M4 iPad Pro: Not For Pros After All??
Summary
TLDRThe transcript reveals the author's journey as a 'Mac guy' who also embraces the iPad, particularly the iPad Pro as a main computer. Despite the hardware's excellence, including the new M4 chip and improved Magic Keyboard, the author finds iPadOS 17 lacking for professional use. Criticisms focus on the Files app's inadequacies, Stage Manager's convoluted UI, and overall system limitations that prevent the iPad from fully realizing its potential as a pro device. The author argues for a more robust and intuitive operating system to match the iPad's hardware capabilities.
Takeaways
- 🍎 The speaker is a Mac user who also loves the iPad and has been using the iPad Pro as a main computer since 2020.
- 📱 The latest M4 iPad Pro and iPad OS 17 have been used as the sole computer and OS for a few weeks, but the speaker finds it difficult to continue giving it excuses due to limitations.
- 🔆 The new iPad Pro has a thinner and lighter design with an improved display featuring an OLED panel that is incredibly bright.
- 🔥 The M4 chip in the iPad Pro is very fast, but the speaker experienced thermal throttling issues, similar to what happens on a MacBook Air.
- 💻 The updated Magic Keyboard is a significant improvement from the first generation, especially in build quality, but has some ergonomic and design issues.
- ✍️ The new Apple Pencil feels more responsive, with subtle haptics and an excellent force sensor for tool switching.
- 🖼️ iPad OS is criticized for lacking basic necessities of a desktop operating system, despite having many features added over the years.
- 📁 The Files app is described as limited and unreliable, lacking features found in other file managers, such as an open-in function and progress indicators for transfers.
- 🛠️ Stage Manager, the latest multitasking UI, is convoluted, unintuitive, and slow, with issues managing windows and stages.
- 🔍 Spotlight on the iPad is mentioned as unreliable, with longstanding bugs that remain unfixed, affecting app indexing and exports.
- 🚧 The iPad OS is seen as being in a no man's land, not simple enough for average consumers and not powerful enough for professionals, despite the iPad's capabilities.
Q & A
What is the speaker's relationship with Apple products, specifically the iPad?
-The speaker identifies as a 'Mac guy' but also expresses a deep affection for the iPad. They have owned almost every model since its debut in 2010 and have tried using the iPad Pro as their main computer since the release of the Magic Keyboard in 2020.
What is the speaker's stance on the iPad's capability as a computer?
-The speaker defends the iPad's capability as a computer, arguing against the notion that it can't fit the paradigm of a traditional computer. They believe the iPad can work as a computer for anyone, despite others' criticisms.
What are some of the hardware improvements the speaker notes in the latest M4 iPad Pro?
-The speaker mentions that the M4 iPad Pro is thinner and lighter, has a fantastic display that is even better with the new OLED panel, and is superbly quick, although they experienced thermal throttling issues.
What issues does the speaker have with the updated Magic Keyboard?
-The speaker finds the placement of the Do Not Disturb button problematic as it's too close to frequently used buttons, leading to accidental activation. They also mention the force feedback of the new aptic trackpad is weak and lacks adjustment options.
How does the speaker describe the balance and stability of the iPad with the Magic Keyboard?
-The speaker criticizes the design for being back-heavy when used as a laptop, causing it to rock back and forth, and notes that the new aluminum hinge is not flush with the bottom casing, affecting stability on a tabletop.
What are the speaker's thoughts on the Apple Pencil and its features?
-The speaker praises the new Apple Pencil for its responsiveness, subtle haptics, and the tool switching Force sensor. They also appreciate the barrel roll feature that makes strokes look like those from a real fountain pen.
What is the speaker's opinion on the iPad's current state as a 'pro' platform?
-The speaker believes the iPad has the hardware and input methods to be a pro platform, but criticizes the operating system and interaction method for being too convoluted for average consumers and not powerful enough for professionals.
What are some of the limitations the speaker experiences with iPadOS 17?
-The speaker points out several limitations, including a lack of an open-in function in the Files app, poor multitasking with Stage Manager, and the absence of basic features like batch file operations, versioning control, and smart folders.
