Apple's Greg Joswiak: No Plans to Merge Mac and iPad

[tmarsden]

I wish Apple would just copy Microsoft’s Surface Book design. An iPP that is your screen when connected to a full fledged keyboard base with ports, extra battery and dGPU. You’d get MacOS (with touch) when connected to the keyboard and IPadOS when you undock the tablet portion. You’d get it all, full laptop experience plus tablet and pencil when you need it. Please, Mr. Cook, get on this. My wallet is ready.

 

[fbr$]

Why would someone buy an iPad Pro and a Mac? If you want an iPad for the tablet aspect you’d get the cheap one. I guess maybe for artists who use Apple Pencil? But then what specifically about the Mac do they need on an iPad Pro?

The cheapest 2020 iPad:
- has only 3GB of RAM (less than a base iPhone 12), it will become unusable, obsolete, in just a couple of years; yes, it's much cheaper than the Pro to buy it, but if you calculate its price divided by the number of years of useful life, the Pro is not much more expensive because it will last much more years due to the increased RAM
- has a Lightning port, it doesn't work with an external spinning HDD even when using an adapter (OK, it works with an external USB-A flash drive, but you'll have to use an adapter AND plug it on power at same time, it's a deal breaker for me)
- uses 1st gen Pencil
- has no option of Magic Keyboard
- has no laminated display
- has a bad camera to scan documents
- etc

I had the 2018 base iPad with only 2GB of RAM, used it for only 24 months, it's a disposable device due to the lack of RAM. Then decided to buy the 2020 iPad Pro 11" model.

Why would someone buy an iPad Pro and a Mac? I'm no artist and don't use the Pencil very much, but my life is much better with an iPad Pro 11" and a MacBook Pro 16", the iPad 11" is small, light, portable, has Pencil, has camera to scan documents, has lots of apps like Netflix, YouTube etc. And my MacBook 16" is a heavy brick with big screen for those tasks I can not do on my iPad.

 

[dholzer]

I wish Apple would just copy Microsoft’s Surface Book design. An iPP that is your screen when connected to a full fledged keyboard base with ports, extra battery and dGPU. You’d get MacOS (with touch) when connected to the keyboard and IPadOS when you undock the tablet portion. You’d get it all, full laptop experience plus tablet and pencil when you need it. Please, Mr. Cook, get on this. My wallet is ready.

My wallet is ready, too! Or something like Samsung Dex, where is operates as iPad OS normally and MacOS when plugged into a monitor/keyboard/mouse.

 

[081440]

Now that the iPad Pro uses the M1 chip as well, has a pretty nice amount of RAM and a thunderbolt port, what's the bloody point of the Macbook Air, the only thing that makes it different now is the OS at this point. They may as well scrap the Air or give the consumer the option to even allow a dual boot of running iPad OS or Mac OS on the iPad Pro only.

The M1 Air is now a joke, the iPad Pro can have double the RAM (16GB), up to 2TB of storage, better screen, 5G on the go and the iPad Pro even has a better GPU than the base M1 Air 😄

Exactly!

I want them to merge at this point - Just a simple three finger swipe back and forth and I access the tools and capabilities of both unique operating systems.

Want to write a report and work with multiple windows = macOS side
Want to consume a youtube video or read a story = iOS side

Same machine, just different use cases. Think of the long ago versions of Dashboard, but all grown up and very useful.

I regularly travel for work and grad school with BOTH my iPad Pro and MacBook Pro. Most of the time I use them independently, sometimes I use the iPad Pro in Side Car mode.

 

[tmarsden]

My wallet is ready, too! Or something like Samsung Dex, where is operates as iPad OS normally and MacOS when plugged into a monitor/keyboard/mouse.

That would be amazing if they could stuff an M1 into an iPhone Pro Max and let you dock it like that for a full MacOS experience. A single device for all your computing needs that fits in your pocket! Someday

 

[081440]

I'm sorry, exactly what features have been "taken away" from macOS...i'd love to hear this.

Loads and Load

Pages and Keynote used to be very full featured - now they are simplified iOS apps that also run on the Mac

Dashboard used to house thousands of fun and creative and useful apps that now only exist in iOS. Must access the web for things that use to be a quick swipe away

just a quick list there

 

[081440]

That would be amazing if they could stuff an M1 into an iPhone Pro Max and let you dock it like that for a full MacOS experience. A single device for all your computing needs that fits in your pocket! Someday

I think that's where we're headed - one device only. Just changes its capability based on the size of the screen, amount of power available, and type of input devices detected.

 

[smulji]

Except how many years now has Apple been saying they’re not merging iOS and macOS? At some point you have to assume they mean what they say.

At least a decade. You would think by now people would take a hint.

 

[smulji]

Or maybe they think the typical iPad customer doesn’t want/need all that complexity? I don’t have a personal laptop. I use a Windows laptop for work and an iPad Pro outside of work. The 12.9” iPad Pro replaced the Windows laptop I had. I doubt they’re assuming or expecting MacBook owners to also own an iPad Pro.

A lot of iPad owners love the iPad because of iPadOS, not in spite of it. If Apple put macOS on iPad, they would lose a lot of customers.

 

[dholzer]

I think that's where we're headed - one device only. Just changes its capability based on the size of the screen, amount of power available, and type of input devices detected.

Sounds like a great convergence. My only trepidation is when you leave the M1 iPhone in your pocket while it is rendering video, and it melts off your leg.

