M4 iPad Pro: Not For Pros After All??

Summary

The 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

00:00

🤖 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.

05:01

🚧 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.

10:02

🛠 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.

Keywords

💡iPad Pro

The iPad Pro is a line of tablet computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is characterized by its larger screen size and more powerful hardware compared to the standard iPad. In the video's context, the iPad Pro is central to the discussion as the creator has used it as their main computer since the release of the Magic Keyboard in 2020, highlighting its evolution and capabilities as a computing device.

💡Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard is an accessory developed by Apple for the iPad Pro, which adds a physical keyboard and trackpad to the tablet, transforming it into a more laptop-like device. The video mentions the updated Magic Keyboard as a significant improvement over the first generation, particularly in build quality and the addition of a function row, which enhances the iPad Pro's functionality as a main computer.

💡iPadOS

iPadOS is the operating system that runs on Apple's iPad tablets, including the iPad Pro. It is a mobile operating system that has evolved to include more features and capabilities over the years. The video discusses the limitations and frustrations with iPadOS 17, which the creator has used as their sole operating system, pointing out issues with multitasking, file management, and overall user experience.

💡M4 chip

The M4 chip refers to the fourth-generation system on a chip (SoC) developed by Apple for its mobile devices. It is known for its high performance and efficiency. The video mentions the M4 chip in the context of the iPad Pro's hardware, noting that it is 'superbly quick' but also highlighting thermal throttling issues that can affect performance during intensive tasks.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking refers to the ability of a computer system to perform multiple tasks or processes simultaneously. In the video, the creator discusses the evolution of multitasking on the iPad, from its early days to the current Stage Manager feature in iPadOS 17. The critique focuses on the complexity and unintuitiveness of managing multiple windows and tasks on the iPad compared to traditional desktop operating systems.

💡Stage Manager

Stage Manager is a feature introduced in iPadOS that aims to improve multitasking by allowing users to manage multiple app windows and tasks more effectively. The video script criticizes Stage Manager for being convoluted, unintuitive, and slow, illustrating the creator's difficulty in using it as their main computer interface.

💡Files app

The Files app is a file manager application included in iPadOS, designed to organize and manage files on the iPad. The video script describes the Files app as 'garbage' and a 'dumpster fire,' pointing out numerous limitations such as the lack of an open-in function, progress indicators for file transfers, and support for batch file operations, which hinder the iPad's usability as a professional tool.

💡Force feedback

Force feedback refers to the tactile response generated by a device, such as a trackpad, to simulate the feeling of a physical button press. The video mentions the new aptic trackpad's force feedback as being 'surprisingly weak,' comparing it to the light setting on a Mac, and notes the lack of customization options for adjusting the click strength, which is a drawback for some users.

💡Apple Pencil

The Apple Pencil is a stylus designed for use with iPads, allowing for precise input and drawing capabilities. The video script discusses the new Apple Pencil's improved responsiveness, haptics, and the Force sensor for tool switching, which enhances the user experience for note-taking and artistic applications. The creator also mentions the 'barrel roll' feature, which mimics the strokes of a real fountain pen.

💡Find My

Find My is a feature in Apple devices that allows users to locate their lost or misplaced items, such as iPhones, iPads, or even the Apple Pencil. The video script touches on the Find My feature for the Apple Pencil, noting that it is somewhat limited due to the lack of a beeper inside the pencil and the absence of the U1 chip, which would otherwise improve the locating experience.

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