Federico Viticci May 13, 2024

I couldn’t get an iPad Pro long enough in advance to publish a review today.

Instead, I finally took the time to prepare something else: a comprehensive story about all the problems of iPadOS.

Enjoy ☕️

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right https://www.macstories.net/stories/not-an-ipad-pro-review/

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right - MacStories

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don't have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn't get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

MacStories - Apple news, app reviews, and stories by Federico Viticci and friends.
Show threadFederico Viticci May 13, 2024
We also recorded a special episode of AppStories with a bit more backstory + why I continue using the iPad, despite iPadOS: https://appstories.net/episodes/383
The Trouble with iPadOS

Show threadFederico Viticci May 13, 2024

...and I was on @upgrade with @jsnell to talk about his review and my story on iPadOS.

Episode here: https://www.relay.fm/upgrade/512

And YouTube segment about iPadOS: https://youtu.be/Wsm6Oz9wri4

Upgrade #512: Pros Are the Little Boats - Relay FM

The new iPad Pro is here, and Jason is joined by Federico Viticci to discuss the new model, Jason's review, and the limitations of iPadOS. Stephen Hackett also joins the show not to crush some creative dreams, but to answer your questions.

Relay FM
Show threadFederico Viticci May 13, 2024

My idea for this story was pretty simple:

- We always hear of the "limitations" of iPadOS, but I've never done an article covering them all
- I had plenty of time to write anyway 🙃 
- I wanted to convey how you can love the iPad form factor while also criticizing its software

It's a long one. Sit back and enjoy: https://www.macstories.net/stories/not-an-ipad-pro-review/

Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn’t Get the Basics Right - MacStories

Let me cut to the chase: sadly, I don't have a new iPad Pro to review today on MacStories. I was able to try one in London last week, and, as I wrote, I came away impressed with the hardware. However, I didn't get a chance to use a new iPad Pro over the past

MacStories - Apple news, app reviews, and stories by Federico Viticci and friends.
Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 13, 2024

@viticci So most issues with iPadOS is not with iPadOS but with first party apps or did I read the article wrong ?

That means that major devs not porting their pro apps to iPad is mostly because they don’t want to and not because iPadOS is not capable of running them. Am I wrong ?

Show threadJanne OjaniemiMay 14, 2024
@caseyneiba @viticci Problem with no background processes, no multiple audio streams, spotlight not being reliable, limited multitasking, no system-wide addons etc. are problems with the OS, not with the apps.
Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 14, 2024
@Janne_O @viticci That's why I said "mostly" but I don't agree with everything on your list.
Show threadJanne OjaniemiMay 15, 2024
@caseyneiba @viticci What do you disagree with?
Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 16, 2024
@Janne_O @viticci ❌ Spotlight not being reliable: Is it really an iPadOS issue ? 😅
❌ Limited multitasking: Stage Manager is already there. Do you need your windows to be stamps size to be happy ?
✔️ No system-wide addons: good one, but the work was already done for Audio Units, let's generalize that.
Show threadJanne OjaniemiMay 16, 2024

@caseyneiba @viticci Spotlight is a central feature of the OS that can’t be replaced by a better alternative, so yes, it is an OS issue. Stage Manager, why is it limited to 4 apps? Mac has no such limitation. Let me have as many windows as I want. They don’t have to be small windows, as they can overlap. Oh, also let me place the windows partly outside the screen, like I can on a Mac.

IPadOS is placing all kinds of limitations on the user that don’t exist on the Mac

Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 16, 2024
@Janne_O @viticci I understand your point, yet what started this discussion was "pro apps are not on iPad because of iPadOS limitations" and I don't think Spotlight and Stage Manager are limitations for not porting a Mac app to iPadOS.
Show threadJanne OjaniemiMay 17, 2024

@caseyneiba @viticci the discussion is about iPads being limited when compared to Macs, for no good reason. Some of those limitations cause lack of pro apps, others “just” cause annoyance and frustration for the users.

iPad Pro is faster than MacBook Air. Why is Air more capable than the iPad?

Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 19, 2024
@Janne_O Even if I don’t ink raw power is a metric about how "capable" a computer is, I think the answer for your question is "because iPad is touch first" and that requires companies to adapt their apps. Whereas the Mac has 40 years of legacy.
Show threadJanne Ojaniemi
@caseyneiba I fail to see what “touch first” has to do with crappy file management, mediocre Spotlight, no system-wide extensions )like, Spotlight replacements), half-assed multitasking, no background processing… no amount of adapting apps are going to change those.
May 20, 2024 at 5:30pmIceCubesApp
Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 21, 2024
@Janne_O If you have a Mac, iPad and Apple Pencil, connect via Sidecar the iPad to the Mac and try to use Finder with only the Apple Pencil and tell me if it's a good experience.
It's not, and that's what I mean by iPad is a touch first device and this is the main reason Apps are so different.
Show threadJanne OjaniemiMay 22, 2024

@caseyneiba by “apps are different” you mean “apps are missing basic functionality for no obvious reason”? What does the Pencil has to do with poorly functioning Spotlight? Not being allowed to use any alternative to Spotlight? Only allowing four windows in Stage Manager? No background processing? Not being able to create Smart Folders in Files? No Time Machine?

The problem is not just the apps, it’s the whole system. It’s crippled. Maybe so it doesn’t cannibalize Mac sales?

Show threadcaseyneiba 🦣May 24, 2024
@Janne_O I like this discussion but there's so much I'd like to reply that's why I didn't respond yet.
I really believe iPadOS is what it's meant to be, yes it has some core "limitations", still I don't think that's why bigger companies don't dev apps for iPad. I think FUD is what makes iPad feel like a non pro OS.
Apple is not afraid if a device category overgrown another.