 

[farewelwilliams]

My use case for this would be to leave a screen, keyboard and mouse in my office, and keep the iPad as the mobile device for travel & home use. When I get to the office, I connect to the screen and do my work. I wouldn't need to carry the peripherals around with me, unless I needed to work somewhere else, in which case I'd use a laptop.

The advantage for me is having a really small & light device to carry in transit (I cycle-commute, so weight and size is a concern)

Then wait for the redesigned MacBook Air. Current MacBook Air chassis was designed around the Intel processor. M2 is probably going to be even more power efficient, so less battery is needed, making the chassis even smaller.

iPad isn't the answer.

 

[dholzer]

A lot of iPad owners love the iPad because of iPadOS, not in spite of it. If Apple put macOS on iPad, they would lose a lot of customers.

For those customers, there would be the non-M chip iPads.

 

[dholzer]

Then wait for the redesigned MacBook Air. Current MacBook Air chassis was designed around the Intel processor. M2 is probably going to be even more power efficient, so less battery is needed, making the chassis even smaller.

iPad isn't the answer.

That's fair, but if the MBA were to also use iPad apps, I wish it would be touch screen. That would be good differentiation (iPad tablet form, MBA clam shell with touch, and MBP the serious heat dissipation for most TDP, but all running the same Mac or iPad apps).

 

[farewelwilliams]

My dream is some kind of Magic Keyboard, that when you put your iPad on it, it magically transitions to macOS. Apple would still have two separate OSes.

Now THAT would honor the name "Magic Keyboard".

i can see a mac being rendered in a cloud that you remote into instantly when you attach a keyboard. but not both running locally.

 

[DanTSX]

Apple is not innovating here...

 

[smulji]

I don't even know where my iPad Pro is now it's used so little. I lot the Apple Pencil 2 and bought another one and i've not used either - I just like to sort of collect it cos it's Apple but really - i've never thought much of the iPad or iOS. Everytime I try to use it, it's a horrible experiance compared to macOS and the way I very heavily multitask and tab+command all the time through lots of apps. Within about 15 seconds there's something I can't do on it that I need a Mac for - or something that just much much faster and easier to do on the Mac.

But for my 75 year old mum she does everything on an iPad and it's literally perfect for her.

Your 75 year-old mom is probably not the target customer for the M1 iPad Pro.

 

[macintoshmac]

The more they refuse it, the more I think they will bring them as close as they possibly can..

 

[Alan Wynn]

A “real computer” (to most people) is a general purpose computer that can run arbitrary software without artificial restrictions.

Interesting definition. I asked a few dozen people, and none shared or agreed with your definition. However, I guess if your definition of a real computer is the ability to load software without restrictions, then iOS/iPadOS systems are not “real computers”. Most people define a real computer based on its ability to do what most people need it to do.

 

[Surfer13134]

Yea I call BS. Maybe not the iPad but iPad Pro I can see running full Mac OS. Lets face it, The iPad already supports mouse and keyboard, it has a Keyboard stand that has a track pad built into it and now its running the SAME M1 chip that is built into macs now. And on top of this the new iPads will have 8 gigs of ram as base which has been supporting current M1 macs just fine this is a no brainer to see. Devs can now easily port over their apps to the iPads since they are running the same architect. Just imaging running full versions of Photoshop with Stylus support on a iPad. Its already running perfect on the M1 macs see no reason why it cant run fine on the iPad.

OR the other option is Apple keeps iPad OS separate from Mac OS but they release something in X-Code that allows devs that code apps for the M1 Mac also release apps for M1 iOS devices so we could still get desktop quality apps but on the iOS backbone.

Either way Apple is lined up very very well to take out the Microsoft Surface on other Windows tablets.

 

[Whoakapi]

The fact that the MacBooks don’t have a touch screen in 2021 screams “PLEASE BUY BOTH. WE WANT ALL YOUR $$$!”

And if they gave the MacBooks touch screens, then you know where things are headed. They WILL merge sooner or later. The distinction is artificial at this point.

 

[AdonisSMU]

This is corporate speak for “yes we are definitely merging the iPad with the MacBooks”.

 

[JudgeJudas]

If Apple ports OSX to iPad, why would the average consumer buy a Mac?

Besides, it's very difficult to show actors working on an iPad on stupid network sitcoms vs. a Macbook.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Some modder is going to port it over very soon I’m sure.

This stance is becoming less reasonable over time - the “we’re doing this for consumers” argument makes less and less sense as the iPad and MacBook start to reach parity with the magic keyboard and mouse input and now the M1. It’s just about being able to sell you two devices.

I still cant develop apps on my iPad. Thats the missing link. I can do everything else.

 

[Analog Kid]

Only after developers add the features that use these resources to their iPad OS.

Which they will only do if a target device exists. Now it does.

 

[UBS28]

The fact that the MacBooks don’t have a touch screen in 2021 screams “PLEASE BUY BOTH. WE WANT ALL YOUR $$$!”

And if they gave the MacBooks touch screens, then you know where things are headed. They WILL merge sooner or later. The distinction is artificial at this point.

Exactly this. Laptops have touchscreens for ages now, except Apple. So Apple is on purposes putting a barrier between the two.

I understand Apple, because in the end, the goal is to make as much money as possible and they know Apple consumers keeps buying everything Apple puts out anyway.

I would like the iPad Pro to do everything a MacBook Pro can do, but that will never happen because of $$$.