The Apple iPad is billed as the ultimate laptop replacement – mobile, versatile and capable. However, in 2021, the iPad line-up still can’t escape reality: it’s just a glorified iPhone. And, the tech giant has no intention of changing it.
Since the introduction of the iPad Pro 12.9-inch, Apple Pencil, and Smart Keyboard Folio accessory in 2015, the Cupertino firm’s tablet has expanded and encroached into laptop territory.
No longer was it just for the primary school classroom or the casual home user; it targeted business professionals and creatives who demand something more versatile, yet powerful as a computer replacement – and priced accordingly like a laptop.
Apple’s marketing certainly reflected that, with the infamous iPad Pro “What’s a Computer?” commercial in 2017 sparking widespread outrage, since it doesn’t have the capabilities of a fully-fledged laptop at the time. Today, the case is still remarkably similar.
Images by Adeolu Eletu (left) and Omar Al-Ghosson (right) on Unsplash
In April, Apple upgraded its flagship 2021 iPad Pro 11-inch and 12.9-inch with the M1 processor – a powerful chip already found in the MacBook Air, Pro, and 24-inch iMac – along with a new mini-LED display for the bigger model, up to 1TB memory, 16GB RAM, and faster Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port.
With even more powerful desktop-grade hardware, many expected Apple to harness the power and bring more of a Mac-like experience and full-function applications, like Final Cut Pro X and more of the Adobe suite, with the announcement of iPadOS 15 software in June. However, that never materialised.
Apple does not want the iPad to replace your laptop. Instead, it’s more of a substitute.
The latest iPadOS 15 operating system enables widgets to be placed on the home screen, the App Library, improved two-app multitasking interface, a redesigned Safari web browser with extension support, Universal Control, and more.
The latter is a poignant reminder that Apple wants the iPad to be a secondary device to a laptop or desktop. Universal Control expands on the Continuity feature by allowing MacBooks, iMacs, and iPads to communicate with each other when in close proximity by allowing one keyboard and touchpad to control all devices – like using an extension display monitor (à la Sidecar), except each still running their own operating system.
Image by Daniel Romero (left) on Unsplash and Apple (right)
It also allows app developers to ‘request’ using more RAM, instead of the standard 5GB bottleneck, which is a step in the right direction.
Critically, these updates are more of the same; typical for an iPad. It’s not a revolutionary change – and does not reflect nor harness the transformational M1 processor in the 2021 iPad Pro.
The problem is, bundling the 2021 M1 iPad Pro 12.9-inch with 256GB storage, (expensive) Magic Keyboard, and second-generation Apple Pencil will cost $2547. By contrast, a similarly specced 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro with 256GB storage, which comes with the Magic Keyboard as standard, is only $1899 – and that’s discounting the eerily similar and significantly cheaper unbelievable M1 MacBook Air.
The value equation of the iPad, especially the Air and Pro just doesn’t add up. It borders on and beyond a MacBook.
iPad users will still be limited by the software, with mostly mobile-first designed apps like the Microsoft Office and Google G suite, video calling services like Zoom or Teams stopping the camera feed when exiting the app, running no more than two apps on one screen, no true system file management, and a lack of ‘pro’ apps from Apple and Adobe, among others.
Images by Madalyn Cox (left) and Jonathan Francisca (right) on Unsplash
It also still doesn’t have a built-in calculator or weather app.
And again, iPad proponents are disappointed at another year without the tablet being more capable and being more of a laptop replacement. With iPadOS 15 set to release in September, no new developers announcing any new ‘pro’ apps, and a redesigned ‘pro’-like iPad Mini rumored later this year, Apple’s tablet remains constricted by the company itself.
The reality is, the iPad is a substitute – not a computer replacement.
