All iPads MacBook Neo proves iPads are capable of running Mac OS. Would it happen?

[Dirk Pieters]

Apple already gave their answer at WWDC 2018. This is due to usability and business reasons.

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As if Apple is going to announce what they’re going to be working on for the next few years beforehand.

 

[Howard2k]

It is now more obvious than ever all the iPads with the M series and some of the A series can definitely run Mac OS.

With each iteration of the OS’s, their UI are becoming more and more alike if not practically the same. The M series chips in the iPads are overkill, and the app developers are moving onto iPad OS in a snail pace (I am looking at you Adobe).

Given how lacklustre iPad OS is in some aspects when compared to Mac OS, would Apple ever a) allow Mac OS on iPad or b) finally merge the two OS’s?

I can see how this would turn the market upside down again.

Wait, did people think that the iPad could not run MacOS?

 

[Ubuntu]

I know modes generally aren't great but I love the fact that my Steam Deck is a touch-first device that I can choose to boot into desktop mode when needed. I think with hindsight Apple should have approached the iPad this way, because while I get Cook's toaster/fridge quote:

"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user"

I think it's more tedious to try to make each device more and more like the other instead.

 

[SpaceJello]

It’s interesting everyone talk about the touch vs mouse and keyboard paradigm being an issue and that it’s been debated since forever.

Eons ago, Apple filed patents for hybrid machines. One particular is of an iPad like device being “docked” onto a keyboard station of sorts.

I can see that being a more likely scenario for the rumoured MacBook Ultra/Oled, where iPads and Macs are merged but remain distinct at the same time.

The top/screen part of a regular MacBook can be removed from the hinge part to become its own machine and operate like and iPad. It is thin enough now and likely even more thin with the M6 2nm processors.

Once you attached to the hinged keyboard, where more battery, fans and another processor could exist, they could theoretically become one to operate as a more powerful MacBook.

This is when Mac OS takes over iPad OS. And when you take the screen off, you get an iPad with iPad OS.

I can see this as a likely option for the touch MacBook.

 

[JPack]

As if Apple is going to announce what they’re going to be working on for the next few years beforehand.

If that were the case, Apple simply wouldn't comment on it. In 2018, Apple specifically made that "NO" announcement so developers wouldn't misled by rumors.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

The top/screen part of a regular MacBook can be removed from the hinge part to become its own machine and operate like and iPad. It is thin enough now and likely even more thin with the M6 2nm processors.

Once you attached to the hinged keyboard, where more battery, fans and another processor could exist, they could theoretically become one to operate as a more powerful MacBook.

This is indeed an option. The only downside would be that the ‘screen part’ in this setup would be a lot thicker than (for example) the screen of a MBA today. The screen will need to contain a battery and processor as it is an iPad.

 

[JPack]

It’s interesting everyone talk about the touch vs mouse and keyboard paradigm being an issue and that it’s been debated since forever.

Eons ago, Apple filed patents for hybrid machines. One particular is of an iPad like device being “docked” onto a keyboard station of sorts.

I can see that being a more likely scenario for the rumoured MacBook Ultra/Oled, where iPads and Macs are merged but remain distinct at the same time.

The top/screen part of a regular MacBook can be removed from the hinge part to become its own machine and operate like and iPad. It is thin enough now and likely even more thin with the M6 2nm processors.

Once you attached to the hinged keyboard, where more battery, fans and another processor could exist, they could theoretically become one to operate as a more powerful MacBook.

This is when Mac OS takes over iPad OS. And when you take the screen off, you get an iPad with iPad OS.

I can see this as a likely option for the touch MacBook.

A large company like Apple often files patents as negotiating tools. When they deal with Qualcomm or Samsung for example, Apple can pull out a patent and cross-license it for something Apple wants in exchange.

The whole philosophy behind modern Apple is they make custom hardware with custom software. It's the entire reason why iPhone is successful: Apple didn't try to shoehorn another operating system into a phone. The hardware is optimized for the software and vice versa. No sporks. What you've described would never happen at Apple unless they decided to turn into Samsung.

