Apple's new way to lure Windows PC users

[jpietrzak8]

Well, it looks like the main rationale for the existence of the Mac Mini is officially being transferred over to the iPad now. This quote taken from the Macrumors coverage of today's event:

10:48 am The new iPad Pro is "the ultimate PC replacement." There are over 1 million apps in the App Store to take advantage of.
10:47 am Schiller: 600 million PCs in use today that are over 5 years old. "These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro."​

Dunno how long the Mini will survive, if Apple's management has actually bought into this line of reasoning...

 

[essiw]

They say it is sad that there are so many people using a 5+ year old PC... well I would love to upgrade my current 2009 mac mini... if they give me a quad core one. Because yes, it is sad that some of the current macs do not have a quad core option.

 

[bse5150]

Well, it looks like the main rationale for the existence of the Mac Mini is officially being transferred over to the iPad now. This quote taken from the Macrumors coverage of today's event:

10:48 am The new iPad Pro is "the ultimate PC replacement." There are over 1 million apps in the App Store to take advantage of.
10:47 am Schiller: 600 million PCs in use today that are over 5 years old. "These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro."​

Dunno how long the Mini will survive, if Apple's management has actually bought into this line of reasoning...

Aside from portability, there's nothing that would compel me to abandon my PC in favor of an iPad Pro. Just not going to happen.

I think Apple is losing the plot.

 

[treekram]

I don't know if they consider a "PC" Windows-only or lump the Macs into that category. Like the OP, I don't know if it's propaganda or they actually believe what they're saying. I don't think Apple will listen to individual users in this matter, but large-organization customers would be a different kettle of fish and I find it difficult to believe that that have bought into what Apple is saying.

 

[dogslobber]

Well, it looks like the main rationale for the existence of the Mac Mini is officially being transferred over to the iPad now. This quote taken from the Macrumors coverage of today's event:

10:48 am The new iPad Pro is "the ultimate PC replacement." There are over 1 million apps in the App Store to take advantage of.
10:47 am Schiller: 600 million PCs in use today that are over 5 years old. "These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro."​

Dunno how long the Mini will survive, if Apple's management has actually bought into this line of reasoning...

It's all marketing speak. Total nonsense like their pristine videos. It's all too stage managed and perfected to create a picture of perfect perfection but at the end of the day it's an ipad and they're useless for extended periods of doing anything productive.

 

[Crosscreek]

Apple is starting to believe their own crap. lol

 

[Osty]

They say it is sad that there are so many people using a 5+ year old PC... well I would love to upgrade my current 2009 mac mini... if they give me a quad core one. Because yes, it is sad that some of the current macs do not have a quad core option.

Think of the environmental costs of people landfilling those 5yo but other wise perfectly good computers for a new iPad. Much cheaper and more responsible to upgrade what you have and use an operating system more friendly on lower resources

 

[MrWillie]

I still use a late 08 mid range iMac. The '14 mid range mini is in the entertainment center. Wife and I mostly use our iPads. She does have a year old Windows laptop she pulls out from time to time. My work issued laptop is only used at work.

It's all about what you want to do.

 

[Fishrrman]

bse5150 wrote:
"Aside from portability, there's nothing that would compel me to abandon my PC in favor of an iPad Pro. Just not going to happen."

Complete agreement here.
Why would I want to trade my MacBook Pro for a "pad" device that has no keyboard? Or ports?

I need a REAL keyboard on which to type.
But then, I'm "old school" -- because I'm old!

 

[essiw]

bse5150 wrote:
"Aside from portability, there's nothing that would compel me to abandon my PC in favor of an iPad Pro. Just not going to happen."

Complete agreement here.
Why would I want to trade my MacBook Pro for a "pad" device that has no keyboard? Or ports?

I need a REAL keyboard on which to type.
But then, I'm "old school" -- because I'm old!

Not that I think that the iPad is a replacement for a mac, but the keyboard argument does not really hold. Wireless keyboards work for a few years already (maybe even always?), and for the iPad pro there is even a keyboard case...

