the anti-iPad crowd.
[doublepost=1548103717][/doublepost]
I hope not. I'd expect an ARM macOS new form factor soon, but that's about it. iOS definitely has it's shortcomings, but what's great for Apple and iPad users is that they are easily fixable. In one release, Apple could knock out the bulk of complaints people have if they wanted to.
I never said replace iOS. But they should give us a choice. Allow us to either dual boot iOS/MacOS or choose a version at purchase.
I would purchase the highest spec iPad Pro with the quickness, if I could run MacOS on it.
I’ve been carrying mine everywhere i go in the cargo pocket of my shorts. No bends, no cracks, no apparent damage at all. I was worried when I pressed it up against the door frame with my leg as I was getting out of the car, but everything turned out fine,
No damage.
It’s protected by a case I bought from Amazon for $11
I agree with the distinction. It's just that in the US trucks far outsell cars.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/199981/us-car-and-truck-sales-since-1951/
The iPad is brilliant for what it is, but it's certainly more two seat car than truck; the Pro seems akin to a hatchback. Apple will sell millions and the vast majority of buyer will likely be quite happy with their purchase.
It seems to me, in the long run, the iPad and higher end tablets are in a bad value position. Phones are becoming more capable on the low end and computers cheaper on the powerful end. Improved connectivity will make actual computing device power less important as more work is off loaded to a remote processor somewhere. However, graphics and shiny are things the iPad excels at, so it will do just fine. The iPad Pro looks great, that's not likely to change.
I don't like to project hate, but since it is a MacRumors forum, I will express my dissatisfaction on directions Apple has taken, particularly with its Mac laptop line of computers. I used to really like MBP laptops, until they started dropping useful ports, gluing in parts and making upgrades and repairs unnecessarily difficult, and downgrading formerly great keyboards - mostly in the name of thinness and lighter weight. Then came the apparent push to market the iPad as a laptop replacement, and with the changes they've made in the MBP's usability - at least for me - that push has become almost a reality with Mac laptops. I want a laptop to be portable, but not to the detriment of ports, keyboards, cooling, and repairability. I don't begrudge tablet users - I've owned three iPads and like them for music processing and performance, as well as consumption of streamed video, and until they recently dropped the headphone jack, also streamed audio through high quality wired headphones. Apple's obsession with dropping the jack and other useful ports for SD cards, USB sticks and the like, has been a real sore point for me the last several years. There is no way an iPad can give me the functionality I need for portable general computing tasks, and frankly, the Apple laptops aren't doing much better in that regard - at least for my purposes - in their current incarnations. That isn't "hate", it's this longtime customer's frustration. My first Apple computer was an Apple II, goofed around with a Lisa and SJ's NEXT machine while he was away from the company. Until the last several years I never had so many issues with their product directions. That they re-released the iPhone SE - which still retains the headphone jack and a reasonable price - is to be applauded. Someone must be listening a bit, or at least noticing iPhone sales dips and wondering why.
Last edited:
I am not clear what App they used to scan documents. Anyone know?
These videos just show a few ways an iPad Pro can be used. I love mine - use it for virtually everything from running my international business, to playing music to leisure use and watching videos.
It does have some software shortcomings, but whenever I come across one I do some research and usually solve or find workaround with the use of another App or technique of which I was not aware. I hope iOS 13 will remove most shortcoming, for the iPad Pro hardware to at last be fully utilized. I don’t want MacOS on iPad - I much prefer the simpler interface of iOS and on the whole find it more reliable.
These videos just show a few ways an iPad Pro can be used. I love mine - use it for virtually everything from running my international business, to playing music to leisure use and watching videos.
It does have some software shortcomings, but whenever I come across one I do some research and usually solve or find workaround with the use of another App or technique of which I was not aware. I hope iOS 13 will remove most shortcoming, for the iPad Pro hardware to at last be fully utilized. I don’t want MacOS on iPad - I much prefer the simpler interface of iOS and on the whole find it more reliable.
Last edited:
Fair enough. I just don’t think they want a touchscreen computer running macOS. iOS is the touchable version of macOS.
[doublepost=1548118460][/doublepost]
I think you make a lot of rational points here and obviously have good reason to be unhappy with the direction Apple is headed. I’m just on the other end as another computer user. I prefer to be as minimal as possible when it comes to my uses and enjoy learning new workflows. iPad has been perfect for me in that way. I get that this is not for everyone though and I try to make that very clear and can see why laptops or desktops are better for certain tasks, but too often I see exactly the opposite here. This dislike for the direction Apple is headed doesn’t mean people on the other end (me) can’t be completely happy adapting and letting go of old ways of doing things. There are benefits on the other side, but I accept that it simply does not work for a ton of people. Unfortunately I think the products you want just aren’t what is profitable for Apple in the future. Mobile computing, wearables, health, services, AR, autonomous vehicles, and other new focus areas are what they feel adds value today for their customers. There’s definitely a divide and it’s a bummer for those who want the old Apple, but I just don’t see it happening at this point. Then again, you have products like the upcoming Mac Pro that feel like they are hitting most of what you want, but that will likely be hated by the same crowd they are made for.
