iPad Pro M1 iPad Pro...why?

[jclardy]

So the new 12.9 looks great, hardware wise. M1, mini-LED, thunderbolt.

But why? Everything is still limited by iPadOS. No new pro app announcements. No new capabilities. Basically this iPad can do everything the 2020 iPad Pro 12.9 does, but slightly faster and brighter.

Only reason I would upgrade is if someone could find a way to virtualize macOS and I could run Xcode there, while still using iPadOS for everything else...

 

[SingleDuvet]

Did you know that ipadOS is upgradable?

 

[bscheffel]

I imagine at WWDC we are getting Xcode, Final Cut, and Logic Pro for iPad. Next year likely the ability to dual boot to Mac OS.

 

[profets]

Maybe something will be in the cards with iOS 15.

Not that it really matters, but it does feel weird to use the M1 as opposed to say an A14X or an iPad branded version of the M1. Figured M would always be for Mac.

 

[Mackilroy]

You don't use an app like Procreate, do you?

 

[AutomaticApple]

I imagine at WWDC we are getting Xcode, Final Cut, and Logic Pro for iPad. Next year likely the ability to dual boot to Mac OS.

Same here. Improvements to Procreate and LumaFusion too.

 

[Digitalguy]

When the 2018 pro came with USB C there was no iPadOS, at least now we are only less than 2 months away from a likely major improvement

 

[rui no onna]

Maybe something will be in the cards with iOS 15.

Not that it really matters, but it does feel weird to use the M1 as opposed to say an A14X or an iPad branded version of the M1. Figured M would always be for Mac.

Yep. I know it's all just branding but M1 on the iPad plus same RAM options as M1 Macs seems to me to be pointing towards convergence sooner rather than later.

 

[jclardy]

Well I have to walk it back after seeing 8GB/16GB RAM options in these new M1 iPad's. That means Apple must have something big in store for iPadOS at WWDC.

 

[Puonti]

Makes it really easy to some time in the future say "...and this new AppleOS runs on all devices with the M-series chips".

 

[Digitalguy]

Yep. I know it's all just branding but M1 on the iPad plus same RAM options as M1 Macs seems to me to be pointing towards convergence sooner rather than later.

I think that this is also point to something else. The pro is decoupling from the rest of the line. iPadOS could introduce new features that only the M1 can take advantage of, like heavy multitasking on external display and iPad at the same time, or even, dare I say, background apps. Older iPads, including pro ones, won't age well...

 

[rui no onna]

I think that this is also point to something else. The pro is decoupling from the rest of the line. iPadOS could introduce new features that only the M1 can take advantage of, like heavy multitasking on external display and iPad at the same time, or even, dare I say, background apps. Older iPads, including pro ones, won't age well...

Yep, quite agree. I wouldn't be surprised if the changes are just on the 2021 Pros. This makes me glad that I was patient enough to wait and not settle for the 2020 Pro despite the $300 price increase.

 

[isoft7]

I imagine at WWDC we are getting Xcode, Final Cut, and Logic Pro for iPad. Next year likely the ability to dual boot to Mac OS.

No way is the iPad ever going to dual boot anything. Thats just beyond the scope of what Apple does with product specific ecosystems. The rest of what you predict I think you're 100% right about.

 

[Fly360]

Honestly it's to sell more iPads to people that would not upgrade.
Had they not added the M1 Name. Can people honestly say that hardware wise that even the 2018 iPads are underpowered.

 

[dahlblom]

It´s pretty clear, they´re making M1 a staple across devices and at the same time giving Windows (and every single Android tablet) a run for its money.

 

[driftless]

Well I have to walk it back after seeing 8GB/16GB RAM options in these new M1 iPad's. That means Apple must have something big in store for iPadOS at WWDC.

I agree, I am excited about the 16GB RAM, M1 and the new display.

 

[kc9hzn]

Maybe something will be in the cards with iOS 15.

Not that it really matters, but it does feel weird to use the M1 as opposed to say an A14X or an iPad branded version of the M1. Figured M would always be for Mac.