How does the speaker view the iPad's multitasking capabilities, particularly with Stage Manager?
-The speaker finds Stage Manager to be convoluted, unintuitive, and slow. They criticize its limitations, such as only allowing four windows open at a time and the unintuitive process of moving windows between stages.
What are some of the speaker's criticisms regarding the Files app?
-The speaker criticizes the Files app for lacking basic features found in other file managers, such as an open-in function, progress indicators for file transfers, index directory data, support for batch file operations, versioning control, and smart folders.
What is the speaker's perspective on the iPad's potential and the need for improvement?
-The speaker acknowledges the iPad's superb hardware but believes its potential is squandered by the limitations of iPadOS. They express skepticism about future improvements, suggesting that Apple needs to address the fundamental necessities for a desktop operating system.
Outlines
🤖 iPad as a Main Computer: A Pro User's Perspective
The speaker, a self-proclaimed 'Mac guy,' reveals his fondness for the iPad, particularly the iPad Pro, which he has used as his main computer since the release of the Magic Keyboard in 2020. Despite initial skepticism from others, he argues that the iPad can function as a computer for certain users. After using the latest M4 iPad Pro and iPad OS 17, he finds it challenging to make excuses for the device. He acknowledges the excellent hardware but points out issues like thermal throttling and design flaws with the Magic Keyboard. The speaker also discusses the new Apple Pencil's features and capabilities, highlighting its responsiveness and real fountain pen-like strokes. He emphasizes that as a pro user, he can perform all his professional tasks, from admin work to creative projects, on the iPad, suggesting that the device is more capable than many give it credit for.
🚧 The iPad's Evolution and Ongoing OS Limitations
The speaker discusses the evolution of the iPad from being perceived as just a large iPhone to a device with growing capabilities, such as multitasking, file management, and universal control. However, he criticizes the current state of iPad OS, arguing that it lacks fundamental necessities for a desktop operating system, despite its advanced hardware. He points out that while the iPad has received updates like Stage Manager, the OS remains convoluted and complicated, with features that are haphazardly added and neglected. The speaker also emphasizes the need for consistency in the user experience across Apple's platforms, quoting a friend who argues that work should not be treated differently based on the platform's convenience. He highlights the limitations of the Files app, which lacks basic file management features found in other systems, and criticizes the Stage Manager's unintuitive and slow multitasking interface, which he finds frustrating in his daily use.
🛠 The iPad's Pro Potential Hindered by Half-Baked Features
The speaker passionately argues that the iPad, despite its potential as a pro platform, is held back by half-baked features and an operating system that is neither simple nor powerful enough for professionals. He describes the iPad's current state as being in 'no man's land,' where it is too convoluted for average consumers and not powerful enough for professionals. The speaker provides examples of the Stage Manager's frustrating interface, the unreliability of Spotlight, and the lack of basic features like a built-in text editor or terminal. He criticizes Apple for adding features to iOS and macOS and then neglecting them on the iPad. The speaker expresses skepticism about the future of iPad OS, suggesting that while enthusiasts and Apple may see the iPad as a pro platform, the reality is that its potential is squandered by an inadequate operating system and user interface.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡iPad Pro
💡Magic Keyboard
💡iPadOS
💡M4 chip
💡Multitasking
💡Stage Manager
💡Files app
💡Force feedback
💡Apple Pencil
💡Find My
Highlights
Admission of being a Mac user who also loves the iPad.
Experience using iPad Pro as a main computer since the release of the Magic Keyboard in 2020.
Defending iPad's capability as a computer despite not fitting traditional computer paradigms.
Challenges faced while using the latest M4 iPad Pro and iPad OS 17 as the sole computer.
Comments on the physical improvements of the iPad, such as being thinner and lighter.
M4 chip's superb speed and thermal throttling issues on the iPad.
Updated Magic Keyboard's build quality and function row addition.
Issues with the placement of the Do Not Disturb button on the Magic Keyboard.
Introduction of the new aptic trackpad and its force feedback.
Problems with the iPad's design when used as a laptop, being back heavy.
New aluminum hinge's non-flush design causing instability on tabletops.
Pencil's responsiveness and the barrel roll feature mimicking a fountain pen.
