[api]

I need a real computer. I don’t mind a few UI ideas being borrowed where they make sense but if I can’t run anything I want on it and can’t multitask or combine things together it is not a real computer.

iOS works fine for a phone. It’s worthless for my job or my personal interests.

[criddell]

That's kind of the beauty of an iPad. It isn't for everyone. It hasn't been designed as a lowest-common-denominator type of device. There are a few things it's great at and those aren't necessarily the types of things a lot of people want.

I have a 2018 iPad and it's easily my favorite computer to use. With a keyboard, it's lovely to write on. With the Pencil and Good Notes it's a fantastic note taking device. Get ProCreate and it's an amazing combination for sketching and drawing. By itself, it's a great device for reference manuals and videos when I'm doing something like fixing my washing machine.

I don't read much on it because I have a dedicated e-reader. I don't play games on it because I have a console that's better for gaming. I don't write software on it because I have a workstation and laptop configured exactly for that purpose.

I think as they make changes to broaden the iPad's appeal, they may be undermining it.

[vbezhenar]

iPad is the same iOS like iPhone, just with bigger screen. It's not a real device for work. There's no bash in iPad. There's no docker in iPad. There's no accessible filesystem in iPad. You can't connect arduino and program it with iPad. You can't install Java IDE and use it. It's infinitely far away from being usable. And making it usable means turning it into macOS.

The only possible way for iPad to become slightly useful is to provide a proper macOS in a some way. But it's still useless because of terrible thermals and will throttle on any serious load. Even laptops are barely able to keep up with ever increasing demands from developers. Tablet is just not made for work. It's good to read a book, that I'll admit. Even browser is barely usable, there's no developer console to kill that annoying div.

[criddell]

When you say it isn't a real device for work, remember that you are thinking only about your work. There are lots of people who get plenty of their work done on an iPad.

> The only possible way for iPad to become slightly useful is to provide a proper macOS in a some way.

Why would they do that? They already sell portable macOS machines.

[api]

I agree, and the same applies to the Mac and anything that narrows it. They are for different audiences.