Tim Cook: iPad Pro Will Replace Notebooks and Desktops for 'Many, Many People'

[mattoligy]

I think if you're looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?"

Full iTunes, the ability to back your photos up to a device with more than 256GB storage and connect an external HDD, being able to manage your music properly and import it from where ever you want such as external media, the luxury of installing and downloading what ever you want, the list goes on...

However, those things are all software related and I do agree the hardware of the iPads is becoming very impressive. So yeah, in a lot of ways what Tim is saying, for me at least is true... Why would we buy a desktop over an iPad when they have become neutered systems such as the iMac and MacBooks where the hardware being used is getting less and less powerful, the premium for slightly more power is outrageous and on top of that Apple have made it damn near impossible to user upgrade.

Apples new objectives should be...

1) Make iOS more powerful if you really want users to replace desktops with iPads as there's very basic things it still can't do.

2) Bring user upgradability back to the Mac, lessen the cost of minimal upgrades and add decent high end upgrades for the same cost so that serious professionals can make use of OS X.

 

[bking10]

anyone who would/could replace their PC with an ipad pro would have already done it with an ipad. But using a phone OS makes that very difficult for most people to do

 

[peterdevries]

Really? I don't think I know a single person below the age of 70 who doesn't own some kind of PC (and the others don't own any smart devices either) and most of the people I know are non-techies. People still always get a PC first, then they get their smart phone, then they might also get a tablet but it's mostly the gadget freaks that takes it that far.

No, that is changing. Most people now first get a tablet and then a smartphone. The PC is on its way out for the mass market. You only need to look at the sales figures to understand this. This is not an opinion but a fact that can be easily checked.

e.g. Atelco, Germany's largest PC seller went bankrupt due to increased competition from tablets and off-the-shelf PCs. You will be hard pressed to find a big box store that has a major PC display. All of this has been taken over by notebooks and tablets. As tablets become more capable they will increasingly start to eat into notebook sales too. In addition most companies that I visit as a consultant are rapidly transferring from PCs to laptops and increasing efforts to allow BYOD for tablets.

The picture you are painting is one that is at least 10 years old.

 

[blackcrayon]

Aren't there any bluetooth keyboards? edit: just looked, there are.

In addition: I use my iPad for productivity: emails, office presentations, excel and word. I mail my files and do not need a USB port.

When will people learn that their use case is not all of other people's use case? What works for you does not have to for me and vice versa.

And USB midi keyboards work just fine through a USB adapter to the lightning port. Definitely a non-issue.

 

[Nightarchaon]

iPad Pro will , for a tiny number of people, replace a laptop and existing iPad for a single device,

the rest of us will continue using laptops because we need to use certain apps and work in an efficient workflow that tablets, especially the iPads, even with a keyboard attached and limited functionality just does not touch.

Since day one when the iPad was launched i have been saying that the Macbook Air should have been what the micosoft surface is now (only better because OSX is a far nicer OS to use than bloated windows, although windows 10 is nippy). The iPad pro is going too far down the evolutionary dead end for tablets IMO and apple are to scared to canabilise the sales of the iPads and the new iPad pro to innovate the macbook air into something truly revolutionary.

 

[Popeye206]

I love the iPad on the plane, in the car, and when just vegging out and you want to pass some time reading or playing a simple game. But nothing beats a real laptop yet when it comes to sitting at my desk, or in my comfy chair and I have real things to do. Just the ability to lay the solid keyboard on my lap and screen is right there at the viewing angle I want is something that the iPads can't duplicate yet.

However... given there are millions of people who are heavy consumers of info and occasionally type or author something, the new iPad may be a very good machine for them. And I think this is what Tim is talking about.

 

[nbnbxdnb]

For some people it probably can. Not everyone needs to plug in peripherals anymore. We have wireless printers and scanners now. Photos upload through the cloud. HTML 5 has largely replaced Flash. And some people might leave an older PC or Mac around for the few cases where they do need to connect to an old device or a USB key.

There are things Apple can do to improve iOS. They can make it easier to add attachments to emails. They can make the browser in the iPad Pro default to requesting desktop sites. They can store local files in a central location. I think they should consider these if they want to make Tim Cook's vision a reality. But the hardware looks impressive.

