Not an iPad Pro Review: Why iPadOS Still Doesn't Get the Basics Right

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s Strategy and Product Segmentation

  • Many argue iPadOS is deliberately limited to avoid cannibalizing Mac sales and to push households toward buying both devices.
  • Others dispute this, saying Apple genuinely sees iPad and Mac as different tools and worries about hybrid UIs that are bad for both touch and pointer.
  • Some think Apple’s real focus is services and recurring revenue; “pro” multitasking features are seen as low priority under that model.
  • There’s skepticism that WWDC will substantially “fix” iPadOS; the “next year will be the year” sentiment is compared to “Linux on the desktop.”

Multitasking, Background Tasks, and “Pro” Workflows

  • Frequent complaints: fragile background execution (SSH, long exports, multiple audio streams), weak Files app, and brittle Stage Manager, especially on external displays.
  • People want things like proper background jobs, multiple concurrent audio/video streams, better windowing, and desktop‑class utilities (terminal, TextEdit, Preview, Dictionary).
  • Some note that background APIs exist but are narrowly constrained; they see this as a policy choice, not a technical limit.

Simplicity vs Power-User Features

  • One camp wants iPad kept simple, especially for older or less technical users. Gestures, edge swipes, and accidental split‑screen are major pain points; discoverability is poor.
  • Others argue for explicit “simple” and “power‑user” modes, kiosk‑style setups, or Assistive Access, saying the device could serve both markets.
  • There’s debate whether trying to serve both inevitably produces something that is simultaneously too simple and too complex.

Text Editing and Input UX

  • Large sub‑thread: text selection, cursor placement, copy/paste, and deletion on iOS/iPadOS are widely described as frustrating and regressing in recent versions.
  • Tricks like holding spacebar to turn the keyboard into a trackpad, multi‑tap selection, and three‑finger gestures exist but are seen as undiscoverable and inconsistent.
  • Others report they’re productive with the current system (especially with external keyboards), suggesting the pain is highly usage‑dependent.

Multi‑User Support and Sharing

  • Lack of multi‑user profiles on consumer iPads is a major gripe; iPads are often shared devices in families.
  • Apple supports multi‑user iPads in education/business via MDM, leading many to see its absence for consumers as an intentional upsell mechanism.
  • Some downplay the need, saying every family member should just have their own cheap device; others say that’s financially unrealistic.

Locked-Down Platform and Developer Use

  • Developers complain about no official terminal, no runtimes/VMs (hypervisor API removals), and strict app sandboxing; iPad Pro hardware is seen as “wasted” without these.
  • Sideloading and alternative stores (where permitted) only partially address this; iPad remains a poor primary development machine.

Role of iPad vs Laptops and Other Platforms

  • Many see iPad as great for consumption, note‑taking, drawing, music production, and field work, but not as a full computer replacement.
  • Some prefer a thin MacBook (or Surface/Chromebook) for anything involving significant typing, file shuffling, or complex workflows.
  • Hardware is widely praised as industry‑leading; the “tragedy” is that software and policy keep it from reaching its perceived potential.