Could I use the iPad as my only computer?

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the new iPad, especially the new iPad Pros — or is it iPads Pro? — and how the hardware is way too powerful for the limited software of these devices. Many argue that the iPad should be just as capable as a Mac, so maybe it should be able to run MacOS, or vice versa. Their vision isn’t very clear the more one thinks about it, but I understand their point.

I think that it stems from a deep misunderstanding of what makes the iPad the iPad. Sometimes it’s not a misunderstanding per se, but it seems that some power users simply forgot what the iPad really is in the first place.

John Gruber summarises this thought very well in his review of the M4 iPad Pro:

Let’s invert our thinking on this. Instead of starting with the hardware and pondering what the ideal software would be like to take advantage of its power, let’s start with the software. A concept for simplicity-first console-style touchscreen tablet computing. A metaphor for computing with smartphone-style guardrails, with tablet-specific features like stylus support and laptop docking. A tablet OS that is unabashedly a souped-up version of iOS, not a stripped-down version of MacOS. What type of hardware should Apple build to instantiate such a platform?

Gruber argues that because the iPad runs iPadOS, it doesn’t mean that the iPad should not get the best hardware available. I agree. Nobody’s arguing that the iPhone is overpowered for running iOS, and nobody says that the iPhone should run MacOS when plugged onto a screen and connected to a mouse/trackpad and keyboard, à la Samsung DeX. I would actually love this, as I could just spend my money on a Studio Display instead of a Mac and be done with it: one device for all my needs, why isn’t Apple building an iPhone Pro with the M4 chip already? This is what I would say if I shared the same mindset of those wishing for the iPad to run MacOS.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to. In the case of the iPad, having so much available power doesn’t mean it has to use all of it to mimic a Mac. Steven Sinofski explains this very well in his tweet, and I agree with him overall.

The metaphors that people like on a desktop, heck that they love, just don’t work with the blunt instrument of touch. It might be possible to build all new metaphors that use only tough and thus would be great on an iPad but that isn’t what they tried. The device grew out of a phone. It’s only their incredible work on iPhone that led to Mx silicon and their tireless work on the Mac-centric frameworks that delivered a big chunk (but not all) the privacy, reliability, battery life, security, etc. of the phone on Mac.

Simply enabling touch on a Mac gets a lot of flakey software that doesn’t really work with touch plus Macs will always have a trackpad so why bother.

The iPad can allow itself to be this powerful because some apps, some use cases require a lot of power. Apps like Procreate thrive on a touch interface, and they can utilise all the power of an iPad Pro with an M4 chip. Should these professionals be satisfied with a regular, slower iPad? They should not, so the iPad Pro makes a lot of sense for them, for Apple, and for the market.

For the rest of the regular experience — outside of pro apps, the iPad relies on simplicity, on a “straight-forwardness” that people appreciate about the iPad, especially if they believe that using a computer isn’t that different from using a phone. And just because the iPad Pro runs a desktop-class chip, doesn’t mean it has to do desktop-class things. Fast cars don’t have to all look like supercars.

However, MG Siegler raises an interesting point:

What if the big debate about the iPad Pro running macOS really just boils down to being able to run the macOS version of Safari? Not for everyone of course. But many people, myself included, do about 90% of my work in a web browser. And the Safari browser on iPad has always behaved more like the Safari browser on iOS versus the version built for Macs. […] What if when you connect a Magic Keyboard to the iPad Pro, iPadOS recognizes this and gives you the option to load the macOS version of Safari? Sort of like “request desktop version” but without having to explicitly do that for every website.

This would clearly go into Windows 8 territory, where there was a touch version of the browser, and the fully-featured desktop one. I like this idea for the iPad, as sort of the a permanent “request desktop version” setting that is already available via the “ᴀA” menu of Safari, albeit it needs to be activated each time you visit a website. Perhaps the iPad Pro really needs an iPadProOS…

This whole debate around iPadOS made me wonder: Could I use an iPad as my main computer?

Federico Viticci has a lot to say on the topic of using an iPad as a main computer, and I’ve given this idea of switching from a Mac to an iPad a lot of thoughts in the last couple of days, and I think my experience would have to adjust to three main potential issues, or differences:

1. Ergonomics: most of my “computing” is done while sitting on an armchair, with the MacBook Air on my lap. This set up wouldn’t be great for an iPad, as I would have to constantly hold the device, and, when paired with a Magic Keyboard thing, it would be less stable than the laptop anyway. On the desk I guess I’d be fine with the iPad, while the iPad could be used in more ways than a laptop.
2. Software: this is where things would be just fine I guess. Not great, but fine. I’d miss MacOS neat little powerful/power user details and the resulting overall efficiency and speed of use. I don’t use many apps on my Mac, but the ones I used are absolutely fantastic and using an iPad would mean having to use and get used to alternative/inferior versions of the apps I love, inside an OS that doesn’t scream “computer” as much as MacOS.
3. Value: if I had an iPad Pro as my main computer, I’d get a better experience — I think — when it comes to photo managing and editing. These days, the photos I take with my Ricoh GRIIIx are edited on my phone, as my Intel Mac is just rubbish at handling dozens of RAW files. An iPad Pro would be a great improvement over the iPhone for that, but I’ll just wait for an ARM-powered Mac to replace my current laptop. Video games could make sense too on an iPad.

I know I’m a Mac fanboy, so I’m not really considering switching to an iPad, and even less adding an iPad to my short list of devices (laptop, phone, and camera).

This whole iPad Pro debate is interesting because it forces us to think about what the iPad is, what a computer is, and what Apple stands for. Consider me as curious as ever for WWDC this year, and for the next iPad lineup.