iPad Pro Let’s pretend the rumors are true

[satinsilverem2]

If Apple next week announces iPad OS and it brings along windowed app support and better external display support what do you think the requirements will be. I have a feeling that it will be limited to the M1 pros or at the very least 2018/2020 pros.

 

[TJ82]

I have a 4th gen iPad Pro 12.9 and as much as I’d love to see windowed apps like this Mixer rumour suggest I think it’s a fairytale to think Apple would ever offer it to non M1 iPads.

It’s probably the single greatest carrot on a stick they could offer for iPad Pro users right now. No way they would pass that up IMO.

Non M1 iPad Pro’s are still super powerful but you know, greed, and we have a planet to destroy, so Apple will be Apple.

 

[darngooddesign]

Considering every window would need a handle, you would actually lose screen real estate compared more robust, horizontal and vertical split screen. Windows don't solve any issues that couldn't be solved by horizontal and vertical split screen.

But to the question, considering Apple could have limited Sidecar and Universal Control to newer devices, I have both on my 2016 iPad Pro, I think all iPads that get iOS16 will get windows. Apple is going to want their new multitasking system on as many devices as possible, otherwise Apple and developers have to deal with supporting a two versions of iPadOS16 with different structural app/window management systems.

 

[Digitalguy]

Considering every window would need a handle, you would actually lose screen real estate compared more robust, horizontal and vertical split screen. Windows don't solve any issues that couldn't be solved by horizontal and vertical split screen.

But to the question, considering Apple could have limited Sidecar and Universal Control to newer devices, I have both on my 2016 iPad Pro, I think all iPads that get iOS16 will get windows. Apple is going to want their new multitasking system on as many devices as possible, otherwise Apple and developers have to deal with supporting a two versions of iPadOS16 with different structural app/window management systems.

The windows make sense mainly on an external display in extended mode, not on the iPad. They are even necessary to make an extended display work properly.

 

[Digitalguy]

I have a 4th gen iPad Pro 12.9 and as much as I’d love to see windowed apps like this Mixer rumour suggest I think it’s a fairytale to think Apple would ever offer it to non M1 iPads.

It’s probably the single greatest carrot on a stick they could offer for iPad Pro users right now. No way they would pass that up IMO.

Non M1 iPad Pro’s are still super powerful but you know, greed, and we have a planet to destroy, so Apple will be Apple.

I think it's not a matter of greed. 6GB RAM is simply not enough for proper multitasking with an external display without the ability to swap to disk like MacOS can. The only greed is Apple giving too little RAM to iPad before the M1.
People say iPadOS needs less RAM than MacOS. The truth is that it does because it's much more limited, once you remove some of the limitations, then the RAM become necessary for a good experience.

 

[turbineseaplane]

People say iPadOS needs less RAM than MacOS.

People also seem to like to think that Apple does some type of engineering magic that suddenly makes less RAM not a problem.

 

[satinsilverem2]

I think it's not a matter of greed. 6GB RAM is simply not enough for proper multitasking with an external display without the ability to swap to disk like MacOS can. The only greed is Apple giving too little RAM to iPad before the M1.
People say iPadOS needs less RAM than MacOS. The truth is that it does because it's much more limited, once you remove some of the limitations, then the RAM become necessary for a good experience.

I would have to agree. I think 6GB while on a mobile device isn't a bad thing necessarily but when you then want the device to do more at once or expand to a larger display it can become a bottleneck.

 

[Digitalguy]

People also seem to like to think that Apple does some type of engineering magic that suddenly makes less RAM not a problem.

The magic is limiting multitasking a lot (limiting what can run in the background and for how long, reloading apps and tabs with no possibility of user intervention, and limiting how many things can be opened in the foreground at the same time)
Reminds me of the myths about the magic of unified RAM on Macs. I still hear people saying that in M1 Macs 8GB of unified RAM is equivalent to 16GB on Intel. That's complete nonsense. 8GB is equivalent to 8GB. Faster RAM does not mean more RAM. Unified RAM does not increase RAM (if anything it's the opposite) and faster swap due to faster storage is not to be confused with more RAM....

 

[rui no onna]

But to the question, considering Apple could have limited Sidecar and Universal Control to newer devices, I have both on my 2016 iPad Pro, I think all iPads that get iOS16 will get windows. Apple is going to want their new multitasking system on as many devices as possible, otherwise Apple and developers have to deal with supporting a two versions of iPadOS16 with different structural app/window management systems.

They’ve kinda done it before.

The OG Air didn’t get the same multitasking abilities as the Air 2, and the 2016 iPad Pros and older didn’t have the same multitasking abilities as the 2017 iPad Pros and newer.

 

[macsplusmacs]

yah I have the ipad pro 12.9 that was the first FaceID one. so around 2017.

I love it.

But I am expecting the new iPad OS windows thing will not support it sadly.


let's hope!

 

[jdb8167]

People also seem to like to think that Apple does some type of engineering magic that suddenly makes less RAM not a problem.

