[spiralpolitik]

The struggle with the iPad is Apple doesn't want to cannibalize its laptop sales. There is simply no reason that the iPad couldn't switch to the MacOS UI when plugged into a hardware keyboard and mouse. So it will remain in this halfway up halfway down state until the winds change.

This is actually Apple's weakness. Right now Apple wants to sell you 3 devices, a phone, a tablet, and a laptop. The reality is that there is no reason why your iPhone when plugged into a keyboard, mouse, and display couldn't present a MacOS UI. Similarly for the iPad.

If someone could exploit this weakness then Apple could be placed in an uncomfortable position.

[jasonvorhe]

How do you think that would happen though? Boot two operating systems in parallel and switch between them upon connecting periphery? How would you keep app states in sync between tablet and "docked" then? How do you handle open windows once you disconnect periphery? What if you just worked on Terminal.app and then disconnect keyboard & trackpad? Does it just disappear? Do you suddenly have a potential root shell on your iPad?

I think there's a good reason this kind of desktop mobile hybrid hasn't really gained any traction yet.

DeX is a decent hack but nothing more. ChromeOS is still struggling with running Linux/Android/web apps in parallel without it feeling awkward.

[justsomehnguy]

> The reality is that there is no reason why your iPhone when plugged into a keyboard, mouse, and display couldn't present a MacOS UI.

> If someone could exploit this weakness then Apple could be placed in an uncomfortable position.

Motorola Lapdock, Continuum, Samsung Dex.

It didn't catch the mainstream adoption. Sure, that's mobile OSes (and Google failed miserably (if it did even try) on Android desktop) but still it didn't catch enough.

The reason is simple, though, most users (not uber front-end l33t hax0r with a mech keyboard) are served by the phone itself more than enough. Those who needs a proper computer would take a proper computer anyway (along with a phone). There is no unfulfilled gap there what would bring in billions for anyone who would attempt to make it work.

Oh, and there was one attempt which actually tried to bridge both ecosystems. Microsoft is still ridiculed about Win8.

[nextos]

And a watch! Watches could be potentially very interesting, and they could make phones largely redundant for those who don't like using apps all the time.

Personally, I hate phones, and I prefer computation at two extremes: Desktop and watch. Sadly, Apple Watch can't be owned without one of their phones.

[cesarvarela]

This is not true. Apple is all about cannibalizing its products.

> But doesn't Apple run the risk of cannibalizing its own products? "It's not a danger," Schiller said in response to Rose. "It's almost by design."

https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-on-cannibalization-201...

[Hamuko]

Based on Apple saying that they would certainly never gimp their products just to keep selling another one?

The more they make the iPad Pro a laptop, the less convinced I am that we couldn't have a touchscreen laptop with Apple Pencil support.