Apple rumored to be testing macOS for M2 iPad Pro

13

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 79
    danvmdanvm Posts: 1,400member
    AppleZulu said:
    The perennial rumor of a Mac/iPad hybrid keeps coming up because the MS Surface is such a sleek, efficient, dominating category killer. 

    Seriously. MacOS has to run intensive software on the Mac Pro, with multiple giant screens that ergonomically will not function injury-free as touch screens. Making that OS also work in a touch environment on an iPad is a recipe for widows-like bloatware that tries to do all things, but none very well. 

    It’s entirely possible someone in the bowels of the big round building is experimenting, but those experiments are unlikely to ever see the light of day. 
    But I want my toaster-fridge! /s 

    But seriously, you're 1000% correct. No one ever uses an MS Surface without the keyboard/attachment because no one ever bothered to write tablet focused software for the thing. So it's just a ergo-nightmare laptop. Plus you get Windows! Hard pass.

    Maybe I'm wrong and Apple will drop some weirdo mutant MacPad OS, but I doubt it.
    I had a Surface Pro 4 and use it without keyboard for some tasks, like browsing, social media and watching streaming services. In those tasks the experience was identical to my iPad.  Stil, the iPad is a better tablet and iPad OS is better with a touch interface.  Things change when you add a keyboard / trackpad, and the Surface Pro jumps ahead with a better experience.  As a laptop, Windows is far better than iPad OS.  Both devices have their compromises.  Which one is better depends in the tasks you do.
    dewmeelijahg
  • Reply 42 of 79
    canukstormcanukstorm Posts: 2,693member
    danvm said:
    AppleZulu said:
    The perennial rumor of a Mac/iPad hybrid keeps coming up because the MS Surface is such a sleek, efficient, dominating category killer. 

    Seriously. MacOS has to run intensive software on the Mac Pro, with multiple giant screens that ergonomically will not function injury-free as touch screens. Making that OS also work in a touch environment on an iPad is a recipe for widows-like bloatware that tries to do all things, but none very well. 

    It’s entirely possible someone in the bowels of the big round building is experimenting, but those experiments are unlikely to ever see the light of day. 
    But I want my toaster-fridge! /s 

    But seriously, you're 1000% correct. No one ever uses an MS Surface without the keyboard/attachment because no one ever bothered to write tablet focused software for the thing. So it's just a ergo-nightmare laptop. Plus you get Windows! Hard pass.

    Maybe I'm wrong and Apple will drop some weirdo mutant MacPad OS, but I doubt it.
    I had a Surface Pro 4 and use it without keyboard for some tasks, like browsing, social media and watching streaming services. In those tasks the experience was identical to my iPad.  Stil, the iPad is a better tablet and iPad OS is better with a touch interface.  Things change when you add a keyboard / trackpad, and the Surface Pro jumps ahead with a better experience.  As a laptop, Windows is far better than iPad OS.  Both devices have their compromises.  Which one is better depends in the tasks you do.
    The days of tablets being only tablets are done.  The future of these type of devices is a 2-in-1 device that can adapt between different UI paradigms (touch, KB, mouse, trackpad, stylus).  There is no going back.  In this context, to me, Win11 does a much better job than iPadOS at least for Pro workflows.  iPadOS is perfectly fine for the iPad 9 / iPad 10.
    edited October 2022 williamlondonelijahgwatto_cobranetrox
  • Reply 43 of 79
    I can actually believe it. These iPad Pros have as much RAM and storage as my 2015 MBP, along with a faster processor, so there's no reason they can't run Mac OS.
    The fact that you could doesn’t mean you should. It will confuse the heck out of the customer in respect to what the iPad is and should be. It will be a compromise operating system competing with macOS and iPadOS. 
    The fact an M2 can run macOS isn’t relevant. That’s just technology. This is about product.
    raoulduke42williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 44 of 79
    I can actually believe it. These iPad Pros have as much RAM and storage as my 2015 MBP, along with a faster processor, so there's no reason they can't run Mac OS.
    The fact that you could doesn’t mean you should. It will confuse the heck out of the customer in respect to what the iPad is and should be. It will be a compromise operating system competing with macOS and iPadOS. 
    The fact an M2 can run macOS isn’t relevant. That’s just technology. This is about product.
    At this point, I'm not convinced even those in charge of the iPad within Apple know what the iPad is and should be. 
    williamlondonmuthuk_vanalingamelijahgwatto_cobra
  • Reply 45 of 79
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Almost certainly there has been an iPad prototype running macOS in a lab somewhere in Cupertino for years.

