Ipads are great devices, there is no argument here. However, they are not PCs, and can replace a PC only for the most basic tasks (e.g., reading and browsing) because of the crippled operating system they are paired with. So why does Apple emphasize how powerful the ipad pro is in comparison with a PC? As far as I'm concerned, it can have petaflops of computational power, but unless i could use python, octave and R with it, it would never replace even a 2009 macbook pro. I think Apple should forget this whole "pro" bovine droppings ad strategy, and focus on how great the ipad is as a consumer electronics device. And if they really want to focus on the pro segment, they should come up with a way to run mac os on ipad pro.
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.
I don't understand Apple's ad strategy
- Thread starter iop
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Pricing. How many people would be willing to spend $650-1300 on a device that would only be used for Netflix and Facebook?
Yes, the iPhones are equally as expensive or even moreso but I reckon a good portion of iPhone users buy those either subsidized or on installment.
Yes, the iPhones are equally as expensive or even moreso but I reckon a good portion of iPhone users buy those either subsidized or on installment.
What Apple is trying to do here is get people to rethink just what it is they use their computers for, and whether those needs can be better met with an iPad.
When you think about it, many people aren’t really using their PCs for really complicated stuff either. Not everyone is editing 4K footage in Final Cut Pro, or developing apps or running complex simulations. Stuff like email, web browsing, simple word processing, viewing of pdf documents - all these can be done handily on an iPad.
As a teacher using his iPad to teach in the classroom, I for one fully support Apple’s push to make the iPad more “pro”. I don’t agree the correct move is to port macOS over though. The challenge is in rethinking how those desktop workflows can be redesigned for a mobile user interface.
Because they want our money and we’re delusional enough to buy into everything they’re selling. I bought the 12.9-inch with the intention of replacing my MacBook Pro, but it turned out to be a huge letdown! So, I’ve downgraded to the 10.5-inch and its’ actually more truthful to Apple’s words. It’s a little portable alternative “laptop”, where the 12.9-inch makes it more obvious that you’re carrying around a huge mobile device.
Honestly, they need to hold off from producing new iPad designs in 2018, and focus on evolving the softeware, because a touch-less iPad won’t make it more “pro”, only its features will. What I need more than anything is for Apple to let iOS safari work with better with websites that use advanced codes and flash such as google drive, because I hate the app version. The home screen also needs to be more than just a “launch pad”... And can we please get a damn backlight keyboard like Microsoft surface!? I tried it the other day and not gonna lie, I’m tempted to buy it just based on the amazing feel of its keyboard.
Honestly, they need to hold off from producing new iPad designs in 2018, and focus on evolving the softeware, because a touch-less iPad won’t make it more “pro”, only its features will. What I need more than anything is for Apple to let iOS safari work with better with websites that use advanced codes and flash such as google drive, because I hate the app version. The home screen also needs to be more than just a “launch pad”... And can we please get a damn backlight keyboard like Microsoft surface!? I tried it the other day and not gonna lie, I’m tempted to buy it just based on the amazing feel of its keyboard.
The ads are cool but I don't make my Apple purchases based on their ads. Apple had products that work. I can buy the product and test it for 14 days to decide if it works for me. If it doesn't work for me I can return it.
The luxury of America. In Europe we are not allowed to return our purchased items once the package has been opened
unless it’s bought damaged of course...Yes, because the hardware teams are taking away from the coders...
REALLY? I will remember this the next time I’m in FranceThe luxury of America. In Europe we are not allowed to return our purchased items once the package has been opened
Yea but you guys have a far superior legally mandated warranty period.The luxury of America. In Europe we are not allowed to return our purchased items once the package has been opened
The luxury of America. In Europe we are not allowed to return our purchased items once the package has been opened
There are a lot of countries in Europe, so not sure which one you are specifically talking about.
In the UK, depending on how you buy it, you can most certainly return it after opening it.
Meanwhile my 9.5" iPad Prod and Pencil have revolutionized my workflow and now I find myself only rarely taking my MacBook in to meetings when I'm working on using my Windows Desktop via RDP.
Note-taking (with pencil) - check. Reading manuals - check. Viewing issues on our web site - check. Interviews - check. Short-medium bursts of coding - check (with external keyboard).
All these and more I used to use a laptop for. All have been supplanted by my iPad.
Just because you don't get a justification for it, doesn't mean other's don't.
That said, my MacBook Pro at home (which is my personal home PC) also has a definite set of plus - that said, even as a laptop it's still more tethered to home than mobile due to the external drive I use for Time Machine etc.
