The iPad Launched 14 Years Ago Today as Longest-Ever Wait for New Models Continues

[Born Again]

14 years ago, Jobs said that the iPad would usher the world to the post-PC era....
... and it failed miserably since people continue to use PCs and Macs more than ever.
All thanks to the awfully limited iPad OS.
It could have killed the traditional computer but they preferred to just sell both as incomplete devices.
Good job, Tim.

Not sure if it’s Tim’s fault but Apple doesn’t want to eat into MacBook sales further.

I’ve had the original iPad to now.

I can say with confidence that it hasn’t changed much.

Sure screen is better, apps are cleaner, but the experience is the same.

It’s just a big iPhone.

I have this expensive pencil I hardly use.

I also have an expensive keyboard with mousepad that I hardly use too.

Maybe that’s okay.

 

[Eso]

I was one of the “really, just a big iPhone?“ crowd when it launched. I was very disappointed with the reveal. Much like Joshua Topolsky, I saw so much potential in terms of adapting the UI for a larger interface. Instead, we got that ridiculous homescreen. I soft boycotted it, committing to not buy one unless they re-designed the interface.

Then my girlfriend bought me the iPad 2 when it came out (crap). I didn’t want to be rude, but I really didn’t want to support the product. So I used it and found it was exactly what I expected - a big iPhone. And that wasn’t so bad actually. Battery life was so good that you never feel like you were on a timer while using it, as you would on a phone. The screen’s aspect made it pretty close to desktop browsing. It was also just so convenient to pick it up and be browsing the web in 2 seconds as opposed to booting up my desktop computer.

14 years later and my opinion hasn’t changed a damn bit. It‘s still just a big iPhone and a mere shadow of what it could be. But it’s still nice for what it is. I think of it like a magazine - It can just lounge around wherever, waiting to be casually picked up to browse the web or watch some YouTube. It’s so much better than a laptop for that. But yeah, if this thing is ever going to reach its potential, it is going to have a persistent Mac OS-like dock along the right edge for one-tap task switching.

Typed on a grabage iPad virtual keyboard that is in the worst state the iOS keyboard has ever been in.

 

[Ctrlos]

I was one of the “really, just a big iPhone?“ crowd when it launched. I was very disappointed with the reveal. Much like Joshua Topolsky, I saw so much potential in terms of adapting the UI for a larger interface. Instead, we got that ridiculous homescreen. I soft boycotted it, committing to not buy one unless they re-designed the interface.

Then my girlfriend bought me the iPad 2 when it came out (crap). I didn’t want to be rude, but I really didn’t want to support the product. So I used it and found it was exactly what I expected - a big iPhone. And that wasn’t so bad actually. Battery life was so good that you never feel like you were on a timer while using it, as you would on a phone. The screen’s aspect made it pretty close to desktop browsing. It was also just so convenient to pick it up and be browsing the web in 2 seconds as opposed to booting up my desktop computer.

14 years later and my opinion hasn’t changed a damn bit. It‘s still just a big iPhone and a mere shadow of what it could be. But it’s still nice for what it is. I think of it like a magazine - It can just lounge around wherever, waiting to be casually picked up to browse the web or watch some YouTube. It’s so much better than a laptop for that. But yeah, if this thing is ever going to reach its potential, it is going to have a persistent Mac OS-like dock along the right edge for one-tap task switching.

Typed on a grabage iPad virtual keyboard that is in the worst state the iOS keyboard has ever been in.

Each to their own my friend. On the flip side I have an M1 iPad Pro I use as a digital Swiss Army knife at work. It’s additional recording and LiDAR hardware save me hauling and using an extra £8k worth of kit alongside a MacBook for everything from recording experiments to creating 1:1 digital twin plans of building interiors.

 

[Eso]

Each to their own my friend. On the flip side I have an M1 iPad Pro I use as a digital Swiss Army knife at work. It’s additional recording and LiDAR hardware save me hauling and using an extra £8k worth of kit alongside a MacBook for everything from recording experiments to creating 1:1 digital twin plans of building interiors.

Sure, you get by. I bet you‘d enjoy it more if you had one-tap window switching and a finder app that was a 1:1 equivalent to the Mac OS finder.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The only people waiting patiently are Apple’s shareholders and YouTubers. As it currently stands all existing models more than fulfil their role incredibly well.

Yep I didn’t wait. I needed a new ipad and just got the M2 pro. It’s plenty for me.

 

[chouseworth]

As usual, too many commenters see this as either/or. I think the iPad is one of the best media consumption and surfing devices ever invented. That’s enough. I have my Macs to do more intensive or interactive computing. I use both daily for what they are good at, and suspect millions of others happily do the same.

 

[moritzk]

Anyone else remember the audience gasping at the price when Jobs announced it would start at just $499 USD? When was the last time anyone gasped at a Tim Cook price point?

