iPad Pro Interesting line in Gurman Power On newsletter today

[bscheffel]

Yep! It's a constant stream of self-entitled why the iPad needs fundamental change to be useful for them. They insist macOS must be made available on iPad hardware, even though it doesn't support touch input, and they already have a wide range of laptops fine-tuned perfectly for macOS.

For me it's really about having 1 device that can do it all.

iPad is the best for media consumption and light productivity from desk to sofa to bed. When you want a keyboard you can have it, when you don't need a keyboard you can just use as a tablet. It's super flexible.

Mac is best for work at a desk with heavy mouse and keyboard input and complicated workloads.

A Mac is never going to approach the flexibility of an iPad with the current clamshell, fixed keyboard design (though everyone but Apple is willing to try other form factors).

An iPad, however, could VERY easily do the job of a Mac for most people, IF Apple gave us a dual boot option when keyboard/mouse are connected. Boom - 1 device to do it all. No more schlepping a MacBook and an iPad around to go from desk to sofa to bed to do whatever workflows.

I accept the fact that Apple won't do this because they want you to buy a Mac AND an iPad. Heck Apple could even allow Parallels on an iPad to run Mac Apps but they intentionally disable the hypervisor on iPadOS that's needed to do this.

The argument isn't about destroying the simplicity of iPadOS or the iPad for the masses, it's about how one simple change could make iPad the only device I need.

 

[bcortens]

For me it's really about having 1 device that can do it all.

iPad is the best for media consumption and light productivity from desk to sofa to bed. When you want a keyboard you can have it, when you don't need a keyboard you can just use as a tablet. It's super flexible.

Mac is best for work at a desk with heavy mouse and keyboard input and complicated workloads.

A Mac is never going to approach the flexibility of an iPad with the current clamshell, fixed keyboard design (though everyone but Apple is willing to try other form factors).

An iPad, however, could VERY easily do the job of a Mac for most people, IF Apple gave us a dual boot option when keyboard/mouse are connected. Boom - 1 device to do it all. No more schlepping a MacBook and an iPad around to go from desk to sofa to bed to do whatever workflows.

This would suck. The only way that allowing the mac on iPad makes any sort of sense is in a VM. Tying to to docked state is too clumsy and would likely break things. You should be able to use it undocked if you have an apple pencil as Federico Viticci has already demonstrated with his weird MacPad thing.

 

[bscheffel]

This would suck. The only way that allowing the mac on iPad makes any sort of sense is in a VM. Tying to to docked state is too clumsy and would likely break things. You should be able to use it undocked if you have an apple pencil as Federico Viticci has already demonstrated with his weird MacPad thing.

It doesn't need to be that complicated. Pressing option key when iPad is turned on will boot to MacOS instead of iPadOS if Magic Keyboard (or bluetooth keyboard/mouse) is connected. If no Magic Keyboard is present it boots to iPadOS like it normally would. If the Magic Keyboard (or bluetooth keyboard/mouse) are disconnected after booting to MacOS pressing power button on iPad would shut down. MacOS doesn't support touch input so the touchscreen on iPad is disabled when booted to MacOS. It doesn't have to be complicated.

Bootcamp existed on Intel Macs for years and nobody thought that was overly complicated or ruined the Mac experience - most probably didn't even know it was there. Dual boot on iPad could be same (assuming iPad thermals could handle it)

Even easier, like you said would be for Apple to enable hypervisor on iPadOS (in fact it was enabled until iPadOS 16.4) and change the App Store rules to allow a product like Parallels.

 

[dumastudetto]

It doesn't need to be that complicated. Pressing option key when iPad is turned on will boot to MacOS instead of iPadOS if Magic Keyboard (or bluetooth keyboard/mouse) is connected. If no Magic Keyboard is present it boots to iPadOS like it normally would. If the Magic Keyboard (or bluetooth keyboard/mouse) are disconnected after booting to MacOS pressing power button on iPad would shut down. MacOS doesn't support touch input so the touchscreen on iPad is disabled when booted to MacOS. It doesn't have to be complicated.

Bootcamp existed on Intel Macs for years and nobody thought that was overly complicated or ruined the Mac experience - most probably didn't even know it was there. Dual boot on iPad could be same (assuming iPad thermals could handle it)

Even easier, like you said would be for Apple to enable hypervisor on iPadOS (in fact it was enabled until iPadOS 16.4) and change the App Store rules to allow a product like Parallels.