Find My feature's limitations due to the absence of the U1 chip in the Pencil.
Capability of running professional workflows on the iPad despite its simplicity.
Critique of iPad OS being neither simple nor powerful enough for its intended audience.
Files app's limitations and lack of basic file management features.
Stage Manager's convoluted and unintuitive user interface.
Difficulties in managing windows and multitasking within Stage Manager.
Lack of a built-in text editor or terminal on the iPad.
iPad's current state as a pro platform with half-baked features.
The iPad's potential squandered by an unsuitable operating system.
Skepticism about the upcoming iPad OS 18 and its potential improvements.
Transcripts
my big secret is out folks I don't care
I can admit
it I'm a Mac guy but I do also love the
iPad I mean not only have I owned almost
every model since its 2010 debut I've
been one of the few weirdos that has
tried to use the iPad Pro as his main
computer off and on since the release of
well really the magic keyboard in 2020 I
even made a whole video a few years ago
telling outspoken Pros to shove it that
just because the iPad didn't fit their
computer Paradigm didn't mean that it
couldn't work as a computer for anybody
but after using the latest M4 iPad Pro
and iPad OS 17 as my sole computer and
operating system these past couple of
weeks I really am finding it pretty
difficult to continue granting this
thing excuses look a lot of other
reviewers they've covered the hardware
already and my thoughts largely Echo
there but I do have some comments to
make about the iPad and its accessories
now the iPad itself is thinner and
weighs less yes but that Revelation
really kind of melts away rather quickly
and after a short while it just feels
like an iPad now that's not to say
anything negative that that that's High
Praise because the iPad's Hardware has
been so good for so many years and yet
there are still improvements to be had
in this generation I mean the Fantastic
display gets even better with this
shockingly bright tandem OLED panel the
M4 is superbly quick though I have run
into thermal throttling issues which is
so weird to think about on a tablet
multi- thousand photo syncing and video
editing apps like d Vinci resolve will
reduce performance but I mean it does
the same thing on a MacBook Air and
that's a device that's seldom complained
about so is it an issue sure is it a
necessary compromise I would also argue
sure the updated magic keyboard is also
mostly great and I think it's a definite
improvement from the first generation
especially in its build quality now I
complained about the lack of a function
Row in my original review and it's good
to see that that's been resolved here
though I will say the Do Not Disturb
button is placed precariously close to
two separate buttons that I use very
frequently and there has been more than
once that I've accidentally engaged it
only to realize such hours later now the
new aptic trackpad is also a welcomed
Edition from the prior diving board
design however the force feedback is
very like surprisingly weak it's
comparable to the light setting on the
Mac and unlike that platform which
actually allows you to adjust how
strongly it clicks you back that's just
not an option here not an iPad OS now I
do like that they've kind of pushed
everything back it gives you more of a
real Palm rest especially on the 11-in
model which had none to speak of before
but the iPad has also been pushed back
which makes a prior generation issue
that I've had even worse and that is
that if you attempt to use this as a
laptop you will find that it is
extremely back heavy even with perfectly
flat legs this design issue even
translates to a tabletop because the new
aluminum hinge it's not flush with the
rest of the bottom casing so the
keyboard actually rocks back and forth
if you tap the T tablet with anything
other than the most delicate of touches
now while this hinge change results in a
less aggressive float than the prior
model which I think is an improvement it
does inherit the same tilt angle
limitations and using it at a desk
results in more neck craning for someone
my height than would be required with
say a Macbook lastly the pencil I don't
really have much to op on here because
I'm unfortunately not an artist but the
new stylus feels even more responsive
than the prior the haptics are subtle
but excellent the tool switching Force
sensor is awesome I've used it a lot in
notet taking apps and as a fountain pen
Enthusiast I can say that the barrel
roll feature actually makes Strokes that
look like a real fountain pen it's it's
great but wait there's even more I've
even successfully used find my though
oddly you've got to rotate the iPad to
portrait mode to do so at first I was
like yeah well that makes sense that's
the U1 sensor positioning except hold on
neither the pencil nor the iPad itself
supports the U1 which also if I might
say makes the find my function pretty
limited given that there is no beeper
inside of the pencil it's not a deal
breaker but I just I don't understand