My iPad meanwhile goes everywhere with me - last year I even used it to debug a nasty little bug on one of our Sql Server stored procedures that was killing our warehouse load whilst the wife was driving in the middle of Illinois.
I think a lot of it might be targeting younger people who are just buying their first computers, but have grown up with iPhones, rather than those of us who grew us using computers and later adopted smart phones as they came out. My wife's sisters both have their own computers, but they use their iPhones for almost everything & rarely turns on the computers. One of them even filed her taxes on her phone last year. If you can sell people who are used to touch-first devices on getting an iPad instead of a computer, they're likely to stay with you long term, and they won't have to re-design their workflows to work on an iPad. They would be used to the iPad and have to re-adjust their workflows to work on a computer.
I still use my computer more than my iPad, but if Quicken would put out an iPad version that wasn't crap, I might be tempted to switch over. Things are faster on the Mac, but a few years ago, when I was getting my MBA, I used an iPad as my primary device, and I got pretty proficient at it & it wasn't really much slower than using a computer. I think a lot of it is just getting used to the work flow. It's definitely slower for some apps, but not nearly as much slower as it originally feels when you first start using them.
I still use my computer more than my iPad, but if Quicken would put out an iPad version that wasn't crap, I might be tempted to switch over. Things are faster on the Mac, but a few years ago, when I was getting my MBA, I used an iPad as my primary device, and I got pretty proficient at it & it wasn't really much slower than using a computer. I think a lot of it is just getting used to the work flow. It's definitely slower for some apps, but not nearly as much slower as it originally feels when you first start using them.
I agree that most people don't use heir PCs for complicated stuff. But in that scenario the replacement device doesn't need to be powerful at all, so comparing computational power is rather meaningless. It would be much better to focus on advertizing how great it is for everyday standard tasks. Yet the second sentence on https://www.apple.com/ipad-pro/ talks about computational power.
[doublepost=1518411607][/doublepost]
Good point. That's the Japanese scenario. It comes with one drawback — the new generation will be a lot less proficient with computers. It will help keep IT wages high though.
The definition of a PC would put an iPad under that category as a personal computer. And truthfully most people have been using their iPad for years as a substitute for their laptops especially when going mobile. Apple's ad strategy is simple, the iPad is for the creative to go mobile. (Speaking of the iPad Pro)) It shows of the camera features, messaging, and all creative stuff. I have to admit the camera on the iPad Pro 10.5 is really sweet. For fun I took a few shots and they were nice and sharp.
Remember when the MBA came out, a lot of people were using it at a mobile MacBook. They most likely had a Mac or MBP at home along side the MBA. The same scenario fits here, a MBP and an iPad Pro. iPad is like a bigger version of the Newton aka Palm Pilot etc which had those Word Processing apps too. Instead of the stylus, we have an expensive Pencil. When the first iOS devices came out that allowed printing, we were stuck with having only a few printers that had AirPrint. Now you can compose papers and print. I really don't know what the iPad is missing to make it feel more like a PC? Remember the MBA didn't have a lot of connectors and the MBPs now come without a disc drive. I'm guessing Apple didn't include an SD slot on the iPad because the MS tablets have them or that Apple removal of them on the MBP which sucks.
Bottom line is if you use your iPad as an extension of your MBP then it's a PC
Remember when the MBA came out, a lot of people were using it at a mobile MacBook. They most likely had a Mac or MBP at home along side the MBA. The same scenario fits here, a MBP and an iPad Pro. iPad is like a bigger version of the Newton aka Palm Pilot etc which had those Word Processing apps too. Instead of the stylus, we have an expensive Pencil. When the first iOS devices came out that allowed printing, we were stuck with having only a few printers that had AirPrint. Now you can compose papers and print. I really don't know what the iPad is missing to make it feel more like a PC? Remember the MBA didn't have a lot of connectors and the MBPs now come without a disc drive. I'm guessing Apple didn't include an SD slot on the iPad because the MS tablets have them or that Apple removal of them on the MBP which sucks.
Bottom line is if you use your iPad as an extension of your MBP then it's a PC
Everyone’s use case is different. Just because the iPad Pro does not work as a PC replacement for you does not mean that it doesn’t for many other people. I run my music production company from an iPad Pro and I do so very effectively.
No, I guess you don't understand Apple's ad strategy since you apparently feel like most people need the ability to run Python, Octave and R (Hint: they don't).
Based on your assumptions, I would say there are probably a lot of other things you don't understand as well
iPads started as complimentary devices to iPhones and Macs. But at this point they very much are POTENTIALLY computer replacements for most general users.
