Trust me, the reason why they didn't do it until now has nothing to do with them being afraid of it replacing macbooks because even with a keyboard and trackpad the iPad still cant really replace a macbook for most productivity work flows. It hasn't been the lack of hardware attachments like the keyboard and mouse really that has gimped the ipad, it's the software like iOS/iPadOS where the problem really lies and until they get away from just using a blown up mobile phone OS on the iPad it won't work
The real reason why they are doing this now is because the Surface and devices like it are getting a trackhold and a lot of people like the 2-in-1 experience and apple has to respond. If it wasn't for the Surface line, you wouldn't have the apple pen, any mouse or keyboard support in iOS which everyone wants and you wouldn't have the stupid touch bar on the macbooks, which actually might have been a good thing!
therein lies the other argument or sentiment of an iPad or a tablet replacing a laptop/desktop computer for the average computer user. The same difference between an Android user and an iOS user ... presence or lack thereof a File Manager (both respectively).
one camp says the iPad or iOS is limited without a file system took Apple years to finally give us one and yet it’s still limited in traditional view of what it does - if you’re thinking of a traditional computing platform.
what Apple gave us does not curcumvent their vision of not needing one yet enhance or bring force the irreplaceable or convoluted use cases without having one.
traditional use case:
Save files wherever you wish. Open up a file where it may live (keep focused on “May live/be” for a moment)
iOS/iPadOS use case:
Apps still create their own files and have a centralized repository location therein to store its files. There has always been a subsystem for other apps capable of reading or editing such files since iOS 8 (I think).
Sharing files between other common cloud storage apps through a commonly shared API makes it bitterly smooth and easier for the end user.
soon will be sharing folders via permissions like cloud services have offered for over 15yrs now.
File sharing and cloud storage co location on various platforms still has its complexities and variances that users still face and is confusing for many end users.
most people even on desktops, especially over time cannot recall the file name or where they saved a file (especially within enterprise) unless saved on a network share - and that due to them daily knowing and working with such file(s). Challenge them locally on the laptop (outside of MP3’s or other music file extensions, or photos - unless they changed the default file save folder) and they’ll have difficulty finding such files or even documents
Trackpads have their purpose and I love them. I personally loath trackstick/point implementations yet I know a few that love em.
I see this potential move by Apple going in-line with the many years stance of a touch screen laptop fatiguing the end user for manipulation several times a day ; just simply adding a trackpad as the casual use of an iPad is fading into a daily main driver as a computing platform for many users starting to increase.
some will debate this is not needed, the trackpad, and to them I point the frequent traveller in an enterprise complaining the 1-2lbs different of alaptop within their over the shoulder bag or wheeled carry bag or knapsack. To those in my example I say did you not carry 8-12lbs laptops in university/college with 20lb bags filled eith books? Did you not have 4yrs+ to be stronger & maintain it since then? Hehe.
it’s about options to a changing platform. It’s great to have them.
