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PS. You're exaggerating with SP3 battery life. It actually gets pretty decent battery life. Not iPad like, but decent.

Actually, no, that's what benchmarks and reviews reported when I looked into buying a SP3. Normal use seems to give you less than four hours, which was a dealbreaker for me. PCMark 8 for battery life was 2:38. (source)
 
Actually, no, that's what benchmarks and reviews reported when I looked into buying a SP3. Normal use seems to give you less than four hours, which was a dealbreaker for me. PCMark 8 for battery life was 2:38. (source)
Yeah on max brightness. Who actually ever uses their devices on max brightness? It's instant battery killer on any device. Even on iPad.
 
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I'll strongly consider an iPad Pro as my main computer once iOS gets one crucial feature: a real file system.

I want apps to be able to modify files that other apps make. Dragging and dropping resources between apps works for some things, but for any technical task ya need access to a file system. I'm a software developer, so I'd like a way for a text editor to be able to create programming files that other apps then act on (say, executing shell scripts or starting a web server).
Apple will never provide a file system like we enjoy on our computers.

If not for the app model Apple wisely created for their benefit, customers wouldn't be locked into Apples Eco System.

It was a brilliant move which has made Apple the juggernaut they are today.

Between the beautiful new MacBook, the MBA and MBP lineup, there's simply no reason to spend the obscene sum of money Apples asking for this latest jumbo iPad.

Yet it's likely Apple will sell quite a few only because some people are influenced by Apples marketing. They just have to have Apples latest product. But just like with children, a year from now when the newness has worn off they'll cast this toy aside and return to the computer they relied on to get the job done.

I've found the iPad Air is the sweet spot for my iPad use, which is purely content consumption. Reading the news and browsing the web. Buying from Amazon and such. Purely a recreational type device.

I've tried a huge member of keyboards of all types, at the end of the day I grab my MBA if I need to complete a report or any one of a host of other lightweight tasks.

For the heavy lifting of actual computing work, nothing beats my latest 2015 CTO 15" MBP. That's just how it all works in the dense digital environment I work and play in.
 
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Yeah on max brightness. Who actually ever uses their devices on max brightness? It's instant battery killer on any device. Even on iPad.

Well, in any case, comparisons to the SP3 are probably off anyway, since the SP4 is rumored to come out this year. It may well be the better choice for me. I can't replace my laptop with an iPad Pro, because it's not hybrid-y enough for what I need, but the SP4 might fit the bill if the battery life is improved and it's lighter, it might be suitable for me. It'll depend on how good a tablet it is.
 
I won't be selling any mac to do this however when it comes to my mbp2008 being replaced then seriously considering replacing with an iPad Pro. I have a 2009 mini for iTunes/Elgato PVR system and a 2010 cMP that take care of needs regarding the computer. My mbp2008 has become relegated to Forums, Browsing, Mail etc.
I had been seriously looking at the Surface Pro systems, so the iPad Pro looks a great alternative.
Saves getting a new mb and iPad combination as far as i am concerned.

I don't see as either/or but the iPad/Pro complement the computers not replacements.
 
Apple will never provide a file system like we enjoy on our computers.

I won't say "never," but it's definitely a long shot :)

they'll cast this toy aside and return to the computer they relied on to get the job done.

Many companies spend thousands of dollars on this product for their employees. Many illustrators spend thousands of their own dollars on that same product. You're thinking too narrowly about just how useful that stylus is. It could transform TONS of people's workflows.

Here's to hoping it works for me!
 
Not a chance. Very different Operating Systems. If all you do is consume information and content, then iPad Pro as a main computing device is the one for you. It isn't a Surface Pro by any stretch of the imagination.
 
I've read a lot in the media about this today. The question of "Will the iPad Pro replace laptops at some point?" is a very hot topic after yesterday's announcement. Yet, I still don't see how it could in its current form. The iPad has definitely gotten better in general at being a computer replacement, but there are still so many pain points in trying to use it as your ONLY full blown computer.