why they don't just put the U1 in
everything it makes the find my
experience like 50 times better and I
don't think it's a cost thing because
they put it in air taxs and those are
cheap okay not so long story short the
hardware is unsurprisingly superb in
fact it's so good that most reviewers
have stated that well nobody can really
make use of it and I I just I disagree
with that that's because I am a pro and
everything I do on my Mac I can do on
this iPad seriously I can do all of my
admin work from invoicing to payroll uh
PDF management email Channel analytics
you know office stuff and then I can
seamlessly transition into the creative
stuff too writing scripts and
collaborating in documents like craft uh
doing project management through base
camp editing and posting content to
social media I even edited this very
video the one you're watching in its
entirety on the iPad oh yeah I went
there the truth is many Pros can run
their workflow on an iPad today they can
but doing so is like opting for a bus
ride in a city with no Transportation
budget and no direct routes sure it can
take you from point A to point B
eventually but so does crawling on your
hands and knees look the iPad was
unfairly ridiculed for a long time for
being just a big iPhone and I mean it it
was but that Simplicity was not its
curse it was the device's strength in a
sea of poorly optimized Windows netbooks
and early Android tablets as the iPad
grew though so too did its capabilities
multitasking file management split view
sidecar tab groups universal control
stage manager and more those all arrived
yet in 2024 14 years into the iPad's
existence iPad OS is just still missing
basic fundamental Necessities for a
desktop operating system and I already
know what some of you are typing below
the iPad isn't supposed to be a Mac it's
supposed to be simpler and different
first I would suggest that iPad OS is no
longer very simple at all in fact as
we'll soon discuss in many ways I think
it's more complicated and more
convoluted than any desktop operating
system because features are haphazardly
glued on and then neglected for years
and second I quote my friend federo vtii
who succinctly says the following quote
we can't have it both ways we can't
celebrate the arrival of Mac app such as
Final Cut and Logic on iPad while also
glossing over the lack of flexibility
that users have on Apple's other
platform aka the Mac platforms May
differ but work is work you can't be all
Loosey Goosey about work only when it's
convenient to your theory that iPad OS
should be lighter that is so true and I
would like to explore some of the insane
limitations that highlight this problem
limitations I've been confronted with
every single day for the past two weeks
starting with the absolute garbage
dumpster fire that is the files app even
ignoring all of the massive bugs that it
has and it has so many it lacks features
that are present in every other file
manager on Earth first off there's no
open in function there is no ability to
open any file type in a specific app
everything opens in files and only in
files including files that don't even
work within files but would work within
a third party supported app sometimes
the share sheet gets stuff over but
typically typically not there's no
progress that shows the state of file
transfers which is especially
frustrating with larger files since the
app often locks up but you wouldn't know
it until you think to yourself hm this
half circle has been here for a while I
wonder if it's working there's no index
directory data so you can't search for a
folder or a file on an external drive or
server without navigating directly to
the directory itself there's no support
for batch file operations like renaming
compressing decompressing unlike Mac OS
there's no versioning control there's
Limited tagging and metadata options
there's no smart folders which is insane
nor quick actions that are customizable
the list goes on but the simple truth is
is that files came out in iOS 11 it's
been around for more than half of the
iPad's life and we still make excuses
for it like it's a new app uh that it's
simple that one day it will get better
but it's not simple it's limited it's
unreliable what's the term for being the
opposite of U simple uh oh stage manager
the iPad had several multitasking uis
since launch and Stage manager is the
latest incarnation of that despite 2
years of updates it remains terribly
convoluted unintuitive and slow that
Madness starts with Windows you can only
have four windows open at any time not
apps Windows imagine that on a Mac
attempt to write a new email and it will
close one of your windows at random and
that doesn't return until you manually
resummon it when you click on an app it
opens up a new stage by default
providing you a single windowed iPad app
weird but okay so how do you move this
new window to a different stage you ask
drag and drop nope you've got to
navigate to the destination stage click
the triple dot menu that's in every
separate app pane great work copying the
taskbar menu strategy of Windows apple
