“What’s a Computer?”
Friday’s Insight (17th May 2024)
"What's a computer?"
This line is from a reasonably short-lived 2018 ad campaign by Apple Inc., and according to Business Insider at the time, it was "infuriating people."
The commercial depicted a young girl lying outside on the lawn of her home doing what seems like schoolwork on her iPad Pro. A neighbour asks about what she's doing on her computer. To which the young girl says that infamous line.
The point of the ad was to highlight the iPad's versatility. Traditional computers have become so obsolete or have evolved so much in this imagined Apple universe that even a child doesn't recognise what they are!
Quite why this would infuriate people is beyond me. I remember watching the ad at the time and thought nothing more of it other than thinking that the iPad Pro looked amazing, and it left me speculating when I could afford to buy one.
At the time, it seems folks weren't convinced that tablets were the future. They would remain content consumption devices evermore, and if you wanted to get proper work done, you needed a real computer like a laptop or a desktop.
Fast forward 6 years later, and though my most recent iPad Pro is many times more powerful than most (if not all) of the laptops from 2018, even now, to a lot of people, they still aren't "real computers."
The Challenge
Take this little back-and-forth I had with someone on Threads after I'd posted a photo on my new M4 iPad Pro and mentioned that I'm an iPad-only user:
Them: Wait, are you a Windows user or a totally “no computer and iPad ONLY” user? That seems rough. Get a real computer, lol.
Me: It IS a real computer! 😆
Them: I honestly tried, but it can’t beat macOS or Windows in many tabs and desktop support. If you just do one task at once, yeah an iPad will do. I currently have 7 desktops with Edge, Safari, Chrome, a work app, and notes. Totalling around 64 tabs. It’s this level of power usage of a desktop OS multitasking and RAM management that iPadOS just can’t compete with. And now that the M4 iPad Pro 13 is MORE than the MacBook Air 13 ... it makes no sense financially wise to get the iPad over the MacBook.
Still Them: (He sent me a screen shot of his computer) Lots of work things. But this stuff can’t be down on a iPad. It would probably refresh every time, lol. Also I’ve not shut this down at all since Jan. Saves time at work and everything is readily available. Desktops 1-5 for work and desktop 6-7 personal use. Can an iPad do this 😂😂😂😂
Me: Fair enough. I’m still sticking with my iPad.
Them: Yup. Was just proving that iPad IS is not a desktop OS. Bring macOS to the iPads, and I’ll love it, I mean the chip is the same, just need the OS over
Me: It’s not a desktop OS and should never be. It’s a computer but occupies a different space. I love it and have used an iPad as my main computer for many years now. I’m a creative - I write and make videos (not just PTC but music videos, short movies, teaching videos) - and it’s has served me very, very well.
Them: Yeah, I will not deny that iPads have a few niche use cases like using on the bed (tho I’ve used my MacBook Pro 14 on the bed and it’s manageable 😅), on the go out and about and for handwriting stuff. But for me, I’ve only used it as a YouTube and video player, lol 😂
Meanwhile, over on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), a well-meaning individual stated that the new iPad Pro may take over work he would normally do on his Macbook Air. And yet another said that the iPad Pro runs what he considers 'MacOS Lite'.
My Response
I could go on, but let me address the thread on Threads and provide a response to those comments posted on X. In doing so, hopefully, I explain well enough why I'm perfectly happy to call my iPad a "proper computer" and why I'll probably never return to using a laptop.
The user on Threads stated that they had many tabs open over several browsers (not just browser windows but three different browser types) and many apps open for work, etc. Apparently, iPadOS couldn't cope with all this due to its RAM management issues.
Without really touching upon all those tabs, browsers, and apps that he has opened, I'm pretty sure most computers wouldn't be able to deal with all that (what's running his computer? A fusion reactor?) My biggest question is WHY does he have all those things open, and how is he able to cope with all the data that he seemingly needs to have in front of him at all times?
One of the iPad's biggest strengths is its 'limited' nature. I don't mind having only 4 apps open simultaneously or 8 apps if I attach the iPad to a monitor. I can only look at so much and need so much information available at any one time. In fact, I've never maxed out the apps to the 8 available. I want to get work done and not be distracted!
Now, I don't want to judge; maybe this gentleman's work demands that he needs all these things running, and somehow, he makes it all work together to benefit him and his general productivity. But that is kind of my point, I don't. What I have works for me. And just because my iPad Pro can't do Starship Enterprise-level computing doesn't mean it's not a computer.
There's also an ignorance of iPads and iPad OS on full display here. My iPad has not refreshed the browser window because it's panicking over how many tabs I have open for a long time. (My wife is a student; you should see how many tabs are open in her browser on any given day! She's never had a problem.)
I don't close down apps; they are ready and waiting for me in the background, and when I return to them, they are in the same state as when I left them. My iPad Pro doesn't restart, throw a strop, explode, or initiate World War 3 out of confusion!
He also says that he hasn't shut down his computer for several months, and everything is immediately accessible to him in an instant.
The suggestion is that my iPad can't do that.
This is despite the fact that all iPads have been "instant on" since the very beginning. No waiting around for anything to load in. Unless you've intentionally turned the iPad off (which you rarely have to do), everything simply reappears immediately when you press the power button, and the TouchID or FaceID acknowledges you. This login is so quick, in fact, that I forget my iPad is using my face to allow me to securely access my device.
So, to answer his question, my iPad can most definitely "do this".
The main thing that really grounded my gears, so to speak, was his statement that he had said all this to "prove the iPadOS is not a desktop OS."
