iPad Pro The consensus seems to be that iPad pro isn't very pro yet. Do you agree?

[Ghost31]

I like the idea of the iPad pro...but even as a huge Apple fanboy, I can see that it's not quite there yet. There is a lot of room for improvement. And that seems to be the general consensus. Kinda sucks because this thing has so much potential. I feel like it was probably made for iOS 10 and we are probably in for a big keynote in June

And I just got done watching things. What do you think? Do you agree?

 

[sjleworthy]

i think it's a subjective and personal issue. for me it is Pro, and is earning it's keep (financially) most nicely.

but if the nation feel this way who am i to say different? yes, it cant yet emulate the SP in every day laptop use, but personally i think the hardware and ios software is there. it now needs Apple and the Devs to sort out 'pro' and desktop apps to run on it. no reason, technically, why they cant.

 

[keysofanxiety]

From what reviews say, the Apple Pencil is pretty much the best stylus for drawing out there. So yes, if you make your money exclusively in art/graphic design, this is more a 'Pro' tablet than anything else out there. But it is a niche market, and much like a lot of Apple's stuff, it does one thing very well rather than trying to do everything and excelling in nothing (which IMO is the right attitude). This isn't meant to be for the masses.

This seemingly recent trend of people saying that it's not a Pro tablet because it doesn't run OS X software is ludicrous. And people wanting OS X on a touchscreen is even more bizzare to me. Heck, Apple never even marketed this as an alternative to the Surface Pro. If you start comparing them, you're missing the point.

If you have a need for the iPad Pro, there's no other tablet that does what it does, as well as it does. If you're questioning why anybody would need an iPad Pro, then you quite obviously don't need one. Get a Surface Pro or a MacBook instead.

 

[Ghost31]

This seemingly recent trend of people saying that it's not a Pro tablet because it doesn't run OS X software is ludicrous. And people wanting OS X on a touchscreen is even more bizzare to me. Heck, Apple never even marketed this as an alternative to the Surface Pro. If you start comparing them, you're missing the point.
.

Couldn't agree more. The problem is the general public doesn't understand nuance or have any vision for things. When Tim Cook said the iPad pro would be able to replace a laptop for many people, the internet went nuts. Basically implying he said pcs are pointless and that the iPad is for EVERYBODY when he never said such a thing. The iPad pro is a bigger iPad but one that will branch off into more pro territory over time.

I think Apple has a vision and my bet is that they're riding on Stevens "pcs are like trucks" analogy. When people want to get work done, pcs will always be there. But consumers' needs are being more and more satisfied with tablet experiences. Why do I need to upload my pics and videos from my iPhone to my MacBook when they're all in iCloud and available on all my devices anyway? I don't. Why do I need to open a bulky MacBook to browse the web, watch YouTube, Facebook or listen to music? I don't. I can type a school paper in notability with a Bluetooth keyboard and do research in safari split screen. I can edit video shot in 4k on my iPad in iMovie or pinnacle studio. I can retouch photos. Read books. Productivity wise, I do more on my iPad than I ever did on my MacBook. But that's just me. And probably has something to do with the abundance of useful apps

I think iOS 10 will be apples time to show their vision for how powerful tablets can be for more than basic needs. Address some complaints, expand functionality and take off more things people have on their wish list for what they wish an iPad could do. Power wise, the iPad pro is a beast. I think Apple is betting on the iPad to get more powerful over time and that at some point with all these useful updates, a pc will just feel redundant.

 

[sparkie1984]

I use my iPad pro for general home use and think it's great.

I wish it had things like the ability to drag photos from the photos app to an email in split screen mode.

Hopefully ios10 will bring some iPad pro goodies

 

[Newtons Apple]

I see my Pro as a large iPad with similar capabilities of my Air 2. I do not see it as a full computer that could replace a laptop or desktop. Apple could have made it that way but choose not to do so.

 

[Pakaku]

It's not a pro device, but it'll still do the job for a lot of people...

 

[sjleworthy]

love it or hate it, it is most difficult for the Pro to replace a laptop in most people's every day lives and usage. it isnt yet where Tim Cook would like to believe.

As i say, i'm a huge huge Pro fan, and for me it does a regular laptop's job. but i can easily see where most dont.

 

[Rogifan]

love it or hate it, it is most difficult for the Pro to replace a laptop in most people's every day lives and usage. it isnt yet where Tim Cook would like to believe.

As i say, i'm a huge huge Pro fan, and for me it does a regular laptop's job. but i can easily see where most dont.