I’d assume the M1 has a Thunderbolt controller included on-chip when the Ax Series doesn’t. The big perk of the Thunderbolt port (other than display daisy chaining and high speed external storage) is external PCIe, which is very much a “pro” thing (imagine an iPad Pro with FinalCut, one of OWC’s Helios external PCIe chassis, and an Afterburner card, highly portable laptop replacement out of the home, pro workstation at home).

 

[jmgregory1]

Maybe something will be in the cards with iOS 15.

Not that it really matters, but it does feel weird to use the M1 as opposed to say an A14X or an iPad branded version of the M1. Figured M would always be for Mac.

It's super interesting to see Apple do this with the M1 branding in the iPad Pro, although it makes sense to set the iPad Pro apart from all other iPads. I don't think it portends a shift to touch enabled MacOS, just that the chip development allows Apple to utilize the same SoC for both mobile and traditional desktop / laptop devices running their respective OS.

You have to think that although we're all blown away that they used the M1 in the iPad Pro, including the higher ram numbers that the MBA/MBP/mini offer, they are going to launch next level performance with updated MBP's and Mac Pros that make the M1 seem almost pitiful in comparison. They're simply being smart expanding the number of devices using the M1 while it still leads by leaps and bounds most competitive product on the market.

 

[Digitalguy]

I’d assume the M1 has a Thunderbolt controller included on-chip when the Ax Series doesn’t. The big perk of the Thunderbolt port (other than display daisy chaining and high speed external storage) is external PCIe, which is very much a “pro” thing (imagine an iPad Pro with FinalCut, one of OWC’s Helios external PCIe chassis, and an Afterburner card, highly portable laptop replacement out of the home, pro workstation at home).

it probably cheaper to just put M1 instead of making a slightly downgraded version, and I guess the X variant of the A chip is dead

 

[Queru]

m1x might happen with MacBook pros and iMacs Pro during summer. Autumn will start the cycle again with new m2 on low end.

 

[luxborealis]

Talk all you want about M1, M1x, A14 . . . Until iPadOS improves, to allow me to begin and finish projects on an iPad without having to discover yet more workarounds (!!) or having to use my MBP, I won’t sink a dime into a new iPad. I’ll stick with my old iPad Pro 2017.

It’s not iPad that’s limiting, it’s iPadOS!!

 

[Gandek]

What it feels like

 

[Macalway]

iPads are starting to look like the main device.

And yesterday I would say no way Apple will merge Macs and iPads. After today I'm confident they will.

Maybe starting with dual boot. Remember, there's no reason why not, and the unthinkable can be very profitable

 

[kc9hzn]

Talk all you want about M1, M1x, A14 . . . Until iPadOS improves, to allow me to begin and finish projects on an iPad without having to discover yet more workarounds (!!) or having to use my MBP, I won’t sink a dime into a new iPad. I’ll stick with my old iPad Pro 2017.

It’s not iPad that’s limiting, it’s iPadOS!!

Define workarounds. iPadOS worked well for me as a productivity device even three revisions ago, so I legitimately don’t understand when people describe it as hampered. The way I see it, the only difference is that you can’t do the same things in exactly the same ways. But that’s true of Mac vs Windows vs Linux vs Android. What kind of workflows are you trying to do that require workarounds, and what kinds of workarounds are you doing? I genuinely want to know.

 

[Macalway]

Define workarounds. iPadOS worked well for me as a productivity device even three revisions ago, so I legitimately don’t understand when people describe it as hampered. The way I see it, the only difference is that you can’t do the same things in exactly the same ways. But that’s true of Mac vs Windows vs Linux vs Android. What kind of workflows are you trying to do that require workarounds, and what kinds of workarounds are you doing? I genuinely want to know.

iPad OS is still crippled by developers who remain focused on other platforms. This may change, but there it is. Things move along quickly, and after today I imagine there's some nervousness. Mac OS and iPad OS need to merge. Simple as that.