Will the iPad Pro replace your Laptop or your smaller iPad?

[richjh]

I've been an off and on iPad user since the OG iPad was released (iPad, iPad mini, ipad mini 2, iPad Pro 9.7). Even with all of the speed and resolution increases over the various iterations, my original thoughts about the iPad are largely unchanged. It doesn't do everything a laptop/desktop does, but it does 70% of those things very well. I use my iPad for work purposes (I'm and emergency management director in a rural community) and pair with a few special apps, it's a great tool. I sold a Surface Pro 3 to buy my iPad pro and I don't regret it at all. My only complaint is that Apple's walled -garden ecosystem makes some things harder than they should be (i.e. moving files between devices, printing only to Airprint-compatible devices, proprietary charging cables), but when you get a set-up that works, it is a seamless experience. Apple makes consistently great devices and supports them with tightly controlled, but excellent software.

I completely agree with everything that has been said but I look at this from a slightly different perspective. I have had MS for over 40 years now. I say this as I type with one hand on the virtual keyboard. I replaced my !st generation iPad Air with the 12.9 inch iPad Pro. 70% is about right. I do quite a bit on Ancestry.com. My family's tree has now expanded to over 1,200 people which chooked my 1st gen iPad. I am now able to move and edit close to MacBook Pro speeds. As the battery runs low on my MacBook Pro I will seamlessly switch to my iPad Pro. I both now keeping me free of cords. At times I have my MacBook Pro and iPad Pro side by side.

Charging time for the iPad Pro without the USB-C adapter and cable is my only complaint. Using the charger that shipped with the iPad Pro is a bit of a joke.
Rich

 

[ardchoille]

I had planned to get the iPad Pro this month and start saving money for either an iMac or a MacBook. However, after using the 9.7 inch iPad Pro all day today, I don't see the need for a desktop or laptop machine for my needs. I also bought the Smart Keyboard for my iPP and this combination seems to fill the need for a tablet as well as a desktop machine.

 

[Hawker800]

I seldom use my desktop or laptop.

 

[richjh]

As I write this note I am running my MacBook Pro my iPad Pro side by side and thats method I enjoy the most. I do a lot of Ancestry work and photo retouching. As my MacBook Pro runs low on power I just switch to my iPad Pro 12.9 inch and keep editing. It can almost do almost everything that I need and it probably can except I haven't learned all of its features.

Without question you are really hampered if you don't buy the USB-C charger and cable. I am still amazed that this 29W USB-C charger and cable are not an option when you buy your iPad Pro. I use the Targus Versvue case with my iPad Pro. I have used this style of case on my 1st iPad Air in 2013 and loved that I could get one for my new iPad Pro.
Rich

 

[warc1]

The 9.7" Pro has replaced my iPad IV, but it's nowhere near capable as a laptop replacement. There are two fundamental flaws that are preventing use as a laptop replacement - one that may be addressed in the future and one that likely won't. They are:

1. Compromised apps.
2. Crippled OS.

Compromised apps regards the fact that the vast majority of apps are designed to the lowest common denominator in hardware. In other words, there has yet to develop an ecosystem of dedicated iPad Pro apps that take full advantage of the Pro's hardware capabilities. Without this, there is no compelling reason to buy a Pro.

Second, the OS locks out functionality in an attempt to simplify user interaction which cripples serious use. To me, the achilles heel is the lack of a user accessible file system. I manage my technology activities by defining projects (both work and personal). Projects create and use data from multiple apps - photos, documents, databases, web resources, spreadsheets etc. File systems allow me to access, organize and manipulate this data easily within a given project.

In contrast, iOS manages and accesses data by app which destroys organization and is functionally inefficient. It also makes the prospect of using multiple apps to edit a single file impractical if not impossible. That functionality is second nature in the laptop realm.

I recognize that cloud based file systems can be used as a work around to some of the above limitations and I am using MS Onedrive for this purpose. However, this is very inefficient due to laggy download and upload times on the road. It becomes useless whenever I lose connectivity which makes it questionable as a travel device.

Beyond these issues, there are a myriad of more minor OS limitations that remain frustrating. One, I document here:

Can Photo Resizing on iTunes Upload be Turned Off

In summary, the compromised apps limitation could be addressed with time if a critical mass of Pro apps develop. However, I don't see the OS limitations ever being addressed without fragmenting the iOS environment and Apple would never do that.

Bottom line, the Pro will make a good iPad IV replacement for me, but I'm still traveling with a Surface as well since I need full laptop functionality.