Not sure I agree. Outside of my office job (where I'd be using a Windows laoptop no matter what like most big companies) I don't need a laptop for much of anything. My guess is people think they need a laptop more than they really do. And the people that really do need a desktop OS/x86 apps are the ones most vocal about it. John Gruber claims Apple has been working on a version of Xcode for iOS. If they ever release that I can see iPP sales taking off. I'm really looking forward to WWDC next year.

 

[joeblow7777]

There is no consensus. Some people will say one thing, and some will say the opposite.

 

[TroyBoy30]

id rather it have a full os like the surface pro

 

[Mystro]

There certainly isn't any "consensus". The opposition to the iPad Pro is running the same narrative over and over. They seem to love to attack the word "pro" as if they can establish what that standard is when in fact the word Pro is too diverse and personal to each user. I don't want to use a laptop or a laptop replacement. I want an entirely new tool and the iPad Pro is it. I agree that Apple is creating an entirely new vision. The tech bloggers are too shortsighted to even see this yet. But once again Apple was the tablet visionary and everyone else got on board to follow Apple's vision. Well there's a new vision now, it's the iPad Pro and it's an entirely new device for a combination of tasks and can't really be summarized with what it will or will not replace. I challenge the premise that anyone needs to actually use a laptop at all as opposed to bettet tablet-based platform with better apps to completely get away from conventional laptop mindset.

Funny how that review is concerned if there will be enough new apps for the iPad pro as if iPad has ever lacked or isn't the industry clear leader in this field. Of course there will be a lot more apps for the iPad Pro the iPad Pro is new. I would be a lot more concerned for a Windows platform to get any kind of decent applications since even now they pale in comparison to the applications available for the Apple devices.
If you're more tablet oriented your buy iPad Pro if you're more laptop oriented you'll buy the surface pro it's all about what you want.

 

[ZombiePete]

love it or hate it, it is most difficult for the Pro to replace a laptop in most people's every day lives and usage. it isnt yet where Tim Cook would like to believe.

This is way too subjective an issue to be making definitive, generalized statements like that. The truth is that whether or not an iPad or any other non-traditional computing device can replace your laptop depends entirely on what it is that you use a laptop for.

I actually am pretty comfortable going out on a limb and saying that "most" people (read: general users) would probably be fine with using something like an iPad to replace most of what they would use a laptop for; that generally being email and web browsing. How many people do you know who run out an buy cheap, gigantic 15" laptops so that they use Gmail? I know quite a few. I'm not saying that there are no compromises in choosing an iPad over say a Surface Pro; of course there are, just as there are compromises when choosing a Surface over an iPad (slower startup/wake times, driver issues, shorter battery life, dealing with antivirus/antispyware software, etc).

That's not to say that the iPad Pro can't do more, because for some folks even more professional uses can be found; the art already being produced on iPads with the Pencil is downright amazing to me in some cases. For me, a middle management guy with a career in IT, the iPad is an amazing personal computer that easily replaces my 13" rMBP as the device to carry around with me day-to-day. I don't use it for work per se (except for note taking now; it's so awesome for that), but I can do what I did with my MacBook Pro with ease.

tl;dr: yes it can, depending on what you need it for

 

[sjleworthy]

well thats kinda my point as well, only in my opinion i see more people agreeing the Pro needs to do more than it's already doing than not. i see more arguments where the Pro needs more than where is now.

as i say, i love my Pro and it's taken over any use a traditional laptop would have on my own desk, but i find the 'masses' want more. more in line with what their traditional laptop did and the way it did it.

 

[AZhappyjack]

I like the idea of the iPad pro...but even as a huge Apple fanboy, I can see that it's not quite there yet. There is a lot of room for improvement. And that seems to be the general consensus. Kinda sucks because this thing has so much potential. I feel like it was probably made for iOS 10 and we are probably in for a big keynote in June

And I just got done watching things. What do you think? Do you agree?

What about this surprises you? It pretty much follows Apple's model. They introduce a new product that is still a little undercooked, and grow it and evolve it into a run-away success.

I've already seen several articles that claim Apple will sell more iPad Pro units in a quarter that Microsoft has sold Surface tablets all-time. Not sure how accurate that will prove to be, but I would not bet against Apple.

Version 1.0 of their products is often seen wanting... v 2.0 is better... and by they time they get to v4.0, it's killed the market.

 

[ZombiePete]

well thats kinda my point as well, only in my opinion i see more people agreeing the Pro needs to do more than it's already doing than not. i see more arguments where the Pro needs more than where is now.

as i say, i love my Pro and it's taken over any use a traditional laptop would have on my own desk, but i find the 'masses' want more. more in line with what their traditional laptop did and the way it did it.

