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.
Review: Two Weeks With the M4 iPad Pro
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I can't speak for everyone obviously but I really don't think it's full-blown macOS that people are wanting on their iPad so much as it is wanting more Mac-like app experiences and openness of the operating system. Apple has slowly been giving this to us over the last several years (e.g. a local file explorer a la Finder, certain longtime Mac apps being ported to the iPad like Logic and Final Cut, desktop class version of Safari, etc) and those are all welcome improvements but still only frustratingly scratch the surface of the awkward experience that is owning an iPad - particularly a Pro model - and not being able to easily make it a useful addition to even the simplest of workflows and digital lifestyles.
Or if it is true macOS that people are itching for, it seems to me that in their minds it wouldn't completely supplant iPadOS but rather only be available as an option when the iPad detects that appropriate accessories are connected like an external display, mouse and/or keyboard, which probably would be the optimal approach for getting the best of both worlds. Not to mention that should be easier for Apple from an engineering perspective since they wouldn't have to custom design an entirely new build of macOS with a touch-first approach baked into it.
I see I’m not the only one being sabotaged by the iOS auto-correct. However, I’m still on iOS 16… I’m a bit worried about the iOS 17 auto-correct
I preordered, but after playing with it at the Apple Store and seeing reviews, I cancelled the order. If the M4 does something the M1/M2 can’t do with ios18, then it may be worth spending $3k on a 1tb - 2tb with keyboard and pencil, but that’s not suppose to be out until the Q4. Right now you can get the whole kit m1/m2 2tb for $800 on eBay. Plus the M1/M2 has a SIM card.
Good catch. For me, the iPhone appears to be the worst in trying to correct me a lot of the time. It does get frustrating. On the other hand, it does catch a lot of mistakes and or guesses correctly what I may want to say next.
The speakers on the new iPad are absolutely terrible. So terrible in fact that I returned it. I compared them with multiple other ipad models and its not even close. The new one sounds like you put a pillow over the speakers. Just awful. That is without a doubt, the worst feature by a mile about the new iPad.
I intentionally kept my time at the Apple Store very brief with it. I saw just enough of it to say I’ve seen it in person, but not enough to fall in love with it. I had the money to buy one, but ultimately passed. Trying not to let the FOMO get the better of me. I’ll think about it again after WWDC.
I can understand those who want an iPad to stay as it has. But it does get a bit absurd at some point to pay more or the same for less.
You may be fine with the less as it fits a box appropriately for you, but the absurdity of it still stands.
It isn’t a long term viable option for Apple. This will eventually cut deeply into iPad sales as it pushes people to MacBooks or it makes the iPad Pro a once a decade (or longer) purchase. Both aren’t great if their goal is to sell both.
You need the software to be capable enough to make the upgrades to the hardware tangible for buyers.
I don’t want to read tea leaves as I have been wrong in the past. But it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Apple is planning something. With the price hikes being driven squarely at preventing revenue losses. If they add a macOS like mode that prevents a MacBook Air sale they got MacBook Pro revenue anyway…
They can’t let the Surface products continue to offer a contrast. Especially if the AI space becomes as key as it is looking like.
Anyways we’ll find out in 10 days.
I upgraded from a 2018 pro and I definitely notice a difference in weight and speed. My iPad was starting to feel sluggish and had awful battery life after 6 years.
I use my iPad and MacBook for completely different tasks. You can champion the surface line but iPads greatly outsell them. Also surface are ok laptops but awful tablets. Very few windows apps are optimized for tablet use and so many things are just web apps. I’d rather have two very good separate devices then one device that isn’t great at either thing.
Subjective, as you say. The display is excellent and they're good for a lot of things, I just can't get past that eye watering price. It's interesting that you say macOS is limited, when it can do everything and more. It's just the interface that's different, and I certainly don't want them messing with the Mac interface for the sake of the iPad.
If they could just bridge the gap a little more with things like real background processing. I get that you prefer the interface and OS, it just seems still to be too much like a giant phone and not quite enough like a tablet computer for the price.
iPads definitely outsell them, but we don’t know how many iPads sold are the iPad Pro. I’d suspect few since I’d imagine most are trying to cough up $1500+ for a tablet with the full regalia.
I expect Apple will try to find a way to add value to the Pro due to the competitive pressures. That’s just a market reality.
Especially since surface laptops running Arm chips are now aiming more squarely at Apple.
