Today, I received my iPad Pro M1. The delivery is quick and I bought it because of the coupon I got from Apple. This device is amazing for an average user but very limiting for me. I enjoy everything Apple offers but it can never become a computer if the system is this limited.
I received my coupon earlier this year after returning my Developer Transition Kit. It was a failure but that’s another topic. Apple gave me a 500 USD coupon. I was thinking about getting a Mac mini or MacBook. In the end, I chose the iPad Pro. But why? Everyone is returning it (maybe). Why do I get it? I think somewhere in me, I still believe in Apple. M1 is the only thing somewhat innovative from Apple recently, I mean for a few years.
The Apple now is no longer the Apple I used to like. Apple products are still great and I really enjoy using my new iPad Pro. It is very smooth and powerful. It can get a higher score from GeekBench 5 than my desktop. It runs Genshen Impact probably as good as my Win 3 and it can last one hour longer at least. Face ID is so fast and I don’t even need to do anything. My keyboard and mouse just work. App download so fast and I upgraded to iOS 15 beta in like 2 minutes. The battery lasts for hours. It is just too good. I believe everyone should agree on this. Even if I don’t like Apple, I still acknowledge them when they are good.
The thing is what else? What can I do with a device this powerful? 7300 in multicore is mindblowing to me. My desktop can only do around 5000 and win 3 is around 5500. The best device I have is the Mac Pro 2013 with a score of 6600. I also have a Raspberry Pi 3B+ and it is super slow. Guess what? Even a device that slow can do more than the iPad Pro. There must be something wrong then. What’s the problem? To me, the problem is that iPad Pro is not really PRO enough. It is more like a toy instead of a computer.
A few years ago, iPhone was basically the best phone you get but now, many may prefer Android even if they can afford an iPhone. Android phones can be more expensive as well. I do agree that Apple has great software. I like it but what I don’t like is that the software doesn’t match with the hardware. The hardware is years ahead. I don’t want a full Mac OS on iPad Pro. iPad is iPad and it is not a MacBook. Chrome OS is what I want iPad OS to become. Mac OS apps will simply look like an iOS app but when it is launched, that’s when it is different. I want it to behave more like a container instead of a full Mac OS.
See how the app behaves in fullscreen mode on Mac OS. I think it should solve most issues. Launch Mac OS apps in fullscreen mode and allow split screen to multitask. I think this is a great way to handle it. I don’t see it coming in iPad OS 15. Maybe, it will be included in 16 or even 17. I can wait. This purchase is more like an investment. IPad Pro may become a true computer in a few years or it won’t. Apple should know what we want and it is up to Apple to decide.
One day, I wish I can run Windows 11 ARM version in a virtual machine on iPad Pro with full acceleration. Mac OS apps side by side with iOS apps. Many more. IPad OS should be different from iOS. What’s the point to separate them if they are the same? We should deserve more.