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

I really wanted the iPad pro to work for me. But I returned it.

The problem is the software. File system makes composite documents too difficult. iWork needs lot of improvements to its interface and feature set. iOS and the first party apps needs to be reimagined to take advantage of the bigger screens. Despite Apple's protests to the contrary, iPad apps by Apple were blown-up versions of their iPhone equivalent. And iCloud syncing still is not rock solid and fast.

My last concern is the iPad ecosystem. Sure, a few big software vendors updated their apps and support the iPad pro. But a lot of innovative developers are staying away from the iPad and the iPad pro because the economics no longer work. So, it makes me worry that software won't be updated for the pro...or software like Sketch not being ported to take advantage of the pro.

So, it made sense for me to return it and wait. To see if Apple invests in iOS, first party apps, iWork, and to see if the developer ecosystem flourishes around the iPad pro.
 
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wsbsteven said:
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.
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This why I never bought it tbh.

I can't do what my rMBP does. And ,to me, just did what I have been using mini's for years albeit on a bigger screen.
I even tested an IPP side by side with my mini since slow at the store so ample time to tie up the system and not be "hogging" the system as it were.


Workflow for me could be jot down notes on the mini to carry out later at lunch (if I bring the MBP) or at one when the family man bit done to fill out the time after 2100 when kid in bed.

Example Workflows:

Studying for CCNA using GNS3. Free app. Cisco IOS I get from work since one more cisco iOS guy in the shop not a bad thing, I can offset load on the infrastructure peeps even before I test. Basic switch config...yeah sure I got it, keep your guy on the other fire. Network diagram on the mini (routers/switches, jot down IP's). Work up later in GNS3 off that.

Xcode or other dev tool (also like to study programming for personal interest). Basic program workflow diagram, some basic code even if just pseudo , notes to import packages/mods/whatever the language calls it. Get on rMBP, idea becomes reality. Eventually, I don't write perfect code the first time out. Nor many times after lol.

Work/study replacement real relative here. I am happy its replaced for many tbh. People like me complain in the hopes apple listens and opens up the iOS to take this to the pro level. Some applications I use I know for a fact cannot come to iOS because of how locked down the iOS is.

Its not like in other articles and threads on them about money. Many are open source projects, they are not in the quest for money per se. Its more indirect if that case. CV saying a major contributor gets some points for job. So does publication and heavy use of say your R package if you submitted them if an r user/dev. Many projects thrive on this intense free collaboration. They already work for free to have a few open source projects rise up and stand out to be equals (if not greater than) pro paid apps in the hundreds of dollars easily.


Open source would also allow devs to have it for iOS development but they don't. Its the iOS lockdown.

Why some like me complain as it were. Squeaky wheel gets the grease. I like the IPP actually in some respects. Its just needs to be more to earn that pro moniker. I wrote the business proposal that bagged the million dollar deal on mine...cool, happy for you really. Not all professions work off word docs and excel though. I rarely touch them. Server admin tools, scripting, various IT tools. How I make my money. Nothing on IPP replaced this.

I have been key person in seeing very expensive projects either get bought (or not bought) with notability notes (note app for iOS, I like it because it realizes some are left handed and has settings just for us). Notes jotted in testing, summarized in e-mail or even a quick word doc if asked for. This application/system is crap/good, reasons why, you decide from here boss man, in better terms of course. My mini does this fine really.
 
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DarwinOSX said:
Source for Surface sales going up fast?
Surface sales are a blip compared to iPad sales.
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It appears that in 2 measly weeks the iPad Pro alone has outdone the entire history of the Surface line, many times over.
It is not surprising.
Not because the iPad Pro is that revolutionary.
Because the Surface is just that much of a worthless pile. It is not good at being anything. As a windows laptop, it is MEH, and a bit overpriced. As a tablet, it is atrocious.
 
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BWhaler said:
I really wanted the iPad pro to work for me. But I returned it.

The proble is the software. File system makes composite documents too difficult. iWork needs lot of improvements to its interface and feature set. iOS and the first party apps needs to be reimagined to take advantage of the bigger screens. Despite Apple's protests to the contrary, iPad apps by Apple were blown-up versions of their iPhone equivalent. And iCloud syncing still is not rock solid and fast.