For example, I in no way think of myself as a "power user", but I do need my Mac weekly for podcast recording. I use the Thunderbolt ports and HDMI port to hook it up to my two giant monitors, I use one USB port to connect my Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, and the other one to connect my Apogee mic. We use a double ended method for our show, so I'm running multiple recordings at once, editing into a final cut, uploading to Dropbox as well as our site for hosting the feed, and doing countless other things at once with the audio clips and effects.

Now, does the common user do stuff like this? Absolutely not. I'm an outlier in this regard. But the common user DOES want to do things like use thumb drives here and there, plug in some peripherals that DON'T use lightning connectors, plug in external monitors, manually create files and folders and even maybe backup locations, etc.

So it's really unclear what Apple is thinking here. Tablet and computer sales have slowed for ALL tablet and computer makers, with one really big exception: the Mac, which is growing. How does a bigger, more expensive, and more niche iPad change that? I guess it's something that artists and business people have wanted for a long time.

Myself? I've been bearish on tablets in general for the last year, and the iPad Pro is still very much an iPad. I tried to shoehorn my iPad Air into a laptop role for a few weeks and couldn't stand it. I don't see my opinion changing with an iPad Pro. iOS sucks as a daily driver for a laptop form factor.
 
Why, though? The SP3 manages less than 4 hours of battery life in low load situations like web browsing, and two and a half hours when it's under medium to high load. It's a good device in theory, but with that kind of battery life (and the weak touch support in software), it's not that great. It's heavy for a tablet, and gets hot like a stove.

People are asking for OS X on the iPad pro, but as far as i'm aware, it's not built to run on Arm devices. If they put an intel chip in the pro, they'll have battery problems similar to the Surface.
 
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Not me. No chance.

Last year, my old MBP broke down so I used an iPad Mini (with keyboard) in it's place for a couple of weeks. Damn, doing that almost broke me as well. Not having a mouse and not being to move files around quickly seals the deal for me. And the limited options for downloading and consuming of various media sucks, too.

Finally, I simply love the aesthetics of OS X. And I really like splitting up the usage of battery power to more devices – iPhone for practically everything, rMBP for work, iPad Mini for entertainment.
 
I'll strongly consider an iPad Pro as my main computer once iOS gets one crucial feature: a real file system.

I want apps to be able to modify files that other apps make. Dragging and dropping resources between apps works for some things, but for any technical task ya need access to a file system. I'm a software developer, so I'd like a way for a text editor to be able to create programming files that other apps then act on (say, executing shell scripts or starting a web server).

you're basically asking for a simple OS X, that's not happening. A file system that everyone wants on an iPad would fundamentally change iOS

Apple has proven that have no plans on doing that, enjoy the app drawer and copy and pasting files
 
Considering it, given my main issue with iPads have always been lack of screen space, crummy speakers and in the mini's case, resolution / color gamut. I like the idea of stylus too.

I am not a two computer person and as much as I love the rMB, I think the iPad Pro and a desktop are the way I should go. Price point-wise, Yes, the iPad Pro is a little steep with the accessories but I am starting to see this might be a better fit for me for creative and consumption use.
 
I agree with many here that the iPad Pro needs more control. I was actually discussing this with a colleague the other day, and we both came up with an iOS Pro concept.

Imagine during the initial setup, the user would be able to choose between regular iOS and iOS Pro. iOS Pro would give you more control over the system, such as a central file browser, a dark theme, windowed apps (as opposed to full-screen only apps) and the opening up of the Lightning connector to USB drives.

Additionally, Apple should make iOS versions of its Pro apps. I would totally dig an iOS version of Final Cut!
 
People are asking for OS X on the iPad pro, but as far as i'm aware, it's not built to run on Arm devices. If they put an intel chip in the pro, they'll have battery problems similar to the Surface.

That's an easy fix..

Just like PPC to x86/Intel ... OSX days are marked for conversion sooner than any of us would want.

Just a hunch, but Apples timing to merge the OS with ARM is perfect with the release of iOS 10.
 