    Most rumors end up being false and this is one I'd put in the "highly unlikely to happen" bucket.

    I think iPadOS and macOS will continue to share more ideas (Stage Manager is one example) but I just don't seeing them moving their tablet to macOS is this timeframe.

    Never say never, but I don't believe next year it will happen.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 46 of 79
    I can actually believe it. These iPad Pros have as much RAM and storage as my 2015 MBP, along with a faster processor, so there's no reason they can't run Mac OS.
    The fact that you could doesn’t mean you should. It will confuse the heck out of the customer in respect to what the iPad is and should be. It will be a compromise operating system competing with macOS and iPadOS. 
    The fact an M2 can run macOS isn’t relevant. That’s just technology. This is about product.
    At this point, I'm not convinced even those in charge of the iPad within Apple know what the iPad is and should be. 
    Obviously given the poor sales of iPads all these years.
    dewmewatto_cobra
  • Reply 47 of 79
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,328member
    With Apple Silicon being the standard processor for both Macs and iPads the underlying architectures have never been more closely aligned. This raises the possibility that the real inhibitor to putting a macOS varient on the iPad Pro is figuring out how it would fit in Apple's product portfolio, managed app ecosystem, and privacy/security enforcement guidelines. Until now the only way to get an app on iOS or iPadOS devices is through the App Store (or App Store Connect for custom/private apps). This has allowed Apple to mandate ISVs follow certain standards established by Apple, such as app tracking transparency. The Mac has no such limitations. 

    This makes me think that a "restricted" version of macOS that is designed specifically for the iPad Pro isn't a total pipe dream. Apple could impose the same kind of app restrictions that it does for iOS and iPadOS on this new OS version. No open installations. Maybe they would position it as iPadOS Pro, i.e., a "pro" operating system for a "pro" hardware platform.

    If you're not already gagging ... you may note that all this starts sounding eerily similar to Windows RT. But what the heck, maybe Apple can pull it off where Microsoft failed. Maybe. Maybe not. It would not be the first time Apple rescued someone else's misfit toy idea from the Island of Misfit Toys and actually reimagined and rebuilt it in a way that didn't suck.

    Would users who want to do "pro" work on a high-end iPad buy into the notion of a having a special macOS version that only runs macOS apps that are approved for delivery through the App Store? What about third party app developers? The underlying bits of these iPadOS Pro apps could be essentially the same as their open macOS versions, with the only additional requirement being the approval by Apple to be distributed through the App Store if they adhere to Apple's standards. 

    We all know the saying "Many a truth is said in jest." There's probably a corresponding analogy for "Many a new product is announced as a rumor." 
    edited October 2022 elijahgwatto_cobra
  • Reply 48 of 79
    But but didn’t hair force one give a number of RECENT interviews stating apple has no intentions to merge Mac OS and iPad?… LOL 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 49 of 79
    Dear Santa Tim Apple™...
    My one wish for this year is to get everything working before changing anything else...
    Happy New Year...
    elijahgdewme
  • Reply 50 of 79
    Mac OS has clearly been moving toward touchscreen friendly for a while, but I can't see it being for iPad support. Also what would be the point of iPad OS if they're going to move the Pros to a different OS, seems so shortsighted rather than just touch friendly professional options.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 51 of 79
    AppleZulu said:
    The perennial rumor of a Mac/iPad hybrid keeps coming up because the MS Surface is such a sleek, efficient, dominating category killer. 

    Seriously. MacOS has to run intensive software on the Mac Pro, with multiple giant screens that ergonomically will not function injury-free as touch screens. Making that OS also work in a touch environment on an iPad is a recipe for widows-like bloatware that tries to do all things, but none very well. 

    It’s entirely possible someone in the bowels of the big round building is experimenting, but those experiments are unlikely to ever see the light of day. 
    But I want my toaster-fridge! /s 

    But seriously, you're 1000% correct. No one ever uses an MS Surface without the keyboard/attachment because no one ever bothered to write tablet focused software for the thing. So it's just a ergo-nightmare laptop. Plus you get Windows! Hard pass.

