Will the iPad never become a real laptop replacement? The answer to this question strongly depends on who you ask. For some students and professionals, the higher display of the iPad Pro, the seizure of the Apple pencil and portability have made it the ideal productivity system. In fact, I won my BA in English and literature and worked as a television script translator, while only relying on an iPad. However, this is another story for those who have advanced workflows.
Today, the flagship iPads pack the Chipsets of the Apple M series, similar to those who feed the latest Macs. However, the software limitations of the mobile operating system prevent the tablet from performing a range of office class tasks. Ipados 19 should approach some of these shortcomings by improving multitasking, productivity and window management. I am all for that, but Apple must think big – these nine macOS features must be in the centerpiece of the update to really unlock the full potential of the iPad.
Application of the application key
MacOS is the only Apple operating system that allows users to install applications outside the App Store without jumping in endless hoops. If an application fails the ruthless screening process of the App Store, developers can always distribute it independently to users around the world, which allows Mac users to install third -party applications that do not necessarily comply with Apple guidelines.
I understand why Apple wants to continue to withdraw from the iPhone, but the iPad is a different animal. If your workflow depends on a non -compliant or niche application, there is no simple way to get it on your iPad – and it is a dealbreaker for many. To really correspond to the flexibility of the office, iPados 19 should support the installation of direct .IPA files. Maybe people can stop looking at it as a giant iPhone.
Mac software compatibility
The most high -end iPads now use the same processors as Mac computers. However, although MacOS can execute iPad applications, iPados cannot still run Mac software. Consequently, those who rely on exclusive office applications, such as Xcode, cannot completely abandon their computers. Likewise, those who have already bought life licenses for Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro on MacOS cannot access these tools on their tablets (without paying recurring subscription fees for mobile editions). Since the iPad has a cursor when it is connected to a magic keyboard, Apple could realistize this limitation in a realistic way and extend the iPad application library by taking charge of Mac software on iPados 19.
An improved cursor
Speaking of the cursor, the only iPados is much greater than that of MacOS and has a magnetic effect which draws it towards user interface elements. I understand why this behaves in this way, since iPados are a tactile operating system with large targets to accommodate human fingers, but it is not conducive to doing serious work. With the iPados 19 and MacOS 16 which adopted similar looks, Apple's chance has finally developed a more intuitive pointer for its tablet.
Window management must be priority 1 for iPados more like macOS.
Foundry
Improved window management
Similarly, although iPados are currently supporting the windows of the reizable application via the stage manager, the functionality is extremely limited compared to the management of Mac windows. The execution seems wobbly and pushes me to use the traditional fractionation view and to slide on multitasking features. The rumors of iPados 19 obtain a multitasking upgrade, and I cannot think of anything better than adopting a macOS type approach which is completely optimized for tablets.
Improved integrated applications
Since iOS and iPados have separated in 2019, Apple has distinguished its own iPad applications by offering news exclusive to larger screens. However, in terms of features, these applications continue to imitate, even the mirror, the iPhone and its limits. Thus, the functionalities of macOS such as intelligent reading lists in Apple Music and the navigation of system files in Finder are absent from the iPad. To attract Power users, iPados 19 should upgrade its action applications by bringing part of what we like in Mac versions.
Extended working environments
Speaking of power users, the iPad Pro Premium M4 always limits you to a single external monitor. Meanwhile, Mac support several physical screens and virtual desktops. This allows users to jump between different sets of open applications by creating several environments with distinct arrangements depending on the tasks on which they are concentrated. Similar capacities in iPados would help make it a much better platform to do serious work.
Virtual offices are an excellent thing for productivity and organization on the Mac, and they would be just as good on the iPad.
Foundry
With a Mac and a USB-C cable, you can save, restore or update your iPhone simply by plug it into. Although new iPads can repair your iPhone in wireless brick, they are unable to create local backups and full periphery. Likewise, they cannot update the operating system of your iPhone when it does not have enough storage to download the package in the air. If Apple wants the iPad to be a real productivity device, it must have total control over the iPhone as the Mac.
Multiple user profiles
This is the one we wanted forever. Many households have a single iPad shared by several people, but iPados are always linked to a single user. Apple has already built and dispatched multi-user profiles, but in a confused manner, it is limited to ipads managed by educational establishments. We do not know why Apple refuses to authorize several users on the iPad, but that must change if Apple's tablet wants to look more like Mac.
Continuity characteristics
Finally, the Mac offers special continuity features that work perfectly with iOS. With MacOS Monterey 12, Apple added the management of the aircraft reception, allowing you to launch supports from your iPhone to the larger display of the computer. And with MacOS Sequoia 15, the company introduced the iPhone MATING, allowing users to fully control their iPhones, to see iOS notifications, etc. These two features are missing in iPados, tracing its potential.
We do not need to reflect our iPhone on the iPad as often as we do on our Macs, but it would be cool if we could.
Foundry
Could it be the year?
The iPad seems to be stuck in limbo, and I find it difficult to understand where it is heading. It is undeniable that each annual operating system update makes the device more capable, but ultimately, the new features have all reached the same obstacles. For example, I had great hopes when the stage manager was announced for the first time, to be disappointed by the same main set of limitations shortly after trying it. Compared to Windows tablets such as the surface of Microsoft, the iPad has a long way to go.
But even if I am always skeptical, rumors of iPados 19 are a glimmer of hope. I doubt that many of the features here are coming to the iPad this year (or at any time by the way), but the iPados 19 is a chance for Apple to raise the tablet above its iPhone roots and cut a niche of productivity for people who want something more versatile than a mac. We will see if this happens.
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