Redesigned 11-inch and new 13-inch iPad Air
Apple’s refreshed iPad lineup, featuring redesigned 11‑inch and new 13‑inch iPad Air models with M‑series chips, is praised for its hardware but criticized for being held back by iPadOS limitations. Commenters highlight a split between creators and executives who find the iPad highly capable for art, music, and office workflows, and developers or power users who want macOS, terminals, sideloading, and multi-user support. Many also question Apple’s increasingly complex product segmentation—multiple iPad tiers and Apple Pencils, no updated iPad mini—and argue it reflects business priorities more than clear user needs.
Hardware vs iPadOS limitations
- Many see the new high‑end chips as wasted on iPadOS, which lacks terminals, code compilation, macOS apps, multiuser, and easy sideloading.
- Some would immediately buy an iPad if it ran macOS or had a full desktop‑class OS; several call current devices “neutered consumption” hardware.
- Others note workarounds via SSH to remote Linux/VMs and tools like iSH, but acknowledge these are compromises.
Target users and workflows
- Several argue iPads are well suited for “non‑hacker” work: slides, blogging, Notion, Zoom/Slack, office tasks, and cloud‑based dev via SSH.
- Strong niche support: creators (Procreate, music apps, photo/video editing), pilots (Foreflight), sound engineers, teachers, schools, kids.
- Some users successfully daily‑drive an iPad; others report their tablets sit unused except for media playback.
Creators vs HN / dev crowd
- Thread highlights a disconnect: HN devs focus on openness and development, while many creative users reportedly love the devices.
- Counterpoint: some creators have moved to MacBooks, Surface/Wacom, or other tablets when iPadOS felt too restrictive.
Product segmentation and lineup confusion
- Complaints about a messy iPad range (multiple iPads, four Apple Pencils) and minimal functional difference between Air and Pro beyond screen and ports.
- Several suggest Apple intentionally limits iPadOS and avoids multiuser to push people into buying multiple devices (iPad + Mac, or multiple iPads).
- Debate over whether this is smart product strategy or user‑hostile fragmentation.
Longevity, lock‑in, and obsolescence
- Some praise Apple’s 5–6 years of OS updates; others argue that once Apple ends support, locked‑down devices quickly become e‑waste (e.g., old iPads with frozen browsers).
- Android is criticized for short official support but praised for alternative ROMs and browser choice, despite its own problems.
iPad Mini expectations
- Multiple comments express disappointment at no Mini refresh or price drop.
- Mini is valued for aviation, pocketable reading, and as an ideal form factor; some fear Apple is letting it die as phones grow larger.