    Maybe I'm wrong and Apple will drop some weirdo mutant MacPad OS, but I doubt it.
    Better statement is Everyone who has Surface Pro has keyboard, but they have option to use it with or without it. I had original Surface Pro, Surface Pro 3, and now have Surface Pro 7. The experience went from terrible to good to great. Surface Pro 7 with keyboard offers excellent laptop-like experience. And when I want to hop on couch or bed for some media consumption, I just detach the keyboard and now it's a great tablet. I also had original MBA, Macbook 2017, and just bought MBA M2. Loved the original MBA, hated 2017 Macbook, and love my M2 MBA. That said, Macbooks and SP offer different experiences. If you don't like Windows, that's fine, but to call it an ergo-nightmare laptop is far from true.
    elijahgcanukstormwatto_cobra
  • Reply 52 of 79
    tyler82tyler82 Posts: 1,100member
    So…. A MacBook Air?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 53 of 79
    It could be true, but not the way the ‘leaker’ probably thinks. 
    I think the iPad could very well shift to macOS as soon as you connect it to a keyboard, mouse and an extra screen. And to iPadOS as soon as you disconnect it. The hardware is capable enough. 
    The only compatibility would then need to be the apps working in both modes, but this would be a significant effort for developers as well. It’d be a huge operation. 
    Maybe Apple is laying the groundwork for this? Would be nice to draw something with the Pencil in Photoshop for iPadOS and then fine tune it in macOS on a large screen, all on the same tablet. 
    edited October 2022 watto_cobra
  • Reply 54 of 79
    dewme said:
    With Apple Silicon being the standard processor for both Macs and iPads the underlying architectures have never been more closely aligned. This raises the possibility that the real inhibitor to putting a macOS varient on the iPad Pro is figuring out how it would fit in Apple's product portfolio, managed app ecosystem, and privacy/security enforcement guidelines. Until now the only way to get an app on iOS or iPadOS devices is through the App Store (or App Store Connect for custom/private apps). This has allowed Apple to mandate ISVs follow certain standards established by Apple, such as app tracking transparency. The Mac has no such limitations. 

    This makes me think that a "restricted" version of macOS that is designed specifically for the iPad Pro isn't a total pipe dream. Apple could impose the same kind of app restrictions that it does for iOS and iPadOS on this new OS version. No open installations. Maybe they would position it as iPadOS Pro, i.e., a "pro" operating system for a "pro" hardware platform.

    If you're not already gagging ... you may note that all this starts sounding eerily similar to Windows RT. But what the heck, maybe Apple can pull it off where Microsoft failed. Maybe. Maybe not. It would not be the first time Apple rescued someone else's misfit toy idea from the Island of Misfit Toys and actually reimagined and rebuilt it in a way that didn't suck.

    Would users who want to do "pro" work on a high-end iPad buy into the notion of a having a special macOS version that only runs macOS apps that are approved for delivery through the App Store? What about third party app developers? The underlying bits of these iPadOS Pro apps could be essentially the same as their open macOS versions, with the only additional requirement being the approval by Apple to be distributed through the App Store if they adhere to Apple's standards. 

    We all know the saying "Many a truth is said in jest." There's probably a corresponding analogy for "Many a new product is announced as a rumor." 
    Guess what - your post does not seem to make lot of sense. Yeah, it is personal opinion, but I like the idea of @ericthehalfbee ;much more and looks feasible with minimal effort on the part of Apple as well.
    What I’ve been calling for years is a dual-boot iPad Pro.

    When docked to the proper keyboard/trackpad it behaves exactly like a MacBook Air. When used on its own it runs iPadOS. If you’re on iPadOS and dock to a keyboard, it prompts you if you want to continue using iPadOS or if you want to switch to macOS.

    I don’t want or need a touch enabled version of macOS.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 55 of 79
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    dewme said:
    This sounds like something Microsoft would do. Or to be more precise, something Microsoft has already done at least 4 times with varying degrees of failure. 

