There are plenty of questions but no clear answers.
1. It’s Too Damn Big
Apple released two devices with about 12-inch displays in the same year. Doesn’t sound like something that they would do, but the Macbook and the iPad Pro have roughly the same display size. The only problem? This makes the iPad Pro one of the largest tablets we’ve seen. Not just from Apple, but any manufacturer. The problems with size only continue when you add to the fact that it weighs 713 gms. That’s only slightly lower than the 0.92 kg that the Macbook weighs and quite a lot more than the iPad Air 2. Sure, it’s blessed with the faster A9X chip, but does it really do a whole lot of things a whole lot faster than the iPad Air 2? And what apps really need so much processing and graphical prowess under the hood, anyway? And sure, adding the Pencil was a nice touch. But come launch day and we’re already hearing about shortages on this accessory. Makes you wonder if there might be more in the near future. So, if you’re a designer and are planning to buy this beast only for your work based on this one accessory, it’s best to wait it out.
2. How Fragmented Will Apple Make iOS?
The Cupertino giant has always prided itself in ensuring that their products get the latest software and have significantly less fragmentation than Android. But, as it stands, the bigger iPad Pro poses some problems. There aren’t many apps that are optimized for its size, nor does iOS 9 behave as optimally as you’d expect. Of course, there is no 3D Touch, but that’s only the beginning. If you keep digging, you’ll find that the international touchscreen keyboard has a few keys in different places. This has already driven one reviewer crazy, but if you’re in the US, you’re saved. Other minor gripes like hitting the Tab key to auto-complete a contact’s name in an email only add to the overall experience. Does this mean Apple will tweak iOS for the iPad Pro? It seems unlikely, which would mean a growing frustration for its users. If they do tweak it, just for the ‘Pro’ series of iPads, they will introduce a slight confusion in their users’ minds who are used to uniformity. Who are used to doing things a certain way. So, if a user has the latest iPhone and already knows iOS 9 like the back of his hand, some minor changes here and there will surely put him off.
3. Are Accessories Cool? Or Redundant?
Which brings me back to the Pencil. And to an extent – the physical keyboard. I can’t imagine people working with the onboard touch keyboard on such a large canvas, but do you really want to carry around accessories after spending so much on a powerful device? Or wouldn’t a nice laptop with everything be better? It’ll end up costing the same. Keyboard Shortcuts on iOS: Here’s the full list of shortcuts for external keyboards on iPads running iOS 9. Maybe this is Apple’s answer to a touchscreen laptop, something they’ve never been interested in making.
Mo Gain or Mo Pain?
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the iPad Pro in our forum. If you’ve already bought one – then what has the experience been like? If not, then what was the reason behind the decision? Let’s not be brand loyalists, but logical, reasoning individuals who love gadgets. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