 

[Dirk Pieters]

If that were the case, Apple simply wouldn't comment on it. In 2018, Apple specifically made that "NO" announcement so developers wouldn't misled by rumors.

I remember Steve Jobs saying that no one reads books anymore. A year later we got the iBooks app.

There is zero reason to trust and believe what Apple states about future products or ideas.

Apple developers are a tiny fraction of a tiny percentage in a $4 trillion company.

 

[JPack]

I remember Steve Jobs saying that no one reads books anymore. A year later we got the iBooks app.

There is zero reason to trust and believe what Apple states about future products or ideas.

Apple developers are a tiny fraction of a tiny percentage in a $4 trillion company.

Again, Steve Jobs did not create a presentation deck around it. Rather, it was a response to an interview question. And his answer was in the context of the Kindle being a dedicated e-reader.

That's entirely different from Craig Federighi spending time to tell developers the direction of Apple.

 

[MayaUser]

We knew that since the Mac mini with the ipad A12Z SoC
So what neo proves something that we didnt knew already for the last half decade?

 

[Charlie Bonesx]

The top/screen part of a regular MacBook can be removed from the hinge part to become its own machine and operate like and iPad. It is thin enough now and likely even more thin with the M6 2nm processors.

Once you attached to the hinged keyboard, where more battery, fans and another processor could exist, they could theoretically become one to operate as a more powerful MacBook.

This is when Mac OS takes over iPad OS. And when you take the screen off, you get an iPad with iPad OS.

I can see this as a likely option for the touch MacBook.

that sounds like a ridiculous device

basically you are attaching an iPad to a screenless MacBook to use it as the display for the MacBook?

 

[Populus]

Can an A series chip run iPadOS? Yes
Can an M series chip run iPadOS? Yes
Can an M series chip run macOS? Yes
Can an A series chip run macOS? Yes

Will they ever put iPadOS on a Mac? No, they are different products.

Will they ever put macOS on an iPad? No, they are different products.

You could use the same screws, the same logic board, the same display, the same USB-C ports on both, a laptop and a tablet. But they continue to be different products, oriented to different markets and different needs. Thus, each has its own operating system.

 

[code-m]

It is now more obvious than ever all the iPads with the M series and some of the A series can definitely run Mac OS.

With each iteration of the OS’s, their UI are becoming more and more alike if not practically the same. The M series chips in the iPads are overkill, and the app developers are moving onto iPad OS in a snail pace (I am looking at you Adobe).

Given how lacklustre iPad OS is in some aspects when compared to Mac OS, would Apple ever a) allow Mac OS on iPad or b) finally merge the two OS’s?

I can see how this would turn the market upside down again.

This is not news, iPad Pro and Air have had M series chips hence it is capable of running macOS. The development Mac mini prior to M1 release was an A12X chip and ran macOS.

Apple is resistant to merge iPadOS and macOS for business reasons, it’s not like Apple is unable to permit users to trigger either mode of needed.

 

[TokyoKiller]

Can an A series chip run iPadOS? Yes
Can an M series chip run iPadOS? Yes
Can an M series chip run macOS? Yes
Can an A series chip run macOS? Yes

Will they ever put iPadOS on a Mac? No, they are different products.

Will they ever put macOS on an iPad? No, they are different products.

You could use the same screws, the same logic board, the same display, the same USB-C ports on both, a laptop and a tablet. But they continue to be different products, oriented to different markets and different needs. Thus, each has its own operating system.

It's insane to me how we are still having this discussion in 2026, 16 years after the original iPad was launched.

Apple literally created this consumer product category and dominates it for a reason, because people love the iPad and are happy with how it works.

If my family members were forced to use MacOS on an iPad, that would be the end of it. Device would be traded in or tossed.