Well, that was not so long ago:

 

[CarAnalogy]

you do raise quite valid points on how Apple’s obsession with touch interface has had a ripple effect on the industry over the years. Windows has been trash for a long time, you’re not wrong (and that’s not a sub, it did get significantly worse with the advent of the Surface [in spite of me making a direct comparison between Surface and iPad in my prior comment]). I think I would most strongly counter the idea that nobody wanted touch input.

touch interfaces have made computing a lot more accessible for far more people—I’m mainly thinking of older people, for whom it’s easier to say “oh, you just tap right here on the screen!”, though I’m sure there are people with certain disabilities I’m forgetting who benefit greatly from touch vs. a keyboard-and-mouse interface. the issue lies within the fact that Apple made a really good touch interface annnnnnnd…no one was able to replicate it, in tablet form. (I think some forks of Android are fine as far as smartphones go.)

as far as Catalyst goes—yeah, that has always been a mess imo, I don’t think I’ve ever made regular use of a Catalyst app. they just do not provide an adequate desktop experience.

I don’t really know if this can all be used as an argument for the detriment of desktop platforms though, particularly macOS—as someone who uses macOS exclusively, in my opinion, it is stronger than ever with the advent of Apple Silicon. it went through some growing pains starting with Big Sur, though I feel it’s landed at a comfortable point with Sonoma. if you wanna make the argument that it’s destroyed Windows, on the other hand…go for it, I’ve always hated Windows and on the rare occasion I use a Windows computer these days (both people I live with own one) I’m like “wow, this sucks!” —but here’s the question…

is that Apple’s fault for making a good product, or Microsoft’s fault for absolutely bungling their response?

I agree, a lot of people made half efforts at touch both software and hardware and that’s a big part of the problem. It definitely is better for some things but not all and it was shoehorned too much.

More Mac apps are coming with the OS as Catalyst, like Messages. I’m surprised you haven’t noticed a downgrade in quality as a Mac only user, but I suppose that means it’s not too bad. Can’t miss it on Windows.

 

[danmaldesign]

Latest disposable tech utopia

New device upgrade = A few million bricks of waste & lithium ion that will not be recycled

But Apple claims to be environmentally friendly

Your thirst fuels their greed and destruction

 

[MacBH928]

big screen iphone. Whenever I need to get something done, laptop/desktop/macos wins 100%

 

[JippaLippa]

Hopefully it'll be worth the wait!
If things go well for me this year, it might be my first iPad.

I've always wanted one since the Apple Pencil was introduced, but it has always been kinda expensive and I couldn't justify the expense.
Nowadays I have grown profesionally and I'd make larger use of it.

 

[Wanted797]

Steve specifically said it was not going to “kill” traditional PCs.
In fact, during the all things digital 2010 conference, he specifically compared the iPad to a car, while the traditional PC is like a truck.
The vast majority of consumers can get by with a car, but there will always be those subset that absolutely need a truck.

And he was absolutely right, for the majority of the general public, the iPad fulfills all of the needs that a traditional computer used to.
Especially those who are, shall we say, more tech illiterate.
The iPad is literally the perfect device for those types of people.

And you can see this in the sales numbers, Apple sells at least double the amount of iPads then they do Macintosh computers, because that’s all most people need.

This.

Funny enough I saw this in my own life in a funny way. First year I got with my wife (2011) I bought her a basic laptop for Xmas (she is not technical and was still reliant on the family computer and did not have a smart phone - she got one that year same on my suggestion).

2 years later I go her an Apple gift card (plus told others) so she could buy an iPad mini (to stop her taking mine). This became her main device.

Today she doesn’t even own a computer. I have 2 (Mac mini and air). And man even as a tech person on macrumors I could probably get away with just an iPad!

 

[dancefreak]

The only people waiting patiently are Apple’s shareholders and YouTubers. As it currently stands all existing models more than fulfil their role incredibly well.

My 2018 11" Pro is getting long in the tooth for my usage, the battery no longer lasts long, and the keyboard folio is peeling apart in the corners. Definitely ready for that upgrade.

 

[jouster]

Still going strong!

 

[nt5672]

I've had a couple of iPads and doubt I'll ever get another one. The best thing Apple could do at this point is just kill the iPad, accept that iPadOS is dumb and quit making macOS look like iPadOS.

We would all win.

 

[gagaliya]

The iPad is so overpowered at this point vs the apps they have, there is no point to keep upgrading the hardware…..we need the pro version to have Mac OS desktop version on it.

Imagine how elegant it will be if iPad pro can flip between desktop mac os and iPad os running off the same set of your files and apps. And you can put the iPad in an apple dock connected to a monitor / kb / mouse and use it like a Mac mini with a second small screen, pick it up and you can continue to use like an iPad.