    But then Apple came along and took the touch screen phone concept and made it good. Then they did the same with iPadOS. So who’s to say Apple couldn’t do the same with a touch desktop?
    dewmewatto_cobra
  • Reply 56 of 79
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    If Apple did this I’d buy one tomorrow. As is, the iPad is almost entirely for consumption, producing content on it is as much of a faff as using Windows - it’s really clunky, frustrating and fiddly; not Apple-esque at all. Everything from the crappy file manager to the windowing system. 

    Running MacOS I assume would reduce restrictions on direct hardware access and the requirement for signed apps. Right now it’s too restrictive to develop on iPadOS or run scientific programs - which often require real scripting (not Shortcuts), another impossibility on iPadOS. There are thousands of Unix utilities that could make use of the powerful M2, but as is barely anything can use the CPU to its full extent. 

    I’d love to have a tablet Mac where I could make in-the-field fixes to programs and scripts, fix network issues, use custom apps for specific purposes etc. None of that is possible on iPadOS. 
  • Reply 57 of 79
    I can actually believe it. These iPad Pros have as much RAM and storage as my 2015 MBP, along with a faster processor, so there's no reason they can't run Mac OS.
    The fact that you could doesn’t mean you should. It will confuse the heck out of the customer in respect to what the iPad is and should be. It will be a compromise operating system competing with macOS and iPadOS. 
    The fact an M2 can run macOS isn’t relevant. That’s just technology. This is about product.
    At this point, I'm not convinced even those in charge of the iPad within Apple know what the iPad is and should be. 
    I 100% agree that the iPad has an identity crisis. This is why I find the normal iPad the better product; it doesn’t imply to be a laptop replacement so much. The iPadPro however is stuck in no man’s land, floating between a laptop with touch capabilities, and an artistic and consumer content consumption device…. What is it??

    But allowing for macOS on the iPad is admitting exactly that: “we want to cater for everyone because we don’t know what we want this product to be”. They would also admit iPadOS being a failure, or at least partially, because one OS should cover all their intended usecases.
    edited October 2022 dewmewilliamlondonelijahg
  • Reply 58 of 79
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 1,987member
    What I’ve been calling for years is a dual-boot iPad Pro.

    When docked to the proper keyboard/trackpad it behaves exactly like a MacBook Air. When used on its own it runs iPadOS. If you’re on iPadOS and dock to a keyboard, it prompts you if you want to continue using iPadOS or if you want to switch to macOS.

    I don’t want or need a touch enabled version of macOS.
    Ooo. I can see the advertising tag line already: “Meet the new Apple iPad Book Pro. It’s clunky and inefficient, but at least it’s got a short battery life and will disrupt your work flow!”
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 59 of 79
    Anyone arguing they should make macOS run on iPads as is, do yourself a favor and use Screens or something to screenshare into a Mac of yours and try to use it with your fingers or a pencil. It sucks. Usable, but sucks. Really bad.

    I do this occasionally with my Mac mini media server and it's not pleasant, but does the job. It's EXTREMELY clear that major changes would have to happen to make it iPad-friendly, just as any good software adapted from Mac to iPad already does.

    I'm not sure what they're doing here but of course they're always testing options. But, there's no way they want Mac-targeted apps to run as they are on iPad, or in a Mac Desktop kind of setup, that'd be bizarre. Unless they only limit it to users with keyboard/trackpad or mouse externals which makes it even weirder.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 60 of 79
    AppleZuluAppleZulu Posts: 1,987member
    elijahg said:
    dewme said:
    This sounds like something Microsoft would do. Or to be more precise, something Microsoft has already done at least 4 times with varying degrees of failure. 

    But then Apple came along and took the touch screen phone concept and made it good. Then they did the same with iPadOS. So who’s to say Apple couldn’t do the same with a touch desktop?
    Apple killed the Blackberry and the Palm Pilot by making a simpler device that was functionally better than either of the other things. People put down those other devices and never looked back because they didn’t give up anything to use the new iPhone. All of the descriptions of a 2-in-1 iPad/Mac in this thread above describe devices that would be less capable than a MacBook Pro and more clunky than an iPad. Apple isn’t going to do that. There’s nothing in their history or ethos that should lead anyone to believe that they’re interested in creating a device that strives to be all things to everyone by compromising what they do well. There will be no Apple El Camino. 
    williamlondonwatto_cobrafastasleep
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