The hardware is indeed impressive. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if they start to use the Apple baked cpu on their lightweight notebooks anytime in the future. I think the reason for people to think twice before ditching their traditional computers and embracing iPad pro is the OS and apps.
Start from the file structure. I really prefer to be able see most of the files stored on my "computer". Saving files into the package of each app may be confusing if you have multiple apps accessing the same file like attaching files saved in another app to emails. Then, multitasking on iOS feels less efficient than on os x. In case of peripherals, I think mouse is not that important but keyboard is. It is just much faster to type on than a virtual one. Both Apple and Microsoft designed the keyboards for their own pro tablets, which I think indicated its importance too.

 

[neuropsychguy]

This is true.

I have a wide network of people across all ages and professions, and it's quite surprising how many people tell me that they barely touch their computer because the iPad does everything they need.

This is exactly what many people commenting here forget - they are not typical computer users (for the most part). Of course it won't be their main computer but most people (consumers) just use their computers to do the type of work that can be done on an iPad. Most people do not need a full computer running OS X or Windows.

 

[Amazing Iceman]

Well... Give us Xcode for iOS and it may happen.

 

[0098386]

In related news: iPad Pro Will Not Replace Notebooks and Desktops for 'Many, Many People' until it runs full OS X.

No! Don't say that! They'll release a universal OSX for all devices and computers but it will only be able to download from the Mac App Store.

 

[x34]

my feeling is for most people iPads are toys - and no, i don't neglect the few pro's who work with their iPads.

many people i know liked the idea of iPads, bought them and... never really used them. some bought iPads twice, just to come to the point again of buying a fine macbook.

while i love my retina mbp and my iphone 6s, it feels like the magic of the good old days is gone from apple products (not necessarily a bad thing as it means the bar is really high now, which is good!).

ipad pro? LOL. you can do things on a bigger screen better? really? wow.

 

[Max(IT)]

"Cook also said the iPad Pro will be highly appealing to artists and other creatives"

As a professional artist I have to say it's not appealing at all really.

Not appealing FOR YOU, I'd add.
Actually I think artists are the only real target of that tablet.

A big part of the iPad's appeal is the price - $270-$830 depending on size and configuration. I bought a 64GB Cellular iPad Air 2 for $630 last holiday season because I wanted one and there really isn't a good laptop in that price range.

A 128GB WiFi iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard will cost $1120. That is too expensive for an iPad. At that price, I think most people would begin comparing it to the Retina Macbook, which has double the storage for $180 more and weighs about the same; or to the 13-inch Macbook Air, which is $120 less; or to the 11-inch Macbook Air, which is $220 less. The battery life in those computers is just as good if not better, and they are certainly more capable with full OS X. Sure, you won't have a nifty star-gazing app that you can draw on, but that is a small loss for many.

Correct. iPad Pro prices are totally wrong. About $150 above the right level.
This is because Apple had priced every other iPad at least $50-100 above the right level ....
They are going too far with prices .....

Apple execs are in full blown desperation mode, or just in complete denial. Why buy a PC? I say why buy a iPad Pro...

Oh sure, Apple basically are printing money, sitting on a cash bigger than a medium sized State, but they are SO desperate ....

 

[nt5672]

Isn't iPad Pro just a giant iPad Mini? It will never replace laptops without OSX.

OS X is dead. Look at the handwriting on the wall. Everything is moving to iOS because thats what made Apple the dominate company it is today. Look at the time frame between professional hardware refreshes. Look at the fact that Apple uses linux/PCs in its data centers, not Macs and OS X. While the decision may not be overt today, the signs are there.

 

[antonis]

So, Tim, is this why you're slowly reducing Macs into tablets ?
And how many people (in digits) is the "many, many" ?

 

[zhugzug]

Does anyone know if it will be at midnight Pacific time? Or will it be in the AM that we can start pre-ordering? Also, can we set it for store pickup? Or is it delivery only?

 

[apolloa]

I think the majority of people can accept the iPad Pro will replace some peoples computers, but the problem I believe we all have is the 'many many' people part he said. Sounds like he has is referring to the majority of the market and the iPad is no where near good enough for that.

 

[ConnYoungy]

You can connect hard drives, you can connect flash cards from digital camera, you can connect printers (even non-AirPrint).

I can connect my existing hard drives to an iPad? Without buying overpriced accessories? and the same for cf cards and printers?

 

[Mr D]

I guess if your definition of "many people" are only sending emails, playing iOS apps and surfing Facebook, then sure... Your network doesn't seem to include the millions of people globablly who actually use the Mac platform and real pro applications for their professional livelihoods. For these individuals, the iPad Pro is essentially just a glorified and overpriced iPad. The real irony is, this is the consumer demo that Apple is actually attempting to target with this product.