Not magic just memory compression done in hardware. Speeds up virtual memory by eliminating a lot swapping to SSD.

 

[rui no onna]

yah I have the ipad pro 12.9 that was the first FaceID one. so around 2017.

November 2018 at the earliest, iirc.

 

[darngooddesign]

They’ve kinda done it before.

The OG Air didn’t get the same multitasking abilities as the Air 2, and the 2016 iPad Pros and older didn’t have the same multitasking abilities as the 2017 iPad Pros and newer.

What multitasking is my 2016 iPP missing?

 

[Digitalguy]

Not magic just memory compression done in hardware. Speeds up virtual memory by eliminating a lot swapping to SSD.

Memory compression is used also in desktop systems, in addition to swapping to disk, and there is no virtual memory on iPadOS, contrary to desktop and to Android. Memory compression alone can only do so much without swapping to disk.

 

[darngooddesign]

Memory compression is used also in desktop systems, in addition to swapping to disk, and there is no virtual memory on iPadOS, contrary to desktop and to Android. Memory compression alone can only do so much without swapping to disk.

Yeah I suspect that iPadOS will get swap memory if it gets a MacPad mode.

 

[jdb8167]

Memory compression is used also in desktop systems, in addition to swapping to disk, and there is no virtual memory on iPadOS, contrary to desktop and to Android. Memory compression alone can only do so much without swapping to disk.

I doubt that iPadOS is using memory compression since it isn’t using swap at all.

 

[eicca]

The fact that an iPad Pro costs more than a MacBook Air and does less than a MacBook Air boggles my mind.

I get the pencil-and-tablet stuff is useful for people. But I don't get paying more than a laptop to be able to do that.

Seriously, just make the iPad run macOS and it would be both devices very effectively. All problems solved.

 

[macsplusmacs]

The fact that an iPad Pro costs more than a MacBook Air and does less than a MacBook Air boggles my mind.

I get the pencil-and-tablet stuff is useful for people. But I don't get paying more than a laptop to be able to do that.

Seriously, just make the iPad run macOS and it would be both devices very effectively. All problems solved.

Never!!!



Well, I hope never.

If I wanted a cruddy hybrid OS for tablet and desktop I'll buy a Microsoft Surface device.

 

[Digitalguy]

I doubt that iPadOS is using memory compression since it isn’t using swap at all.

Memory compression is one of the main ways iPadOS manages RAM

 

[jdb8167]

Memory compression is one of the main ways iPadOS manages RAM

Interesting. You are correct. I found a WWDC18 video describing it. So maybe Apple will enable swap after all.

 

[eicca]

Never!!!



Well, I hope never.

If I wanted a cruddy hybrid OS for tablet and desktop I'll buy a Microsoft Surface device.

That’s the thing, if anyone could make it work, it would be Apple.

 

[turbineseaplane]

That’s the thing, if anyone could make it work, it would be Apple.

Because of their great software quality?

(I'm not being serious)

 

[Digitalguy]

Interesting. You are correct. I found a WWDC18 video describing it. So maybe Apple will enable swap after all.

I doubt it. They would have done it already if that was their plan. But who knows...

 

[eicca]

Because of their great software quality?

(I'm not being serious)

I agree the quality is not what it used to be. But they still have a way of making things work in intuitive and natural ways that other companies don't.

 

[sracer]

The fact that an iPad Pro costs more than a MacBook Air and does less than a MacBook Air boggles my mind.

I get the pencil-and-tablet stuff is useful for people. But I don't get paying more than a laptop to be able to do that.

Seriously, just make the iPad run macOS and it would be both devices very effectively. All problems solved.

"does less" is highly subjective. The iPad line does things that no Macbook does. They're two different form-factors.

Nearly everyone here on MacRumors criticized Microsoft for the Surface tablet line of products. The wailing and gnashing of teeth over how Microsoft was simply putting a desktop OS on a tablet were of epic proportions.

I was one of them. Slapping a desktop OS (with oversized UI elements) on a tablet is NOT a good thing. It wasn't good when Microsoft did it, it wouldn't be good should Apple decide to do it.

Google has stumbled and fumbled with ChromeOS with regard to trying to bridge the divide between the laptop and tablet form-factor. They did a better job than Microsoft IMO, but they still fell way short... but that was an easier task since ChromeOS is far less functional than Windows.

Samsung IMO, has done the best job to-date in providing a tablet and desktop experience in a single device. DeX on their Android tablets is really a thing to behold for those who aren't swayed by the emotions of platform fandom.

Their Galaxy tabs are uncompromising in their tablet usage, and come the closest to a desktop experience using the same mobile OS.

Apple does NOT have a good track record with UX design when it comes to iOS/iPadOS. Their track record on the desktop isn't much better. I have no faith that Apple would do better than Microsoft should they decide to put MacOS on an iPad.

Is it possible to have an OS that can provide a stellar user experience as both a tablet AND a laptop? Absolutely! Does Apple have the will (they HAVE the technical ability to do it) to do that? Absolutely not! They didn't become a $3 trillion company by giving customers reasons to buy fewer products.