I read posts that talk about how the iPad “isn’t for REAL work” and laugh at the narrow mindedness/myopia of some people on this forum. Your use case scenario is a case where it works for you as a professional.
Mine story is similar. I’m a PROFESSIONAL linguist for the US Govt. Translator/Interpretor working with multiple languages (English, Korean, Chinese, Spanish and a few others on occasion).
Being able to access all my docs and resources in the Files app where I go is a plus. Also being able to focus by having two windows side by side is great for notes and writing, dictionary apps, safari, etc. Always on connectivity for dictionaries or other online resources is a plus. But any computer can do this.
Where the iPad shines is when I’m working with multiple languages. English and Chinese (Pinyin) is easy to type. But I’m hunt and peck at Korean, Russia, and a few other languages. It’s easy to switch keyboards and and be able to see what I’m typing, something a laptop does not do. Can I pull up a layout on screen of the foreign keyboard? Sure. But it’s not as good as being able to look where your fingers are going. Also, for longer writing, I can just click to the other language quickly and use voice dictation button on the keyboard to type longer passages.
The iPad isn’t for everyone. But some professionals ARE able to do all of their work on a tablet and it’s the best tool for the job.
Mine story is similar. I’m a PROFESSIONAL linguist for the US Govt. Translator/Interpretor working with multiple languages (English, Korean, Chinese, Spanish and a few others on occasion).
Being able to access all my docs and resources in the Files app where I go is a plus. Also being able to focus by having two windows side by side is great for notes and writing, dictionary apps, safari, etc. Always on connectivity for dictionaries or other online resources is a plus. But any computer can do this.
Where the iPad shines is when I’m working with multiple languages. English and Chinese (Pinyin) is easy to type. But I’m hunt and peck at Korean, Russia, and a few other languages. It’s easy to switch keyboards and and be able to see what I’m typing, something a laptop does not do. Can I pull up a layout on screen of the foreign keyboard? Sure. But it’s not as good as being able to look where your fingers are going. Also, for longer writing, I can just click to the other language quickly and use voice dictation button on the keyboard to type longer passages.
The iPad isn’t for everyone. But some professionals ARE able to do all of their work on a tablet and it’s the best tool for the job.
I have said this many time before. Obviously the iPad Pro is not suitable for IT professionals, which probably make up a large percentage of this forum - but for professionals in other areas, the iPad Pro can be the perfect device.
I feel no need to go out and buy another MacBook for my business use as a company director. I occasionally use an iMac at my office, but 99% of tasks I prefer to do on my iPad Pro 12.9”
I feel no need to go out and buy another MacBook for my business use as a company director. I occasionally use an iMac at my office, but 99% of tasks I prefer to do on my iPad Pro 12.9”
As a terminal, a script editor
There are some apps available for that purpose.
[doublepost=1548296800][/doublepost]
Well it do take some time to get used to, I totally agree with that. I guess you probably already know, but it does not hurt to mention: check out the 2 finger drag and select. Works well for me. Also I prefer Pages to Word for cleaner UI at the cost of compatibility.
I wish I could use Pages. I know it exports to Word, but our office does some strange merges and fonts and it's not always consistent. But you're right in that it is a better looking and in my opinion, easier to use.As a terminal, a script editor
There are some apps available for that purpose.
[doublepost=1548296800][/doublepost]
Well it do take some time to get used to, I totally agree with that. I guess you probably already know, but it does not hurt to mention: check out the 2 finger drag and select. Works well for me. Also I prefer Pages to Word for cleaner UI at the cost of compatibility.
This is not true any W10 touch enabled laptop can do this and more specifically 2 in 1's excel at this with far greater language support in the 1000's, multiple instances of the same app that IPP cannot do let alone ~50 TTS options etc
This does not distract from the fact you get your work done but there are other options out there that are equally if not more capable
Further more products line Lenovo Book that have full digital KB may even offer greater use being off screen
Last edited:
This is not true any W10 touch enabled laptop can do this and more specifically 2 in 1's excel at this with far greater language support in the 1000's, multiple instances of the same app that IPP cannot do let alone ~50 TTS options etc
This does not distract from the fact you get your work done but there are other options out there that are equally if not more capable
What if the user in question is not looking for more power and capability, but instead, a better user experience that only an ipad can offer?
I notice that people here like to equate more functionality with better. I used to think the same way too, but what 6 years of ipad usage has taught me is that more isn’t always better, especially when you are not getting more of what you want, but instead being saddled with more issues to contend with.
To put it another way, for many of the tasks I do, I would be indifferent between an ipad or a laptop / windows tablet in terms of functionality. In that regard, the dealbreaker then comes from how well each device handles that particular task, and I prefer the ipad because of the fluidity of iOS, the well-designed apps and well, the writing experience of the Apple Pencil, the integration with the Apple ecosystem, and just not having to deal with the complexities of a desktop OS in general.