How the iPad is becoming a sub-par laptop
Over the years, the tech giant has increasingly magnified the iPad’s presence as a quasi laptop, despite running the same software architecture as an iPhone (iOS). Here’s a brief timeline:
- September 2015: Apple introduces the flagship iPad Pro 12.9-inch, with a Smart Keyboard and first-gen Apple Pencil accessory
- March 2016: Apple introduces a smaller iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- March 2017: New entry-level fifth-gen 9.7-inch iPad model is announced with a sub-$600 price tag
- June 2017: Apple updates the second-gen iPad Pro with smaller bezels for a new 10.5- and 12.9-inch model, featuring a smooth 120Hz ProMotion display, plus releases its “What’s a Computer?” commercial campaign
Images by Omar Al-Ghosson (left) on Unsplash and Apple (right)
- March 2018: The budget sixth-gen iPad gets updated with first-gen Apple Pencil support
- October 2018: iPad Pro 11- and 12-inch redesign introduced, replacing the Lightning charging port with a USB-C for charging and data transfer, as well as a new Smart Keyboard Folio and Apple Pencil (second-gen) accessory, and option for 1TB of storage
- June 2019: Apple separates iOS from the tablet with iPadOS 13, featuring dark mode, Sidecar with the Mac (screen mirroring and extension), text-editing gestures, enhanced multitasking, support for desktop sites on Safari, a Files app, and more
- March 2019: Third-gen iPad Air adds Smart Keyboard and first-gen Apple Pencil compatibility on a wider 10.5-inch display
- September 2019: New seventh-gen 10.2-inch iPad gains the Smart Connector for Smart Keyboard compatibility, first-gen Apple Pencil support, and a larger screen targeted for educational markets
Images by Apple (left) and Onur Binay (right) on Unsplash
- March/April 2020: Magic Keyboard accessory introduced – the same found in a MacBook – with bona fide trackpad support, alongside the 2020 iPad Pro that includes an unlocked A12Z processor and ultrawide with lidar scanner for augmented reality (AR)
- June 2020: iPadOS 14 unveiled with Scribble Apple Pencil support, handwriting to text conversion in Notes, and more
- October 2020: Mid-spec fourth-gen iPad Air overhauled, with a startlingly similar design and specifications to the Pro line-up, including USB-C and Smart Keyboard Folio and Magic Keyboard compatibility
- May 2021: iPad Pro line-up refreshed with both 11- and 12-inch models gaining a desktop-grade M1 processor, up to 16GB RAM and Thunderbolt 4, with the bigger of the two featuring a mini-LED display
- June 2021: iPadOS 15 debuts with a new multitasking interface, widgets on the homescreen, Quick Note, Universal Control, Portrait mode in video calling apps, the ability for apps to ‘request’ using more RAM, and more
Who should really buy an iPad?
While the iPad is more restrictive than a laptop, it’s still beneficial, albeit to a small set of consumers. The Apple iPad continues to be the default tablet in the industry, with the only competitor being Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S range, which is hampered by the lack of Android software support for tablets, and some fledging budget offerings from Lenovo and Amazon.
Primarily, creative professionals who require an on-screen stylus should buy an iPad Air or Pro with a second-gen Apple Pencil. That includes regular Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom users – the only fully-featured apps in the Creative Cloud suite – anyone who can draw or sketch with Procreate, Affinity Designer, AutoDesk SketchBook, Pixelmator, and more.
Business professionals who regularly travel (maybe post-pandemic) should also purchase an iPad Air or Pro model with 4G/5G cellular as a portable and versatile machine for mobile work, while serving as a good entertainment hub on the plane or hotel. Do note that a Mac or Windows computer is still required at home for most cases, as an iPad may not feature the same desktop software programs required in corporations. The iPad can remote connect that device if needed.
Images by Apple (left) and Tyler Franta on Unsplash (right)
Businesses, especially those in the hospitality industry, should consider an entry-level 10.2-inch iPad or 7.9-inch iPad Mini as a cost-effective device to serve as the cashier or table/seat booking or ordering device. Its portability and optimised software makes it easy to use for staff-wide deployment.
Furthermore, primary schools and teachers can take up a 10.2-inch iPad for students as an effective device to drive teaching and learning, especially for basic web browsing, plus basic word processing.
Similarly, casual users – especially older adults who don’t need or own a computer – should buy the base 10.2-inch iPad as it can run basic web browsing, manage emails, Internet banking, and other essential online services.
Images by Dennis Brendel (left) and Daniel Romero (right) on Unsplash
However, high school, university students, and others who use programs not found or fully-functional on iPadOS should invest in a laptop instead. Sure, it is more portable, but it simply doesn’t support every niche computer application out there, such as EndNote, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, MYOB AccountRight, and more. While an iPad can do basic note-taking in the classroom, there are limitations to multitasking that inhibits productivity. Yes, you can use the iPad as a secondary device to a MacBook – but owning and carrying two similarly weighted devices is exacerbating the already above-mentioned expense.
I hope Apple can unlock the iPad’s potential one day. However, as evidenced by the latest iPadOS 15 software and 2021 M1-powered iPad Pros, it remains a glorified iPhone (for now).
The Connected by Henry Man 