I can confidently say I will not be spending over $2500 to swap out my M1 iPad Pro 1TB w/ MKB and Pencil. To only get the same iPadOS limitations as an iPad Air and iPhone until it fails to boot. I am surely not alone.
Whatever their attempt is we’ll see at WWDC.
Totally agree with you. I am not upgrading until there is a Smart Folio Keyboard for this iPad. I went to the Apple store to use it with the new Magic Keyboard and it is heavier, bulkier and impossible to use the iPad as tablet. If I wanted a full blown keyboard on my iPad, I'd just move to my MacBook Pro. On the other hand, why doesn't Apple implement touch screens on Macs? That would eliminate the need for whatever it is they are trying to do putting a full blown keyboard on the iPads.
I’d bet you most iPad Pro owners are like me and never connect a keyboard to it. I use Apple Pencil daily though. I actually use my iPad Pro a lot more than my MacBook Air. I’m all for making iPadOS more capable but throwing macOS on it would turn it into an awful tablet. I wonder how many people would be satisfied if they just put actual Mac version of safari on it and allowed people to fully interact with all their web apps. So many developers have moved to web apps on both Mac and windows. Truth be told it’s cheaper for someone to buy a MacBook Air and 10 gen iPad then an iPad Pro with all the accessories. I plan to keep my m4 pro as long as I kept my 2018 pro I upgraded from so the cost doesn’t bother me
Could it be because the core experience of iPad remains unchanged and the M4 chip just makes it snappier and doesn't unlock anything more than that?
Reviewers and users don't complain at all or as much about iPhone because it's just a smartphone, and next to nobody is going to use it as a laptop or desktop computer.
However, Apple, in no uncertain terms, directly compared the M4 iPads Pro to market leading Windows laptops.
That's why it gets and fully deserves the snarky comments about the hardware being overkill.
Yes, anyone who's ever owned an iPad could successfully write a review on a model they don't own. That's how iterative most Apple products are.
M4 iPad Pro is a major spec bump. But it's nothing more than that. And macrumors.com can't turn iPads Pro M4 into anything more than they are, that's on Apple.
I look at my IPP 11 M2 and think, was there really any need to make it 1mm smaller? It’s not thick, nor is it heavy. Would rather have seen the camera bump flush and of course nobody would say no to a battery that lasts hours more, for me that is a Pro feature worth paying for.
macOS on the iPad Pro if it ever arrived would likely be in a boot camp like manner where you’d be dual booting and probably kicking off some sort of install. That way basic iPad users would still be happy.
It would also naturally steer people to higher storage options like the 1TB models since you’d need space for iPadOS and macOS and might even need to dedicate some space to them.
That seems a bit clunky though. So it might be a more advanced hybrid where in certain modes the OS starts to really expand itself more. Potentially even allowing macOS apps without loading macOS fully.
They can skin the cat in a variety of ways. But they need to find a way to both stay competitive and exhaust the power of the existing pro models to incentivize upgrade sales.
My wife has received an iPad M4 at the office for checking email and google docs.
In the meanwhile, my Mac Studio 4k renders with AI takes 5 days…
Real heavy duties are made in Macs, so where is the nee Mac Studio Ultra?
Something is wrong with this releases cycles at Apple
In the meanwhile, my Mac Studio 4k renders with AI takes 5 days…
Real heavy duties are made in Macs, so where is the nee Mac Studio Ultra?
Something is wrong with this releases cycles at Apple
I originally bought the 11” and speakers were not good, but the 13” is much better and definitely noticed more bass
It's nicer. It weighs less. The screen is leagues better. I can touch and write on it. Cellular means I can work anywhere, even after my phone dies.
People simply have different preferences. I mentioned in another thread how the president of my company runs the entire business from his iPad Air. Doesn't get much more serious than that.
Watched the video. Basically, same old story that we've been hearing from reviewers for quite some time now: "great piece of gear, but let's wait for WWDC to see what iPadOS brings on the table to justify this purchase".
I'll wait. But not expecting much from Apple in that regard. Probably the best combo is a Mac of your choice + iPad 10th gen (especially given its recent price cut) + Sidecar & Universal control.
I'll wait. But not expecting much from Apple in that regard. Probably the best combo is a Mac of your choice + iPad 10th gen (especially given its recent price cut) + Sidecar & Universal control.
Yep, that’s the route I’ll probably follow if this WWDC is again disappointing for iPadOS. I’ll get an M4 Mac mini when available, and use my M2 iPad Pro with sidecar.