Thats what we want, but Tim bean counter Cook will never allow it for fear of cannibalize the MacBook sales

 

[BGPL]

You could land a 747 on that bezel.

 

[xDKP]

Steve specifically said it was not going to “kill” traditional PCs.
In fact, during the all things digital 2010 conference, he specifically compared the iPad to a car, while the traditional PC is like a truck.
The vast majority of consumers can get by with a car, but there will always be those subset that absolutely need a truck.

And he was absolutely right, for the majority of the general public, the iPad fulfills all of the needs that a traditional computer used to.
Especially those who are, shall we say, more tech illiterate.
The iPad is literally the perfect device for those types of people.

And you can see this in the sales numbers, Apple sells at least double the amount of iPads then they do Macintosh computers, because that’s all most people need.

Spot on! I use a PC at the office and need that for work. But at home I never use a computer but my iPad Pro a LOT. Way better looking stuff up online or researching vacation spots etc. than a phone and way more comfy than my laptop. And it’s always on and blazing fast.

I think the lack of major growth in the sales is because they last so long. My pretty old Pro feels almost brand new and everything is smooth and fast. No need for a new one

 

[DENZIE]

meh. I’ve sold exactly the same amount of iPads I’ve bought. I’ve just never felt it solves any problems as well as a Mac+iPhone together.

 

[seek3r]

I'm sure Apple software engineers (all three of them) want to do more with iPadOS but the bean counters want the iPad to be nothing more than a companion device which is why it's so incredibly gimped with no real hope of it gaining more advancements. It's so frustrating. I can't see myself buying another one as there's been no real advancements since I got my IPP 10.5" back in 2017. It's just so limited and it doesn't need to be.

Three engineers? Come on, we all know the secret Apple's success is that the Steve Wozniak running around enjoying his life is an imposter and Apple has the real Woz locked in the basement in Cupertino, writing all apple software by himself! Without even access to debugging info! The limitations on iPads are his version of "I'm locked in a fortune cookie factory, send help"

 

[AppleTO]

The iPad is so overpowered at this point vs the apps they have, there is no point to keep upgrading the hardware…..we need the pro version to have Mac OS desktop version on it.

Imagine how elegant it will be if iPad pro can flip between desktop mac os and iPad os running off the same set of your files and apps. And you can put the iPad in an apple dock connected to a monitor / kb / mouse and use it like a Mac mini with a second small screen, pick it up and you can continue to use like an iPad.

Thats what we want, but Tim bean counter Cook will never allow it for fear of cannibalize the MacBook sales

Yeah, this would pretty well be an insta-buy for me.

 

[Seanm87]

Never got the hate for the iPad. It’s a perfect consumption device. Most people have work issued laptops surely? The last thing I want to do after working on a laptop all day is go onto another one.

I don’t know why everyone keeps thinking you have to do work on them. Why?

 

[groove-agent]

And you can see this in the sales numbers, Apple sells at least double the amount of iPads then they do Macintosh computers, because that’s all most people need.

... plus the iPad is cheaper than a Mac which creates more sales.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

Man, I still have my original one. As much as I loved it, it was highly disappointing because I could not do all I WANTED to do with it. It now sits in its box because it's useless, for me at least.

I had to wait at least 10 years until the iPad became something I wanted again, but the advent of the Pencil and the M1 Pro versions brought it closer than ever to that, and I took the plunge again.

Sadly, it is still 95% where I want the iPad to be, capability-wise, so I still had to get an MBA M2 (dopest computer I've EVER had).

But for other members of my family, the Post-PC era has become a full-blown reality thanks to the current iPad (pros).

And my iPad Pro is an integral member of my setup, so much so that I could legitimately not use my Mac for days until I needed to do something specific.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

The iPad is so overpowered at this point vs the apps they have, there is no point to keep upgrading the hardware…..we need the pro version to have Mac OS desktop version on it.

Imagine how elegant it will be if iPad pro can flip between desktop mac os and iPad os running off the same set of your files and apps. And you can put the iPad in an apple dock connected to a monitor / kb / mouse and use it like a Mac mini with a second small screen, pick it up and you can continue to use like an iPad.

Thats what we want, but Tim bean counter Cook will never allow it for fear of cannibalize the MacBook sales

For God's sake, NO.

What the iPad needs is the SAME level of capability as a Mac, while keeping the touch-based focus of its OS elements.

I REALLY don't want Apple to put a keyboard-and-mouse OS on a touch-based device.

Thus, I want full file system access, multiple accounts, the ability to resize windows (not that Stage Manager crap), and none of the mobile OS wonk, WITHOUT having to rely on a cursor; it needs to all work PERFECTLY with MY FINGER.