 

[BSDnostalgia]

A possibility would be a laptop with a fully rotating hinge that runs a hybrid OS. An OS that switches from a touch layout to a regular/keyboard/mouse layout depending in how you use it. The iPad Pro is pretty thin now, so a fully hinging laptop used in tablet mode would be a lot thicker and heavier. Who wants that? Feels like a step back.

I have seen people with PCs with a very fast CPU (but Xe iGP) Windows11, with that convertible hinge thing (and touchscreen). They are never used that way. The thing is, for a personal device, if you are a good touch typist, and you are using traditional-style apps, there isn't much upside to using the device as a pad computer. I guess there might be some use case in the education world where you would rather just give the class all the same device type? Some people really have a requirement for drawing on the pad surface. But, for most individuals, I can't really see the point. I plan to stick to separate devices.

In other words they share a common heritage, but ios isn't macos with a different UI

That sounds like the OSes are ninth cousins, but, at least originally, it was more like half brothers. More like, say, two BSD Unix builds with different kernel config files.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

No, but they should allow it to be loaded if you have a dev account. 😀

 

[Happy_John]

No.

 

[Basic75]

Not at all true. iOS/Ipad OS kernel is very different than macOS. memory management, handling of tasks are more aggressive in iOS and Mac OSX maintains lot of the Linux like kernel. It’s not hard to look it up, Apple kernel is published on GitHub.

So where exactly is the iOS kernel so different beyond some tuning parameters?

 

[AlexESP]

There was nothing to prove. Obviously, the iPad has been able to run macOS (with good performance) for a few years. But can =/= should. The iPad “could” also run Windows or WatchOS.

I read many comments framing the discussion like “why doesn’t Apple let us do it if we see it’s possible”, as if any other device can run any possible OS. The iPad is a tablet and it runs a tablet OS.

And about switching to macOS when docked… there are many obvious functional, technical and UX-related issues that would make it (I think) an awful experience. It’s the kind of thing that only sounds great as an abstract idea.

 

[Populus]

Just wait for the launch of the touchscreen MacBook… it’s gonna be this all over again.

 

[JamesMay82]

I’m the only person who says how robust iPads are. I think they are harder wearing and the screens take the abuse of day to day life.

My wife never looks after her iPad and even that is still mint!!! Her laptop not so much!

I’d rather have Mac OS on an iPad purely for that reason… i don’t need or want touch… just regular Mac OS on an iPad please.

My issue with iPad is its built around cloud and subscription services…

You can’t add your own music and adding photos for first time from finder folders is laborious

 

[TechnoMonk]

So where exactly is the iOS kernel so different beyond some tuning parameters?

It’s common knowledge and Apple has always published it in oss code base. Pretty fascinating if you look at the actual implementation and compare it with forum talk on iOS, iPad and mac. And add to that how Apple treats swap in M1 and later in iPad os. You should look it up.

 

[TechnoMonk]

I’m the only person who says how robust iPads are. I think they are harder wearing and the screens take the abuse of day to day life.

My wife never looks after her iPad and even that is still mint!!! Her laptop not so much!

I’d rather have Mac OS on an iPad purely for that reason… i don’t need or want touch… just regular Mac OS on an iPad please.

My issue with iPad is its built around cloud and subscription services…

You can’t add your own music and adding photos for first time from finder folders is laborious

Sounds like you should try Microsoft surface Pro.

 

[TechnoMonk]

It's insane to me how we are still having this discussion in 2026, 16 years after the original iPad was launched.

Apple literally created this consumer product category and dominates it for a reason, because people love the iPad and are happy with how it works.

If my family members were forced to use MacOS on an iPad, that would be the end of it. Device would be traded in or tossed.

Wait till they realize how Apple manages mobile safari on iPad compared to Mac OS. If the safari behaved same way on iPad os like Mac, it will fry the iPad. Just one of many things that makes iPad a device that works. If Apple starts putting full os, good luck.

 

[Zazoh]

Gosh I hope not. I want my tablet to be a closed system with known apps. I've had one version or another since the launch and it is my most used device in the house and when traveling.