Whilst I understand you revel and enjoy making your IPP work for you and that's fine
I was simply pointing out to the poster that there are far more capable options available, where they thought Apple was the only choice is simply untrue.
The poster would not know if the experience is better or not as they are simply unaware of alternatives
Sometimes the simplicity of IPP can be an aid to productivity but equally the reverse can be true. The frustration for many of starting something on an IPP but having to finish off on a laptop is just a far too often occurrence.
Whilst having a more proficient device should guarantee a single use solution I agree it may not always be required or as simple to use.
If your lucky that an IPP meets your needs then that's good but lets not miss inform others that there are not alternatives that they may prefer or require a more complex device/solution.
Whilst I understand you revel and enjoy making your IPP work for you and that's fine
I was simply pointing out to the poster that there are far more capable options available, where they thought Apple was the only choice is simply untrue.
The poster would not know if the experience is better not as they are simply unaware of alternatives
Sometimes the simplicity of IPP can be an aid to productivity but equally the reverse can be true. The frustration for many of starting something on an IPP but having to finish off on a laptop is just a far too often occurrence.
Whilst having a more proficient device should guarantee a single use solution I agree it may not always be required or as simple to use.
If your lucky that an IPP meets your needs then that's good but lets not miss inform others that there are not alternatives that they may prefer or require a more complex device/solution.
I don’t think I am misinforming them of anything.
My stance has and always will be the same.
Since we are on the topic of iPad productivity, and since everyone has different needs, dismissing the value of the ipad outright just because it cannot be a laptop replacement for someone is counterproductive, because it assumes that everyone has the same needs as you, or that they are somehow not willing to put in the same amount of effort towards learning a new interface that you were.
Rather, the focus of the conversation ought to be on what the ipad can do, and what it does well, and (if applicable) what it can do better than a conventional laptop or even desktop.
Be honest and upfront, point out the limitations of the iPad where they exist, but also don’t forget to give the ipad due credit for the areas where it does shine. And the ipad has come a long way since it was first unveiled in 2010.
Let the reader be cognisant of the capabilities of the ipad, so he has a clearer picture of what it can and cannot do, such that he may make a more informed decision.
So at the end of the day, if he decides to get an ipad for say, photo editing, knowing fully well the drawbacks (ie: difficulty of importing photos into lightroom), but also aware that the benefits of the touchscreen display and lighter form factor of the iPad Pro, and is willing to put up with the aforementioned limitations because he believes the pros far outweigh the cons, then that’s ultimately his call to make.
To me, this is very reminiscent of the AirPods argument. So many people dismiss it outright because of its lacklustre sound quality (relative to other more premium headphones at any rate), but the truth is that they still sound pretty decent, and come with many other benefits (namely comfort and convenience) which, for the right user, more than outweighs the loss of sound quality.
Different strokes for different people.
Sorry I think your off on a tangent here, nor did I mean to imply you were misleading
The simple fact is the poster thought that the IPP for there use case was the only option, it's not and there are more capable solutions available elsewhere and for less
Your enthusiasm for your IPP is obvious and maybe if everyone was as dedicated in making it work for them they would be as happy but somehow I fee it distracts from the original intent of simplicity and ease of use if you need to be that dedicated, however you enjoy this aspect which is something I can easily equate too
Huh? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you sure you are using or know how to use an iPad?
Cutting and pasting text is like air — its used so often on my iPad that I take it for granted — I have zero issues cutting and pasting text between iPad applications and between my iPhone and Mac and my iPad.
File system: every file on my Mac (organized to support a variety of workflows — incliding Heirarchical — is accessible from my iPad via iCloud and the Files app and I routinely store files that originate on the iPad that universal, cross-device file system.
If that isn't sufficiently advanced file system operation for you, then check out this example of iOS file system access driving real time code execution: https://codea.io/blog/whats-next-for-ipad-creativity/
Spreadsheets: Numbers on my iPad is great for most personal use cases, but I use Excel for iPad for work. It allows me to access and use some of my most complex spreadsheets (including pivot tables) on the iPad Pro.
Video editing: I just finished using Explain Everything on my iPad Pro to produce a series of video tutorials that our clients love.
Text editing: For text editing on my iPad Pro, I use Bear as my go to text editor and Word for complex work documentation.
Mouse for productivity: Huh?? The iPad is a handheld, direct touch device. It does not require a mouse to do anything. None of the use cases I mentioned above nor the countless others supported by the iPad require a mouse to perform them. Your preference to use a mouse to do things that others routinely do with their fingers on an iPad is just that — a preference, not an iPad shortcoming.
Net-net: There are definitely use cases that an iPad is not suited for; however, none of the issues you cited are issues for someone who knows how to use an iPad.
Last edited:
All of my comments went to the issue of ios not supporting a mouse degrading productivity
experience. So your software litany is irrelevant.
You are choosing to ignore the "gorilla arm" fx of substituting the pencil for a mouse.
But many have a problem with that--as evidenced in this thread. Also, many here also
agree with me text cut and paste in ios is unwieldy to the point of unusability.
Good luck with your touch evangelism
