The ability to turn the iPad into a laptop replacement device, but Apple always refuses to do this: Why?

# **The ability to turn the iPad into a laptop replacement, but Apple always refuses to do this: Why?** **iPad is a strange device. Despite its powerful hardware, this tablet still cannot replace a laptop. It seems only fit to be used as entertainment for children.** ## **iPad for what?** We all know the ambitious goal of the tablet when it was born. Many users expect this device to be able to replace laptops and desktops, becoming the only dedicated device for everyday tasks, from work to play. However, that miraculous story did not happen. More than 10 years after launch, the first tablet models like iPad still have a place in the market, but sales are always much lower than traditional computers. What’s even more surprising is that the iPad over the past few years has been more commercially successful than trying to force itself to be a laptop replacement. Apple wants the iPad to be literally a tablet. A unique type of device. Essentially, today’s most popular tablets cannot and do not seek to replace laptops. They aim to be a flashy gadget that users use with their computers (when they don’t have their phones in hand). Not surprisingly, the Cupertino company has succeeded in convincing users that they need three or more Apple products in their lives. But what exactly is the meaning of this strategy and why is the iPad still just a tablet after all? Over the past few years, Apple’s iPad lineup has come a long way in terms of hardware, especially when it comes to high-end iPad Pro models. The integration of the M1 chip has given the Cupertino company’s tablets an unprecedented advantage over competitors – not only against Android devices like the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra but also against Windows devices. like Microsoft Surface 9. It should be noted that even less advanced iPad models like the iPad Air (2022) still deliver superior performance compared to tablets in the same price range. In a sense, Apple’s iPad has almost no competition. Sooner or later, the iPad will approach the perfection of a tablet. When combined with the perks of the Apple ecosystem, it’s not hard to explain the iPad’s unparalleled appeal. In fact, this appeal is so strong that it can attract consumers despite the limitations of iPadOS. There’s a story that many people still don’t understand when it comes to how Apple’s tablets are made. The company worked hard to develop a processor chip that was as powerful as a real computer. Then they put in a tablet running an operating system that is just an upgraded version of iOS on the iPhone. On the hardware side, the iPad closely resembles a laptop, but in terms of software, it’s uncanny like the iPhone. There are hardly any apps on iPadOS that can take full advantage of the M1/M2 chip. The iPad’s powerful hardware became redundant and out of place. ## **Do you need a giant iPhone?** The evolution of the iPad (and tablets in general) has been heavily influenced by the way smartphones have evolved over the past decade. . One of the main reasons is that they, unlike laptops and desktop computers, use touch screen input methods. As a result, tablet operating systems and device functionality are built on top of Android and iOS, rather than Windows and MacOS. No matter how many advanced multitasking features Apple implements, iPadOS will never be able to take full advantage of the iPad’s exceptional hardware without a major revamp. Unfortunately, the Cupertino company doesn’t want to do this and is trying to position the iPad as a middle ground between MacOS and iOS. They only allow the iPad to be more powerful and bigger than the iPhone, but not enough to replace the MacBook. That leaves users feeling lost. The iPad became a tier three product, one that couldn’t deliver the portability of an iPhone or the performance of a MacBook. The iPad’s best purpose is just multimedia entertainment or, at worst, as a toy for children. Broadly speaking, tablets are not necessary for most users. Essentially, Apple is intentionally crippling the iPad to allow the MacBook to shine. Whether an iPad is capable of threatening the MacBook is an open question. However, Apple is becoming increasingly conflicted as it intends to give the iPad even more power with the next-generation M3 chip. Rumors suggest some important iPad upgrades are expected to launch in 2024. Not only M3 chip and OLED panels for Pro models, but the company may tweak the design and launch a 14-inch iPad. . With the iPad set to become bigger, more powerful, and even more expensive, there’s hardly any reason for Apple to forever limit the device to the current limitations of iPadOS. And if the iPad continues to be identified as an intermediate entertainment device, the company may not need to upgrade the hardware to do so much effort. The iPad must either reach its full potential (maybe at the expense of a MacBook) or should continue to be a middling device.