Will iPad and Mac merge in the future?

We know that Apple has already used the desktop-level M1 chip in the iPad Pro, and the iPad and the new generation of MacBook have the same hardware platform;

Earlier, Apple unified the development kits for Mac and iPad, using Mac Catalyst to develop applications for both macOS and iPadOS that are compatible with both platforms. The new M1 version of the MacBook can even run iPad Apps...

It can be said that Apple has built a bridge between the software and hardware for Mac and iPad. Speculations about whether Apple will unify the two platforms have been heard in the industry.

And in the recent WWDC 2021, Apple made another big news - Apple added a linkage control function called "Universal Control" in macOS Monterey and iPadOS 15. Users can freely drag the mouse on Mac and iPad to perform operations such as dragging and dropping file transfers.

Mac and iPad have taken a big step forward in integration and linkage.

So, as hardware platforms and development kits become increasingly aligned, is it possible for Apple to merge its Macbook and iPad product lines? Let's talk about this briefly.

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Are Mac and iPad already interoperable?

Let’s first take a brief look at the extent to which Mac and iPad are integrated and interconnected today.

First is the hardware foundation

Currently, the new iPad Pro, MacBook, iMac, and Mac mini all use the M1 chip based on the ARM architecture. According to Apple’s product plan, more Mac computers will join the M series ARM chip camp in the future. It can be said that the hardware foundation of iPad and Mac has become consistent.

Next is the development kit

In the past two years, Apple has launched SwiftUI and Mac Catalyst to integrate the software ecosystems of iPad and Mac. Developers can use these kits to make the appearance and internal structure of the same application compatible with both iPad and Mac. In the future, there will be more and more software applications that will be compatible with both iPad and Mac.

Next is ecological compatibility

The M1 version of the MacBook is compatible with some iPad applications, which allows the Mac platform, which has a poor gaming and entertainment ecosystem, to be watered by the iPad ecosystem. However, there are currently some problems in this area, which will be mentioned below.

Finally, further integration of experience

Many people have heard about the seamless integration of the Apple ecosystem. Different devices can share data through iCloud and transfer files through AirDrop... These experiences are praised.

After this WWDC, the many aspects of the iPad and Mac experience have become increasingly similar and seamlessly connected, including the following aspects.

• iPad supports mouse operation, and users can drag the mouse between Mac and iPad to achieve functions such as file drag, copy and paste;
• The Mac can be used as an iPad screen, and the content on the iPad can be displayed on the Mac screen via AirPlay;
• The interfaces of iPad OS and macOS are becoming more and more similar. Elements from iPadOS, such as the control center, have been added to macOS, and the visual elements and interaction designs of both sides are becoming more and more similar.

It can be said that Apple has opened up the underlying layers of the iPad and Mac platforms, and has also done a lot of work on mutual integration and interoperability at the upper layer.

Under this premise, Apple has already launched the slogan "Why should the next computer be a computer" for iPad Pro. Is it possible for iPad to be transformed into a desktop-level product and usher in the real liberation of productivity?

Is it possible for the iPad and Mac to completely merge?

From what we have observed so far, although Apple intends to remove the obstacles between iPad and Mac, the iPad is still far from being a "touch-screen version of Mac" and the Mac is still far from being a "desktop version of iPad."

First of all, iPadOS is still not as good as macOS in many aspects. Although the iPad has a desktop-level chip, iPadOS is still a mobile operating system.

Compared with a real desktop system, it still has many limitations.

• The multitasking mechanism is too weak. iPadOS cannot run large tasks in the background, nor can it present multiple windows that can be freely controlled in the foreground, and is not competent for a productivity environment that requires handling multiple tasks at the same time;
• The file system is incomplete. iPadOS does not provide full file access permissions. Transferring file data between software applications requires a roundabout way to achieve it. The file system is inefficient and cannot be compared with the desktop system.
• Poor expansion capabilities. Although the iPad uses a more universal USB Type-C interface and opens up compatibility with Bluetooth peripherals, it still cannot support enough types of hardware. Whether you want to connect an external GPU or a graphics tablet, iPadOS cannot make them work properly, which is far from a real desktop system.
• The system interface is limited. The depth and breadth of the API provided by iPadOS cannot be compared with that of a real desktop system, so iPad applications still cannot implement many desktop-level functions, such as developing drivers for specific hardware.

At this WWDC conference, Apple's improvements to iPadOS are still basically superficial, such as adding desktop controls, optimizing split-screen applications, improving the usability of memos, and so on.

But Apple has not made any improvements to the mechanisms mentioned above that prevent the iPad from becoming a reliable productivity factor.

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Secondly, on the Mac platform, Apple has imposed stricter restrictions on the integration of the iPad ecosystem.

Since the release of the M1 version of MacBook, not only has the number of iPad apps that can be run not increased, but some previously compatible iPad apps can no longer be installed and run.

Previously, users could install IPA applications in macOS through some means, but after macOS was updated to 11.3, this method was restricted and users could only install compatible iPad applications specified in the App Store.

Perhaps Apple has considerations such as stability and complete experience, but for users, the most intuitive feeling is that MacBook cannot run many iPad applications.

In short, iPadOS is still far from being desktop-level, and macOS' compatibility with iPad apps is not unconditional. Obviously, at this stage, Apple has no plans to completely integrate iPad and Mac.

Summarize

In general, although Apple has connected the iPad and Mac at the underlying level and in terms of ecology, Apple currently has no plans to make the iPad another form of Mac.

Judging from the current product positioning, the iPad is still just a production auxiliary tool and it cannot independently undertake heavy productivity tasks.

Using iPad as a secondary screen for Mac, or letting it handle some light preliminary work when it is inconvenient to carry Mac, is a more accurate positioning for iPad.

In the short term, Apple will not make the iPad into a desktop-level product like Microsoft Surface. So, in addition to using desktop-level chips, what will the iPad "Pro" have in the future?

This platform has a promising future. The current iPadOS and Apple ecosystem are still far from realizing their full potential. Let us look forward to Apple’s next move.