Note that I said "Potentially". While an iPad has completely replaced the home computer for my wife and parents, they still do go to jobs where they have "real computers" to do things that the iPad cant. But still. The iPad is the complete package when it comes to basic home needs and even for me then my MacBook is mostly used for Photo Editing, Video Creation and Writing.
That said. Apple Barb and their whole "Whats a Computer" marketing campaign is the worst.
Note that I said "Potentially". While an iPad has completely replaced the home computer for my wife and parents, they still do go to jobs where they have "real computers" to do things that the iPad cant. But still. The iPad is the complete package when it comes to basic home needs and even for me then my MacBook is mostly used for Photo Editing, Video Creation and Writing.
That said. Apple Barb and their whole "Whats a Computer" marketing campaign is the worst.
Apple doesn’t have or need an iPad strategy. They are the best at what they are. Nothing else compares. You can buy an iPad and updates for years.
Problem is Laptops are becoming so thin and Light that they blur the Line of a Tablet. And iPad Pros are becoming so Powerful that they blur the line between Laptops.
The iPad just offers so much more. And best think is for iPads they are LTE like my 9.7” Pro so you can Pay Zero Financing And Pay the $800 ish cost $35 a month.
Heck my 9.7” Pro LTE was just $529 thanks to Sprint Pricematching Verizon’s Deal.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/anoc-pro-octave-editor/id597864931?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-for-ios/id1173749340?mt=8
iPad is only limited by software support, but even for your specific examples it wasn't hard to google something. The computational power is relevant, otherwise why would software developers bother to consider writing iOS specific programs?
In any case, Apple is happy to take your money if you prefer a MacBook. Use whatever works for you - to me the real issue with the "Pro" in iPad is weaning users off of the 99c prices they've come to expect from iOS apps. No one wants to develop for a software platform if you can't charge (and thus make) big bucks.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/anoc-pro-octave-editor/id597864931?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-for-ios/id1173749340?mt=8
iPad is only limited by software support, but even for your specific examples it wasn't hard to google something. The computational power is relevant, otherwise why would software developers bother to consider writing iOS specific programs?
In any case, Apple is happy to take your money if you prefer a MacBook. Use whatever works for you - to me the real issue with the "Pro" in iPad is weaning users off of the 99c prices they've come to expect from iOS apps. No one wants to develop for a software platform if you can't charge (and thus make) big bucks.
I don't know about Octave, but R and Python are severely limited on iOS devices. Of course you could do the basics, but the moment you need packages (R without tidyverse is aRgh) or the file system, you'll have to reach out for your trusty laptop/desktop computer. To be fair, you could connect to an R Studio server from your ipad, although the last time I checked, there were a few annoying glitches. Personally, I think carrying around a couple of extra pounds (in your laptop) is an acceptable price to pay for having unlimited capabilities. But, anyway, that's my issue.
I don't disagree actually. I'm a web developer, and I know for a fact that I cannot do without a MacBook, even as I enjoy my iPad Pro. For me my limitation is a lack of NodeJS support on an iPad - again similar situations, the (current) software just isn't up to the task.
Apple needs to make it worthwhile for tool / analysis developers to make iOS apps, otherwise the iPad Pro is never going to replace a laptop for the specific tools that high specialized professions need. I suspect this is why Apple is moving towards a unified programming framework (macOS + iOS apps under one framework) - this would, in theory, significantly reduce the cost of development of an iOS version of the same macOS app. Time will tell.
You are absolutely correct, there are a lot of things I don't understand, and that's why I like to ask questions. You seem like a person who knows a thing or two about Apple's strategy, so I'm wondering if I could pick your brain on one issue that has been bothering me. Below is a chart of Apple's revenue by segment showing declining ipad revenue and stagnant mac sales. How does it make sense to boost ipad revenue using strategy that cannibalizes mac sales and reduces Apple's strength in the computer segment?No, I guess you don't understand Apple's ad strategy since you apparently feel like most people need the ability to run Python, Octave and R (Hint: they don't).
Based on your assumptions, I would say there are probably a lot of other things you don't understand as well
I thought the OP was going to say how the current ipad pro tv ad showing a preteen girl riding around on her bike with her ipad pro was the wrong way to market the ipad pro. Cause thats what i was thinking. Why call it a pro and give it pro pricing...but then market it on tv with a young girl doodling on it? Seems counter intuative if you ask me.
I'm curious: What app do you use for note-taking? And what's your workflow there? Do you take notes, review them later, and then create "to do" lists?
I have yet to find an app where I can take notes, search them later on, and create work lists from the notes. But perhaps I haven't searched enough...