You're not seeing a consensus of the "masses" though, you're seeing the opinions of a group of tech reviewers and the kind of computer geeks who frequent sites like MacRumors; people who generally demand more of their tech than the average user. I'm sorry to keep pimping this analogy, but when Chrome OS was announced there was a ton of nay-saying and gnashing of teeth over how limited Chromebooks were and that no one would willingly abandon the Swiss Army knife approach to computing that desktops have acclimated us to. Yet Chromebooks became a big seller over a relatively short amount of time because they're easy to use and do what most people do with their computers most of the time.

I'm not saying that Chromebooks or iPads are the right solution for everyone, but a few loud voices demanding that iPads or even iOS be modified to suit their needs don't and shouldn't be allowed to speak for everyone either.

What about this surprises you? It pretty much follows Apple's model under Tim Cook. They introduce a new product that is still a little undercooked, and grow it and evolve it into a run-away success.

You don't really think that's just a Tim Cook business model, do you? The first gen iPhone had only EDGE connectivity when 3G had become largely ubiquitous; the first iPad was lacking in a lot of ways that the iPad 2 fixed to go on to become one of their longest-lasting generational devices.

And frankly, from a hardware-perspective I don't see what you could say the iPad Pro is really lacking in; if you think the software isn't cutting it that's an argument you can make for your subjective needs, but it's also not intrinsically tied to the iPad Pro as a first gen device.

 

[ZBoater]

What "consensus"?

 

[TurboPGT!]

I like the idea of the iPad pro...but even as a huge Apple fanboy, I can see that it's not quite there yet. There is a lot of room for improvement. And that seems to be the general consensus. Kinda sucks because this thing has so much potential. I feel like it was probably made for iOS 10 and we are probably in for a big keynote in June

And I just got done watching things. What do you think? Do you agree?

What consensus?
Certainly not from the majority of people enjoying using it. You don't hear from those people. Only the people who are unhappy are the ones that make certain that everyone knows how they feel.

 

[TurboPGT!]

love it or hate it, it is most difficult for the Pro to replace a laptop in most people's every day lives and usage.

This is 1000% false. The iPad has been replacing laptops like a madman since the day it launched in 2010. The key is for whom. "Most people". That's who.

"Most people" that own laptops, or that used to own laptops, owned them as the only way of doing what you would today do on an iPad instead.

Every new iPad takes a bigger chunk of those laptop using people.

For me? An iPad will probably never replace my iMac. But it has replaced the need for me to have a MacBook also.

 

[aristobrat]

What "consensus"?

After a new Apple product launch, "consensus" is usually that the product is deeply flawed, too expensive, and something that would have never happened were Steve Jobs still alive.

 

[felt.]

I walked into a business the other day. They were using an ipad pro. I believe that meets the criteria for what professional means.

 

[Nausicaa]

Not sure I agree. Outside of my office job (where I'd be using a Windows laoptop no matter what like most big companies) I don't need a laptop for much of anything. My guess is people think they need a laptop more than they really do. And the people that really do need a desktop OS/x86 apps are the ones most vocal about it. John Gruber claims Apple has been working on a version of Xcode for iOS. If they ever release that I can see iPP sales taking off. I'm really looking forward to WWDC next year.

Same, I always wonder who these "pros" are that don't have an enterprise issued laptop or other device. I haven't bought a laptop since I was a student because I don't travel too much and work has always provided one, so I like having a nice desktop at home instead. The iPad has been my large format mobile companion for years now and it's an outstanding device.

 

[cardfan]

Same, I always wonder who these "pros" are that don't have an enterprise issued laptop or other device. I haven't bought a laptop since I was a student because I don't travel too much and work has always provided one, so I like having a nice desktop at home instead. The iPad has been my large format mobile companion for years now and it's an outstanding device.

Yep, I've never bought a laptop for work.

I just don't understand this whole "ipad can't replace..." For me, it doesn't. I have devices to do work on and desktops at home. An ipad, to me, is just a complimentary device. Fun. Multitouch. To NOT do work on. I can't see people spending so much time on a forum to find a device to do work with. Or standing in line or waking up at 3am to order a device so they can do "work".

 

[wsbsteven]

The Pro didn't do anything significant enough for me to keep it. I already have an Air 2 and a Retina MBP so it was difficult for me to find a place for it between those two and justify the $800 cost.

 

[AppleRobert]

$800 and one is probably going to want more storage besides. And probably one needs a cover or want the keyboard and want the Pencil as well.

Forget "Pro", cheaper options for what average Joe (the majority regardless of what the targeted market is) would do with it.