It is that complicated because even the stuff you think is trivial requires software development time and testing. There will likely be all kinds of niggly little issues in macOS on iPad that customers will demand Apple fix. Be it OS, Apps, Connected Devices, Networking, etc. And eventually, you're now committed to supporting two distinct versions of macOS for every release in active support. Every update will need to be tested on iPad hardware in addition to all the Mac hardware. It quickly becomes a nightmare and you'll only be doing all this for a tiny number of users.

 

[bscheffel]

It is that complicated because even the stuff you think is trivial requires software development time and testing. There will likely be all kinds of niggly little issues in macOS on iPad that customers will demand Apple fix. Be it OS, Apps, Connected Devices, Networking, etc. And eventually, you're now committed to supporting two distinct versions of macOS for every release in active support. Every update will need to be tested on iPad hardware in addition to all the Mac hardware. It quickly becomes a nightmare and you'll only be doing all this for a tiny number of users.

This is a fair argument against it especially since doing this won't necessarily be driving iPad sales.

Allowing hypervisor and Parallels on the App Store would largely avoid this - Parallels would be getting revenue from this so they would have incentive to work with Apple on any issues of compatibility (similar to how they do today for Mac VM's on Mac hardware).

 

[kc9hzn]

This is a fair argument against it especially since doing this won't necessarily be driving iPad sales.

Allowing hypervisor and Parallels on the App Store would largely avoid this - Parallels would be getting revenue from this so they would have incentive to work with Apple on any issues of compatibility (similar to how they do today for Mac VM's on Mac hardware).

I could see Apple adding some sort of virtualization extension framework to iOS. Not only would it be useful for this context, but it would also be useful for using the iPad as a software development platform. You could virtualize iOS on iOS to enable on-device development without compromising sandboxing/security, also you could virtualize access to the Unix underpinnings for the sake of Unix development tools like NPM. I think it would still be tied to App Store apps, so you might have Parallels that would allow you to import virtual machines from, say, your desktop, or you could have NPM served as an app that wraps NPM in a virtual Unix environment, or an iOS XCode app. I think that approach would work far better than trying to shoehorn macOS onto the iPad.

 

[007p]

I have always liked the idea of virtualization on an iPad. I really don’t know why they haven’t done it yet, it’s a win for everyone.
The user could install whatever they like, be it macOS, windows, Linux, or as mentioned iOS.
It’s another category in the App Store, which would drive additional revenue for Apple.
And it puts an end to a lot of problems (or buys unlimited time for them to be dealt with properly) whilst simultaneously opening the device up for a lot more people.

Don’t want any of this? Simple. Just don’t install a VM app.

I can see issues with how this might work in terms of storage pass through and accessories/the thunderbolt port. So maybe this is what they have been working on since iPadOS 16 🤷‍♂️
Either way, I hope allowing emulators in the app store was a sign that Apple might finally head in this direction.

 

[bcortens]

The The thing you’re missing with respect virtualization is the fact that it used to exist. Apple removed virtualization from iPadOS at some point. I think it was either 16 or 17. To expect them to add it back now seems wildly optimistic in my opinion

 

[007p]

The The thing you’re missing with respect virtualization is the fact that it used to exist. Apple removed virtualization from iPadOS at some point. I think it was either 16 or 17. To expect them to add it back now seems wildly optimistic in my opinion

I would be surprised if it was any more than a flag/option to get it back in the public builds for Apple.
And besides, it wouldn’t be the first time things have been removed or deemed unnecessary and then come back.

 

[bcortens]

I would be surprised if it was any more than a flag/option to get it back in the public builds for Apple.
And besides, it wouldn’t be the first time things have been removed or deemed unnecessary and then come back.

I think it would be easy to add back in as well. However I believe it was removed because it was too easy to enable side loading via macOS, unless Apple suddenly becomes more willing to open up I don't see them releasing their iron grip on iPad. I could be wrong, maybe the calculus inside Apple changes and they feel that the positive press and capability improvements to iPad would be worth re-enabling it.