 

[2ilent8cho]

I know many who got an iPad and now their Windows laptops are covered in dust and have not been used for the last few years.

Whilst i don't see the iPad replacing my Mac due to my needs, and there will be many like me, i'm guessing there is a large target audience who do not need an OS or device as complex as OS X/Windows .

If you look what you can do on an iPad now , it covers what i believe are most use cases for normal non tech people. You can get Word, Excel, Powerpoint, browse the web, do online banking, shop on amazon, read a book, listen to music, watch videos, print , order a takeaway , play games , what is it missing that non technical people need? These people struggle the second Windows throws up some weird error, or some nasty gets on the machine, so the simplicity of iOS is great for them.

The other great thing is i'm hardly ever fixing other peoples computers now, more free time for me since they almost all have iPads and they just don't need anywhere near as much baby sitting as Windows.

 

[dogslobber]

I know many who got an iPad and now their Windows laptops are covered in dust and have not been used for the last few years.

Whilst i don't see the iPad replacing my Mac due to my needs, and there will be many like me, i'm guessing there is a large target audience who do not need an OS or device as complex as OS X/Windows .

If you look what you can do on an iPad now , it covers what i believe are most use cases for normal non tech people. You can get Word, Excel, Powerpoint, browse the web, do online banking, shop on amazon, read a book, listen to music, watch videos, print , order a takeaway , play games , what is it missing that non technical people need? These people struggle the second Windows throws up some weird error, or some nasty gets on the machine, so the simplicity of iOS is great for them.

Ipad is great for browsing facebook and looking at cat videos on youtube. For real work, no so much. I mean, it can' run xcode and you can't get a terminal on the ipad itself to allow you to ssh elsewhere amongst other things. So it's like a television to me.

The other great thing is i'm hardly ever fixing other peoples computers now, more free time for me since they almost all have iPads and they just don't need anywhere near as much baby sitting as Windows.

You lost that one as soon as you looked at your first Window computer. That's an evil OS.

 

[bse5150]

According to IDC, shipments of tablets in general are down... Again! The trajectory for tablets is downward... Not exactly the type of trend one would hope to see of a "PC replacement."

http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS40990116

 

[Fishrrman]

One other thing about iPads -- to my knowledge, there is no "finder" on them, right?

I absolutely need the file-management capabilities of the finder.
The ability to create folders, move files, folders, etc. onto and off of the device.
The ability to have multiple applications and windows open at once.
Same as on my desktop.

If it can't do this, I can't use it.

 

[Osty]

an't get a terminal on the ipad itself to allow you to ssh elsewhere

There's a couple of terminal apps available that will let you SSH to a remote box. I've even experimented using it as a remote desktop client for local and VPS linux boxes. Like most technies/creatives, I have a few edge cases were I need a desktop operating system and something with grunt, but I'm at the point now where I can use the iPad as a surrogate laptop.

 

[MrWillie]

According to IDC, shipments of tablets in general are down... Again! The trajectory for tablets is downward... Not exactly the type of trend one would hope to see of a "PC replacement."

http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS40990116

Good ole Statistics... Anyway, let's look at the big picture, before jumping to conclusions. For some of their data IDC decided to separate slate tablets from detachable tablets, which are in fact tablets, with an included keyboard that you may or may not use. (Unlike the attached keyboard on my work issued i7 Windows tank laptop). Sales of tablets with detachable keyboards are up. Is the market as a whole up or down ? Not sure, but I think its down. We also need to look at PC sales, and they are also down. Lastly how are people using tablets vs PCs ? So the statement that people are replacing their PCs with tablets could certainly be true.

My usage ? Mac Mini is used as a media server. Since, for whatever reason small computing devices like Roku or Apple TV can't pull media from an NAS drive, I have to have a server, I also use it to wirelessly manage and back up my iPhone and iPad.

So, have I replaced a PC with an iPad for home use ? Id like to think so. Do I still have a home PC ? Well yes, it makes life easier, but I don't sit at it and use it directly.

 

[Crosscreek]

One other thing about iPads -- to my knowledge, there is no "finder" on them, right?