My last concern is the iPad ecosystem. Sure, a few big software vendors updated their apps and support the iPad pro. But a lot of innovative developers are staying away from the iPad and the iPad pro because the economics no longer work. So, it makes me worry that software won't be updated for the pro...or software like Sketch not being ported to take advantage of the pro.

So, it made sense for me to return it and wait. To see if Apple invests in iOS, first party apps, iWork, and to see if the developer ecosystem flourishes around the iPad pro.
Click to expand...

You're just rehashing the same old unsubstantiated FUD.
1. Don't tell me about file systems. The worst part of my Macs/PCs are the directories not synced to iCloud or Dropbox.
2. Some of the Apps that have not yet been updated are literally blown up iPad apps. That will be worked out over a short amount of time, just like ever new device launch.
3. No serious software vendors with a product to sell are skipping on the most profitable App distribution platform in the world.
 
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TurboPGT! said:
You're just rehashing the same old unsubstantiated FUD.
1. Don't tell me about file systems. The worst part of my Macs/PCs are the directories not synced to iCloud or Dropbox.
2. Some of the Apps that have not yet been updated are literally blown up iPad apps. That will be worked out over a short amount of time, just like ever new device launch.
3. No serious software vendors with a product to sell are skipping on the most profitable App distribution platform in the world.
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Surely it depends on how many people will be buying the Ipad pro, and if it's worth it developing whole new apps/Optimising for the ipad pro, as opposed to a slightly better looking ipad app.

Developers will now have to develop and optimise there apps for: Iphone, ipad, Ipad Pro, Ipad Mini. That is a whole lot of optimising and they have to continue to optimise it and keep each one up to date continuously. It's all going to come down to cost basically.

Apple also need to start addressing why each OS update seems to break apps, Is it the way IOS works? Windows and android don't seem to have such problems when they do updates.
 
TurboPGT! said:
same old unsubstantiated FUD.
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You keep using that word....jpg
 
Depends. Watch Apple partner with IBM (or someone else) to make a vertically focused app for docs or dentists, lawyers and - bang - it's pro all the way. Many of the apps are not pro, but they will be in time. I think Apple has a strategy, this is only the beginning. They're not showing their cards yet. Give them credit, they may be smarter than we think.
 
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itbeme said:
Depends. Watch Apple partner with IBM (or someone else) to make a vertically focused app for docs or dentists, lawyers and - bang - it's pro all the way. Many of the apps are not pro, but they will be in time. I think Apple has a strategy, this is only the beginning. They're not showing their cards yet. Give them credit, they may be smarter than we think.
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Totally agree.

It's way too early folks.
 
Ghost31 said:
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?
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Just comparing the internal hardware differences of the iPP versus the iPA2 is all you need to look at to consider it a "Pro" version versus the other tablets in the iPad family.

It's the first iteration of the PRO series. More to come obviously with more potential gaps filled.
 
Steve686 said:
Just comparing the internal hardware differences of the iPP versus the iPA2 is all you need to look at to consider it a "Pro" version versus the other tablets in the iPad family.

It's the first iteration of the PRO series. More to come obviously with more potential gaps filled.
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Aside from the huge amount of ram (can never have enough) power wise....wouldn't the iPad Air 3 have been just as powerful if they released it this year? Seems like year by year they make some pretty big jumps
 
cardfan said:
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".
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Well stated. I love my iPad Pro. For me, it’s about media consumption and illustration with the Apple Pencil.
 
For those who truly require the capabilities of the iPP and love iOS... it's typically Apple. Well done and effective.

However it's somewhat modest specs, bulk, weight, and somewhat astronomical price limit it's appeal.

This is why I truly believe that it's a crap shoot when guessing about the future of this model.

The Honeymoon is still keeping it relevant.
 