Millions of people are still going to be needing Mac OS X/Windows platforms no matter what. The iPad and tablet won't take over the market to a point where you don't have millions needing a computer.

The reality is - MANY people only need a product to surf the web - watch videos - social media - light editing/creation for text documents/excel etc. iOS is more than capable for these needs/wants.

Do you know how many stay at home moms there are?

Your opinion on the iPad Pro is just that - and opinion. Sales will tell all and based on the current trend of iPad sales - you're not understanding the change of technology with consumer wants/needs.

 

[delegagtor]

I actually considered an iPad Pro as a replacement for my wife's laptop, but the second she realized that there was no USB slot to be able to load information to/from a flash drive, that made it a no-go. Apple's insistence on proprietary ports and no data ports is a significant hurdle.

 

[ladeer]

we know it wouldn't be, otherwise it will cannibalize the other two profitable product lines they got...

 

[Mr D]

I think the majority of people can accept the iPad Pro will replace some peoples computers, but the problem I believe we all have is the 'many many' people part he said. Sounds like he has is referring to the majority of the market and the iPad is no where near good enough for that.

It doesn't sound like anything other than "many, many" which is code for "we're going to sell a lot."

Whatever assumption you make after that is just your bias.

 

[jkruehne]

Sure, if you don't know what a file system is, nor develop any programs, nor need a mouse, nor...

… maybe there are "many, many people" out there just using a notebook for tasks, the iPad pro can handle ,too. for them its more convenient to connect a keyboard when needed, and disconnect it for …Lorem ipsum …

i think it would work that way for "many, many, people" during time ;-)

 

[LovingTeddy]

For all the people think iPad can replace laptop for many light computer users, here are somethig I want you guys to consider:

1. Yes, I know iOS can do AirPrint. I also know people need print double sided, sometimes they want customizing their printing, sometimes they need choose black and white or color, sometimes they need choose the PPI it prints. How in the earth could you do this with iPad Pro. As far as I know, these are impossible for AirPrint. And don't tell printing are professional activities.

2. Lets say, I have folder of documents with different document types. Let's say, I have pdf, docx, pptx, hmtl and txt files. And I want access them offline. What do I do? Fire up iTunes, upload to each individual apps. And I have to hunt each individual apps for my files, I cannot access all my file on one spot.

3. Yes, I will motion again, iOS does not have file browers. I realized that file browser is not necesaary, but file browser provides convince for people to access and organize their files on spot.

4. People will need find job for time to time. Tell me how exactly I can upload my resume to companies' website? For job seekers, these are real challenges.

There are many more things you can do on PC/ OS X but you cannot do or you cannot do easily with iOS. Until iOS solve these problems, I found no way iOS will replace PC entirely. For all the poster claiming that people using tablet more often, it is probably true. Because I don't touch my computer that often anymore. But that does not mean I don't need my PC and Mac anymore.

 

[mattopotamus]

OS X is dead. Look at the handwriting on the wall. Everything is moving to iOS because thats what made Apple the dominate company it is today. Look at the time frame between professional hardware refreshes. Look at the fact that Apple uses linux/PCs in its data centers, not Macs and OS X. While the decision may not be overt today, the signs are there.

I just do not know about that. Have you ever been in a college? OSX is far from dead. If anything, it is becoming a more viable option as more and more support is added. I remember a time when the office suite was unusable.

 

[Tiger8]

I love the iPad on the plane, in the car, and when just vegging out and you want to pass some time reading or playing a simple game. But nothing beats a real laptop yet when it comes to sitting at my desk, or in my comfy chair and I have real things to do. Just the ability to lay the solid keyboard on my lap and screen is right there at the viewing angle I want is something that the iPads can't duplicate yet.

However... given there are millions of people who are heavy consumers of info and occasionally type or author something, the new iPad may be a very good machine for them. And I think this is what Tim is talking about.

I'm with you. At home I find myself spending almost 50/50 of my time on my laptop and iPad. Even when it comes to 'consuming' data, sometimes a laptop is far far more comfortable than an iPad

And BTW, Surface Pro 3 (and 4) do replace the laptop, but because they finally managed to get a full operating system to work on such form factor. Apple is still years from that, regardless how 'powerful' apps become

 

[Mr D]

This is exactly what many people commenting here forget - they are not typical computer users (for the most part). Of course it won't be their main computer but most people (consumers) just use their computers to do the type of work that can be done on an iPad. Most people do not need a full computer running OS X or Windows.

Exactly. I'm not even sure why people get so damn offended based off a product release.