Buzz
The last redesign of iPad Pro was in 2018, and the latest Apple update for iPad Pro came in October last year, featuring the Apple M2 chip. Furthermore, iPadOS 16 recently updated with Stage Manager. After using iPad Pro for a while during the recent Tet holiday, I've come to realize that iPad doesn't necessarily need hardware upgrades anymore; instead, software enhancements are the way forward.After experiencing iPadOS 16 for over 2 weeks, I still feel like iPadOS is just an enlarged iOS. Why does iPadOS need improvement?The hardware of iPad is already incredibly powerful.
In my opinion, there's no need for iPad to change its design anymore because the current design is already beautiful and nearly perfect. A solid aluminum frame for a tablet is sufficient; there's no need for additional glass covering or embellishments. In reality, an iPad can have a lifespan of 3-5 years, and even now, the 2018 iPad Pro still looks gorgeous, it's still stylish, and its performance is still excellent.It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that iPad is unrivaled in the current tablet world in terms of hardware. Putting the M2 chip from the MacBook into a tablet, at this point, no Android tablet can beat it. There's no need to elaborate on how good the hardware of iPad is anymore; many of us here have already experienced it firsthand.iPadOS currently feels like just an enlarged iOS.
When using macOS Ventura with Stage Manager, initially curious about this feature, trying it out, it was okay, but on macOS, multitasking with windows is already comfortable and free, resizing windows is simple on macOS but not so on iPadOS.
Stage Manager introduces better window multitasking for iPad, the best so far. I use Stage Manager a lot on iPad, more than on macOS, but the limitations of iPadOS prevent me from opening more than 4 windows on the iPad screen (even when connected to an external monitor), as well as not being able to resize windows as freely as on macOS. These are the current limitations of iPadOS in multitasking.
Secondly, the Files app still has many limitations compared to Finder on macOS. Basically, I can't batch rename files like macOS, so I have to put them into Lightroom to export them with new names for the files, which is okay but quite inconvenient, especially for image files; for document files, it's even worse. Thirdly, the ability to resize images directly using the built-in tool, macOS has had this for a long time, but iPadOS 16 still doesn't. Sometimes, I want to resize quickly and have to resort to Photoshop.And of course, there are many other limitations, but these are the top 3 things I use the most on a computer, and currently, they're not great on iPad.
Apple has many praises for iPad Pro and iPadOS, but ultimately, having powerful hardware is useless if the software doesn't help users solve tasks faster. I'm not advocating for buying an iPad to completely replace a computer; iPad combined with Mac is great, but that's why I think Apple should unify the operations between iPad and Mac for work purposes.iPad Pro is highly suitable for creative users, but why haven't software like Final Cut Pro, Xcode, or Logic Pro been made for iPad yet?Desire for Apple to improve the iPadOS experience
iPadOS 16 and macOS 13 Ventura may look similar in many aspects of the interface, but the fundamental experience between these two operating systems still differs significantly. I don't need anything extravagant; just being able to do the things I mentioned above on iPad would be a great experiential change.
I've come across numerous rumors about the upcoming iPad Pro and the possibility of a touchscreen MacBook. Ultimately, if MacBook adopts a touchscreen, Apple will have even more reasons to integrate iPadOS and macOS further, don't you think?
It's difficult to predict how iPadOS will evolve in the future since Apple already has plans in place. However, personally, I still hope that iPadOS can do more, standing from the perspective of someone who enjoys a seamless working experience between Mac and iPad.