I absolutely need the file-management capabilities of the finder.
The ability to create folders, move files, folders, etc. onto and off of the device.
The ability to have multiple applications and windows open at once.
Same as on my desktop.

If it can't do this, I can't use it.

I think Apple wants you to use iCloud for file system which means that you still need a means like a computer with ports to transfer to a thumb drive or other drive + you only get 5GB free before the Apple tax sets in to pay rent for drive space.

So what was the question? Can I replace my computer with an iPad. lol

 

[cube]

I think Microsoft would have more of an argument in saying Surface could replace a Mac.

 

[Fancuku]

Yes, lets send 600 million PCs to the landfill, right after they show a video on how green they are. The sad part is that many fanatics will it up.

 

[MrWillie]

I think Apple wants you to use iCloud for file system which means that you still need a means like a computer with ports to transfer to a thumb drive or other drive + you only get 5GB free before the Apple tax sets in to pay rent for drive space.

So what was the question? Can I replace my computer with an iPad. lol

One Drive.

 

[Osty]

I think Microsoft would have more of an argument in saying Surface could replace a Mac.

Pains me to admit it, but it's true if you go by the 'good enough' principle. Apple wants us to have three devices: Mac, iPad, iPhone (and watch, TV...) but with the Surface you get enough functionality where you can boil it down to just the phone and tablet.

Apple needs to be careful here. A better iOS experience and iOS hardware will hurt the Mac more than it will hurt Windows - halo effect be damned. If a user can do 90% of their computing on a $600 iPad, why the hell should they spend $1000+ for a Mac when a $300 Windows box (which will work with iTunes, iCloud etc) will do the job perfectly well for that 10% of tasks that need heavy lifting.

The exclusive stuff that OS X offers (mostly the Xcode build chain and UNIX) means nothing to average users. If you buy a Mac just to live in a browser or run MS Office and Adobe's stuff you've got rocks in your head and too much cash in your pocket.

 

[Crosscreek]

One Drive.

Yeah, One Drive works or Drop Box...etc. Even my WD Cloud works but no easy way to transfer files to a thumb drive or portable drives without a special bluetooth or wireless hub that will connect wit the iPad.

Also the fact that you can't use multiple windows at one time. What I saying is it's just burdensome for what a computer can do so easily for the same price as an iPad.
[doublepost=1458687884][/doublepost]

Pains me to admit it, but it's true if you go by the 'good enough' principle. Apple wants us to have three devices: Mac, iPad, iPhone (and watch, TV...) but with the Surface you get enough functionality where you can boil it down to just the phone and tablet.

Your right.....Apple missed the boat on this when not creating an OS X tablet.

 

[dogslobber]

I think Apple wants you to use iCloud for file system which means that you still need a means like a computer with ports to transfer to a thumb drive or other drive + you only get 5GB free before the Apple tax sets in to pay rent for drive space.

So what was the question? Can I replace my computer with an iPad. lol

I think public clouds like iCloud are very retro nowadays. I'm beginning to see a transition for a lot of people form the public cloud to their own personal, portable cloud, due to security concerns about how is sneaking a look at your data when you don't know. That's not possible when you use your own personal, portable cloud.

 

[Osty]

I think public clouds like iCloud are very retro nowadays.

Maybe, for users of a more technical bent. I run a personal instance of OwnCloud and as much as I like it most of the iOS and Android apps I use don't support it. I can pretty much guarantee though that everyone I know has at least a free dropbox account.

 

[bse5150]

Good ole Statistics... Anyway, let's look at the big picture, before jumping to conclusions. For some of their data IDC decided to separate slate tablets from detachable tablets, which are in fact tablets, with an included keyboard that you may or may not use. (Unlike the attached keyboard on my work issued i7 Windows tank laptop). Sales of tablets with detachable keyboards are up. Is the market as a whole up or down ? Not sure, but I think its down.

The trend for tablets is down. Not only is the overall market down, but Apple's share of the market is shrinking.

Sales of detachable tablets might be up, but we're talking only eight million units combined.