Ghost31 said:
Aside from the huge amount of ram (can never have enough) power wise....wouldn't the iPad Air 3 have been just as powerful if they released it this year? Seems like year by year they make some pretty big jumps
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Actually, IIRC some of the changes to the chip architecture of the iPP can only have been accomplished due to the size of the tablet, according to Anandtech, so it seems likely that the iPA3 not only wouldn't have been but won't be as powerful. That's not to say that it won't be powerful, but in relative terms I think that the iPP does and will best it, at least in some ways.
 
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maxsix said:
However it's somewhat modest specs, bulk, weight, and somewhat astronomical price limit it's appeal.
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I will grant you that the iPP is definitely not for everyone; no device is. But I have to ask in respect to the above quote: relative to what? The iPP is, in so many ways, in a class of its own.
 
The iPad pro is working great for me. I'm working on it now and things are going well enough.
 
I think most of the debate about using the iPad for 'Work', 'Productivity' or 'Pro' purposes is essentially meaningless. This is a different device with a different form-factor, UI and core technologies than a traditional laptop. It CAN'T be used the same way, but that doesn't mean you can't do almost everything you can do on a laptop. Some things will be better, some worse, and most just 'different'. It's like comparing a sedan to an SUV, both can get you where you want to go, but the ways you'll get there, the experience of driving, the gas mileage, the tow capacity, luggage and passenger space, engine power etc. are all DIFFERENT. Neither is inherently 'better', and you can live with either as a daily driver, but one will more often appeal to your needs and that's the one you should choose if you can't have both.

I have both. And I use the iPad Pro for work sometimes, and my MacBook sometimes, and my iPhone sometimes, and even my Apple Watch sometimes. Each screen, device, and experience offers trade offs and advantages, and none is 'perfect'.

SO, can we stop already trying to compare the iPad to a laptop.

If you are interested in Art, 3D creation, even movie-editing, the iPad pro is superb.
If you are an office worker doing email and MS Office, it is great.
If you are looking to kick back with a movie, it's awesome.

IF you want something easily held while on the toilet, you may need a smaller iPad.
 
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hiddenmarkov said:
Studying for CCNA using GNS3. Free app. Cisco IOS I get from work since one more cisco iOS guy in the shop not a bad thing, I can offset load on the infrastructure peeps even before I test. Basic switch config...yeah sure I got it, keep your guy on the other fire. Network diagram on the mini (routers/switches, jot down IP's). Work up later in GNS3 off that.
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How do you handle IT tools like SSH/telnet, RDP, VNC, etc. with 3 minute background running limitation before getting killed by iOS?
 
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I just gone mine and it's massively awesome. My Air 2 is heading to eBay. I mainly use it at home anyway, so hauling it around isn't a big deal. Plus it fits right in my bag with my MBP, so I can drag it along if I really need to.

My iPad Pro is replacing a bunch of notebooks, which are heavy and hard to haul around. I love them, but they just aren't really practical. I've been waiting for 20 years to replace them, and that time is now. I'll still use them, but most of my idea work will move to the iPad Pro.
 
mi7chy said:
How do you handle IT tools like SSH/telnet, RDP, VNC, etc. iOS with 3 minute running in the background limitation before getting killed by iOS?
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The 3 minute background thing is a myth. If you have an app that's getting killed by the watchdog tell the developer to read the documentation.
 
It seems to me iPad Pro is more of an afterthought in large part arisen from the increased chip cost and decreasing tablet sales. If the tablet market was still growing like in 2013, Apple would have released the iPad Air 3 with A9X. Since the tablet market has been saturated, they had to create a new market in order to sustain profits. Updating the existing iPads with more expensive 14/16nm chips might not be as profitable. Since there really isn't iPad's competition at least in the U.S., Apple probably figured that the risk of attempting to create a new demand is small - that is, iPad Air 2 will sell (or not sell) whether it is updated or not. Updating it with A9X is an unnecessary expense (for Apple).

Lack of competition and slowed-down tablet market are what brought us the iPad Pro.
 
bt311 said:
Lack of competition and slowed-down tablet market are what brought us the iPad Pro.
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It's the other way around. Increased competition from precision pen based Galaxy Note Pro, Surface 3, Surface Pro 3/4, Thinkpad Helix2 and many others forced Apple to release the iPP. Good idea just wrong OS choice when it should've been OS X.
 
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