and then click add another window which
doesn't follow what logic may suggest by
adding another window of that app that
you're interacting with no no opens up a
picker where you can import a window
from some other stage but only if the
window has already been opened
elsewhere there's no mission control or
expose to see all of the active windows
for a given app and Stage manager now
you can do this within split view
Apple's prior older yet still available
multitasking mode but that only runs off
of the iPad if stage manager is turned
off even weirder you can run split view
on the iPad
yet run stage manager on an external
display at the same time now how do you
think you would open up two windows from
the same environment in this
configuration drag and drop no hotkeys
uh-uh you've got two options number one
open a second window on the external
display in the same stage and then
select move to iPad on one of them or
number two have multiple windows within
different stages on the Monitor and then
go back to the iPad find that app in
your dock or in Spotlight hold that app
icon down select show all windows and
then choose the window to import from
your other display just you know six
easy steps now look I admit that's an
uncommon scenario to be in and you're
likely to be running stage manager on
both the iPad and the external display
but even when you do that while you can
drag and drop Windows easily it still
doesn't fix the rest of stage manager
frustrations as a whole for example if
you have full height windows on your
external display or on the iPad actually
your dock will disappear giving you more
vertical real estate and on the iPad
because it's a touchcreen you can just
flick up with your finger to resummon
the dock but how do you do that on an
external display you can't flick maybe
move your mouse down there nope uh maybe
use a hotkey uh-uh as far as I'm aware
there is no way to do this at all other
than to resize your windows entirely to
see the dock a newe I thought well n
this can't be right maybe I can just use
the dock from the iPad and try to drag
stuff up to the primary screen you can
do that on a Mac no once you try that it
just enables jiggle mode and moves all
your icons around great in fact hold any
icon too long when launching new apps
within stage manager and you will enter
jiggle mode accidentally all the time
why did we get rid of 3D touch again I
don't know now in theory you can launch
apps from Spotlight which will appear
conveniently on whatever display is
active but more often than not it just
doesn't work I don't know why but iPad
users tell me that this has been a
longstanding multi-year bug that just
frankly remains unfixed look I could
spend the next 30 minutes talking about
nutty stuff like the unreliability of
Spotlight indexing versus on the Mac or
the fact that if you dare interact with
another app during a Final Cut Pro
export the system will just kill set
export even though the iPad offers just
as much memory and a faster CPU than a
Bas MacBook Pro which certainly doesn't
have this problem because that's
barbaric I could talk about the lack of
a built-in text editor or terminal
missing features found in Apple's Mac
apps that are just not found on the iPad
limitations handling audio and more I'm
not saying that the iPad should run
Macos in fact I think that's a horrible
idea and those that propose it don't
actually love the iPad I do love the
iPad but it has been far too long that
Apple has just slapped on Half Baked
features often a year after they come to
iOS and the mac and called it a day
never to fix them again either this is a
pro platform or it is not iPad
enthusiasts and seemingly Apple think
that it should be I mean it has the
hardware it has the input methods and
recently even the apps suggest that it
is a pro platform but right now the
operating system the interaction method
has become so convoluted for the average
consumer that good luck getting Grandma
to figure this out but at the same time
it's so remarkably not powerful enough
for pros that that it doesn't serve
anybody it's in no man's land yes you
can do Pro work on the iPad but it's
like racing a sports car on a gravel
road all of its potential is just
squandered by the terrain we will soon
be discussing what may come in iPad OS
18 and every year we think oh the iPad
will finally get
fixed I don't really
know I'm skeptical and we'll talk about
what ought to be added and addition to
things that are rumored to be added so
seriously get subscribed uh enable
notifications but most importantly and
as always stay snazzy I mean what do you
think of the iPad can you can you Pro it
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
5 Weird iPad Pro (M4) Decisions
I used the M4 iPad Pro as My Main Computer for 2 months! Here’s what happened!
M4 iPad Pro Impressions: Well This is Awkward
Can You Use Office 365 on iPad, Productively?
Dear Apple - The iPad needs help.
Why People Returned the M4 iPad Pro - What iPad Should Most Really Get?
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)