 

[hovscorpion12]

I think it would be easy to add back in as well. However I believe it was removed because it was too easy to enable side loading via macOS, unless Apple suddenly becomes more willing to open up I don't see them releasing their iron grip on iPad. I could be wrong, maybe the calculus inside Apple changes and they feel that the positive press and capability improvements to iPad would be worth re-enabling it.

I mean, legally speaking iOS 18 and iPadOS in Europe has to be open without an Iron grip. So far US owners have gotten the shaft since there are no current US laws forcing Apple to bend the knee.

hopefully iPadOS 18 breaks the cycle on a full global scale.

 

[bcortens]

I mean, legally speaking iOS 18 and iPadOS in Europe has to be open without an Iron grip. So far US owners have gotten the shaft since there are no current US laws forcing Apple to bend the knee.

hopefully iPadOS 18 breaks the cycle on a full global scale.

Given how hard they are fighting the DMA I don't have the hope you do on that front.

 

[NastyMatt]

I quite often see the argument that Apple will not put MacOS on an iPad as they want you to buy both an iPad and a Mac, my view is Apple have recognised a segment of the market that would NOT buy a Mac if there was no iPad available and would stick with only a Windows device.

As soon as you add MacOS or some dual boot option it becomes what that segment was actively trying to avoid.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

You don't have to own and find every Apple device genuinely useful. Use what works for you. iPad serves its market perfectly and will only continue to grow.

Good point. Surface has a Microsoft logo with its own OS. iPad has an Apple logo with its own OS. No one opines about when the iPad will be able to do all the things Windows does, including running Windows apps. And, the differences between the two mean that, if your needs requires you to be able to do things the Surface computer is good at AND things the iPad computer are good at, then it’s common sense. You need to own both.

The same logic applies to the Mac and the iPad, but because they both have Apple logos it becomes a significant problem for some.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I suspect back in the days Mark Gurman had some serious leakers inside Apple because his information was much more precise than now. Now after Apple did some “cleansings” inside, they may even feed him with fake info so that he looses his rep. Although those are just my guesses, don’t take it serious enough

There were tales of an internal meeting Apple had talking about security. A few folks at that meeting communicated it… as they do, and were spotted and relieved of duties by the end of the day. My thinking is that it wasn’t even anything dramatic or excessively intrusive. I’d bet that it was just that a large number of people thought that doing “private” stuff on their work computer/phone is OK, they’ll never find out! There’s probably a few people reading this that are like “I shouldn’t have to carry two phones or two laptops when I travel!”

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I would be surprised if it was any more than a flag/option to get it back in the public builds for Apple.
And besides, it wouldn’t be the first time things have been removed or deemed unnecessary and then come back.

I think that if it was, there’s a large enough group of folks that want to see it back that someone on stackoverflow would have found it by now

 

[prospervic]

For me it's really about having 1 device that can do it all.

iPad is the best for media consumption and light productivity from desk to sofa to bed. When you want a keyboard you can have it, when you don't need a keyboard you can just use as a tablet. It's super flexible.

Mac is best for work at a desk with heavy mouse and keyboard input and complicated workloads.

A Mac is never going to approach the flexibility of an iPad with the current clamshell, fixed keyboard design (though everyone but Apple is willing to try other form factors).

An iPad, however, could VERY easily do the job of a Mac for most people, IF Apple gave us a dual boot option when keyboard/mouse are connected. Boom - 1 device to do it all. No more schlepping a MacBook and an iPad around to go from desk to sofa to bed to do whatever workflows.

I accept the fact that Apple won't do this because they want you to buy a Mac AND an iPad. Heck Apple could even allow Parallels on an iPad to run Mac Apps but they intentionally disable the hypervisor on iPadOS that's needed to do this.

The argument isn't about destroying the simplicity of iPadOS or the iPad for the masses, it's about how one simple change could make iPad the only device I need.

So sorry. Apple doesn’t especially care about your needing only one device. They care about selling a range of products for their various customers. And about maximizing shareholder wealth, which is the fiduciary responsibility of a public corporation.

 

[prospervic]

This dteam of macOS on iPad is delusional, at best. Here’s a reality check: How many Apple products without “Mac” in the name run macOS? ZERO!

Apple has clearly defined iPadOS and macOS and the devices they run on. The best that these dreamers can hope for is Apple and 3rd party developers formulating Mac versions or certain apps to run on iPadOS. That’s it!