I'd never asked him to prove anything to me. I don't care. You do your computing, and I'll do mine.
But let's just take that statement with the thought behind it - that iPadOS is not a real OS.
Who says? Why isn't it an actual OS? I mean, it's short for iPad Operating System. So if it's not operating, what is it?
Of course, these are silly questions meant to challenge a nonsense statement. I do all my work on my iPad.
I edit photos.
I edit videos.
I create podcasts.
I draw (badly, but my YouTube thumbnails get done).
I take notes.
I write.
I edit websites.
I email.
I collaborate.
I make calls, videos or voice.
I consume content.
What can I not do on my iPad with its supposedly nixed OS that I could only do on a laptop or desktop?
In fact, I can possibly do more. Here's a list to make my point:
Portability and Design: The new M4 iPad Pro is ultra-thin, with the 11-inch model being 5.3mm and the 13-inch model just 5.1mm thick. This makes it incredibly easy to carry and use in various settings, from meetings to coffee shops.
Touchscreen and Apple Pencil Support: The iPad Pro’s touchscreen and compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro enable precise input for drawing, note-taking, and editing. This offers a level of interaction that few laptops can match.
OLED Display: The latest iPad Pro features an OLED Ultra Retina XDR display, providing richer contrast, deeper blacks, and brighter highlights than typical laptop screens. This makes it ideal for media consumption, photo editing, and any task that benefits from superior visual quality.
Performance with M4 Chip: The M4 chip delivers significant performance improvements. The iPad Pro can easily handle intensive tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and AI-based applications.
Battery Life: iPads typically offer longer battery life than many laptops, which is crucial for all-day use without recharge.
Versatile Form Factor: The iPad Pro can switch between a tablet and a laptop with the Magic Keyboard attachment, offering flexibility that traditional laptops don't have by the very nature of their design. It can also be used as a digital canvas for creative work.
Augmented Reality: The iPad Pro supports AR applications, providing unique interactive experiences for education, gaming, and professional tasks like interior design and virtual modelling.
Camera Quality: With upgraded camera modules, including a 12MP wide camera and 4K video recording capabilities, the iPad Pro excels in video conferencing.
Integration with Apple Ecosystem: Seamless integration with other Apple devices and services enhances productivity and user experience. Features like Handoff, Continuity, and iCloud make switching between tasks and devices effortless.
Enhanced Durability and Thermal Management: The new internal structure improves stiffness and heat dissipation, ensuring the device remains cool and durable even during intensive use. No more fans that sound like you're about to take off!
I'm sure this list could go on and on. My point is simply this: none of the above would be possible if the iPadOS wasn't a real OS. The argument against it is absurd! Some things within the OS could be improved - the file system still isn't great. But every year, incremental changes mean hoops no longer need to be jumped through to get stuff done as they once did.
iPadOS does not need to be macOS on an iPad. It does everything I need and more, and I feel I'm only just scratching the surface. We are so far beyond the idea that it's just a niche product with no discernible benefit other than watching YouTube videos in bed. Some people need to stick their heads above the PC tower that's sat on the table before them and see what is happening in the real world.
All this leads me to the statements made on X. I think I have already covered that iPadOS, though limited in some areas, can quite clearly hold its own in the OS Olympics. It doesn't need to be MacOS Lite or MacOS of any sort. The Mac uses an OS designed for different animals with different use cases. However, as I hoped, I have strongly implied that there is much crossover between the two.
The iPad is not simply a Macbook Air replacement either. This idea was probably made with the best intentions. Still, it comes across as condescending, not to the machine, but to me personally and those like me. There is an implication in this statement that I'm not using my iPad for 'real work'. If I want to be taken seriously as a videographer (dare I say filmmaker), a writer, and a creative, I'll need to discard these childish things to reach the next level and join the room with the big boys and girls.
Yet ...
I have recorded and edited music videos using 2 iPhones and my iPad Pro.
I have recorded and edited several short educational films against a green screen, again using only 2 iPhones, my iPad Pro and the LumaFusion app.
I have recorded and edited podcasts using external mics and passed through a Scarlett 2i2 audio interface connected to my iPad Pro.
I have recorded and edited several videos for a charity that needed to dub into several foreign languages using only my iPad Pro and an external wireless mic setup, such as the M650 set from Anker.
I have used my iPad to create social media and marketing campaigns, from collaborative planning to design to implementation.
The list goes on. If any of the above needs improving, I need to learn and develop the appropriate skills, not my devices needing to perform better.
Is none of this real work?
Of course, it is. It's time the iPad was afforded more respect as a content-creating professional work machine. Maybe as we enter the M4 era of portable computing, we'll see this mindset shift.
In the meantime, I shall continue to create and advocate for the iPad and, for that matter, iPhones, which can all be combined to develop genuinely impressive and accessible professional content. I acknowledge once again that iPadOS needs to grow in certain areas, but with WWDC just around the corner (from the date that I write this) and Apple's apparent push into AI, we may see the next evolution in computing come from the most recent iPad Pro.
The bottom line is this: if a Windows laptop works for you, go for it; if a Macbook is your go-to trusted equipment, use it. If you only want a powerhouse of a desktop setup, then that is your prerogative. Keep using whatever works for you, helps elevate your productivity, and pushes you forward in your creativity. These are all great computers.
But then, what's a computer?
My iPad.
Watch my latest video where I unbox and give my initial thoughts on the new iPad Pro and matching Magic Keyboard. While you’re watching, please subscribe.
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