When the iPad Pro was first released in 2015, it was conceived as the most powerful iPad ever, providing users with the ability to perform more complex tasks on a mobile device, rather than just watching YouTube, surfing Safari and playing games. Since then, Apple has released several new versions of the iPad Pro, and indeed they have no equal in power and performance, not only in the iPad line, but among any other tablets on the market. With the iPad Pro 2021, Apple has taken it to a whole new level, but the tablet still seems kind of … unfinished.
iPad Pro can do more, but iPadOS gets in the way
In the new iPad Pro, Apple has opted to use the M1 chip, the same chip found in MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini from late 2020. The performance of the Apple M1 chip is 50 (!) Times higher than that of the iPad Pro of the previous generation, and the performance of the graphics chip, according to Apple, is 1,500 (!!!) times. With such a processor, the iPad Pro (2021) will become a performance monster. But I have to ask, what’s the point?
Most iPad owners, including in our Telegram chat , complained not at all about the power or performance of the iPad Pro 2020 or 2018, but rather about the limitations of the iPad platform. This is why I think the 2021 iPad is only half ready. But iPadOS 15, which will be presented in a month, is its second half.
Cons of iPad Pro 2021
While it is possible that the 2021 iPad Pro will be the best iPad Apple has ever made, the new chip does very little to solve any problems that prevent the iPad platform from truly replacing the MacBook or Mac for many people.
For example, the Thunderbolt connector in the new iPad Pro (aka USB-C) is certainly a welcome addition and will greatly simplify the use of docking stations, external monitors, USB hubs and other peripherals. But! This is still only one port, which is an inconvenient limitation.
Plus, the need to purchase an external keyboard, trackpad, and / or mouse adds value to the already expensive iPad Pro, especially the 12.9-inch version. And of course, the 2021 iPad Pro has a battery life of just 10 hours, much less than most MacBooks, making it harder to rely on a tablet as a Mac replacement.
This is a leap forward compared to past iPads.
Software is something that could dramatically improve the iPad Pro, and the upcoming iPadOS 15 is the perfect way to do it.
What will iPadOS 15
iPadOS is still only at the beginning of its development, and the same iPadOS 14 is a big improvement over the previous version. It fixed some old flaws, added useful features, including handwriting input and advanced trackpad support. Now it’s up to Apple to impress us all with iPadOS 15.
One of the iPadOS 15 concepts with widgets and multitasking
I know multitasking is a huge problem for many iPadOS 14 users. It’s nowhere near as good as it is on macOS. Things have certainly gotten better lately, but Split View and Slide Over still have their limitations. Some people think that the best solution would be to just put macOS on the iPad and be done with it, but I don’t think that such a radical approach is needed here. It also won’t solve any of the hardware limitations that I talked about earlier.