What happens if I need to plug my iPhone 6+ into a computer to fully restore it via itunes? If I could hook my iphone up to the ipad pro via usb-c or something similar then maybe.. but there isn't a full itunes type program on ipad that can handle all of that. This would also call for more storage options. If the base model was 64GB and had a top tier of 256GB then maybe... But I can't run Lightroom 5 on the ipad pro either.

Sure.. there are ways for me to edit photos on the iPad Pro and yes my Sony a6000 can send the photos directly to the ipad without needing a computer now, but I don't see it being as quick and I cant save backups of files as easily without hooking up a flash drive or external hdd. I think we are getting closer but not fully ready to replace my Macbook Air or desktop computer.

I am still tempted to add the iPad Pro to my current iPhone 6+, Ipad mini2, Macbook air 13" in place of the ipad mini 2 of course.
 
Ipad pro is not for me - can see how it would work for some people - especially creative types - such as architects, artists etc - seems a bit niche but def can see how it will work for that market

But will go with iPad mini 4 for my throw in a bag, stick in my pocket fun tablet, currently have a 6+ (was hoping it could replace my iPad mini 2 but just not the same so will probably downsize to the smaller iPhone for iPhone 7) and then have a rMbp for 'proper computing' and to be honest looking forward to the macbook being less of a gimmick and gaining some more power in either it's 2nd or 3rd format to replace that for my comfortable but lightweight 'serious' computer
 
Not for me, either, but I can see that it could be a big plus for some people. For me, something that size needs to run a desktop OS and desktop apps. The artist and doctor presentations yesterday were pretty persuasive if they align with your uses and needs, though.
 
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I'm not selling my my old Mac, but I likely won't upgrade it like I have been considering. I have an MBP at work, so I just need a device for home and out of the office. This should fill that need perfectly and I'll keep the old Mac for the occasional heavy lifting I need to do st home.
 
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Many companies spend thousands of dollars on this product for their employees. Many illustrators spend thousands of their own dollars on that same product. You're thinking too narrowly about just how useful that stylus is. It could transform TONS of people's workflows.

I think it will be a transformative product for a large number of people. Although I think that the OP's question misses the boat, this will be a product that will be added to existing Macs rather than replacing them.

Post-Script: for everyone complaining about the lack of file system, do you use Dropbox, etc.?
 
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Doubtful unless you can give up desktop level software like full Photoshop, can live with only two foreground apps at a time and not all apps support split view, no background multitasking, no touchpad/mouse, etc.
 
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Post-Script: for everyone complaining about the lack of file system, do you use Dropbox, etc.?

Speaking for myself, for work (i.e., for professional purposes), we're prohibited from doing so by firm policy and by many of our clients' engagement letters.
 
I'll strongly consider an iPad Pro as my main computer once iOS gets one crucial feature: a real file system.

I want apps to be able to modify files that other apps make. Dragging and dropping resources between apps works for some things, but for any technical task ya need access to a file system. I'm a software developer, so I'd like a way for a text editor to be able to create programming files that other apps then act on (say, executing shell scripts or starting a web server).

This is why I can't take iOS seriously... I like to be able to have the Web treat my phone like a computer in this respect as well.
 
Post-Script: for everyone complaining about the lack of file system, do you use Dropbox, etc.?

I use iCloud, but I still keep my programming projects local until it's time to "publish" them (for git-savvy readers, I mean push them to a remote repository).

There are two reasons why:

1. There are things called package managers that allow you to download shared dependencies (basically, thousands and thousands and thousands of files) without needing to store them with the project directly. I don't want to unnecessarily upload these thousands and thousands and thousands of files for each project. (for git-savvy readers, I'm talking about files that are git ignored).

2. Files might change a lot during development before I want to "publish them." I sometimes work on a mobile connection, and it would obliterate my available data if every change was sent to the cloud.

For the web development that I do, a local filesystem that is separate from my cloud storage is pretty much a must.
 
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