19th Try a Charm for iPadOS?

This time our old friend Mark Gurman is making the prediction - iPadOS 19, although NOT macOS, according to Gurman:

"According to Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter, Apple’s iPadOS 19 will “focus on productivity, multitasking and app window management — with an eye on the device operating more like a Mac.” It won’t quite be macOS for iPad, but Gurman notes that “the changes will likely go far enough” to please those users who are looking to get more out of the tablet’s software."

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-software-will-reportedly-get-more-mac-like-with-the-ipados-19-redesign-200759136.html

I bought my M1 iPad Pro, Pen 2, and Magic Keyboard just for this, yet year after year, disappointment after disappointment. However, just like every other rumor, this gets my heartbeat up and I keep thinking "maybe this time" especially if it would let a M4 iPad Air match most of the features of the m4 MacBook Air.

10 comments

Comments (10)

james!

Apr 14

The only thing that will really take it to the next level is true file management. I don't think iPadOS is set up for it though. It would probably take a total rewrite, and we know that's not happening. I'm happy enough with my Jump Desktop setup so far. It works for what I need anyway.

james!

Apr 15

Replying to

I agree with that. There are a lot of apps that are close-ish but lack some of the desktop features. But those aren't even necessarily on Apple. For instance, Clip Studio Paint is my main art program. Not only did they manage to make a direct 1 to 1 app for iPadOS (and Android), they also have a "simple mode" that minimizes the user interface as an option on mobile and optional touch hotkeys that the desktop version doesn't have. So not only is it fully the desktop app, it's got more features. Meanwhile Adobe made Photoshop, a very similar program, for iPadOS and left out a bunch of features, likely not because they can't build them, but because they wanted to rush the product out and not spend the time to make the full version. Maybe they will one day. But the point is, a lot of these third party apps could be desktop versions without Apple's influence.

But yes, also, there are others that probably can't because Apple denies the app on the app store due to features it doesn't like. I seem to recall them denying some M$ apps for this reason and that being M$'s excuse for not delivering a better app. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

But that's also why a lot of people are excited about third party apps stores. We might get more desktop level apps if they can bypass some of Apple's weird restrictions.

Either way, this is why I'm always very hesitant to recommend an iPad as a tablet for people. There are very specific use cases where it shines. If you know those, and know you'll use it for those, it's a great machine. Otherwise it's an expensive paperweight.