The Apple iPad Air 2 Review
by Joshua Ho on November 7, 2014 9:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Tablets
- Apple
- Mobile
- iOS
- ipad Air 2
Software: iOS 8
While hardware is important, the tablet ultimately needs compelling software in order to justify its place. Apple has done a great job of using the display’s extra real estate, although areas like Springboard are a bit lacking in information density when compared to the iPhone 6 Plus. Unlike the iPhone 6 Plus which usually only gives a multiple-pane view in landscape, the iPad can present more information all the time. While this may seem to be an artificial distinction, it’s really the 4:3 aspect ratio that improves information density for both orientations.
More notably, applications in the app store seem to be universally adapted for the iPad instead of being a stretched out iPhone version. It’s likely that this is because any iPhone-only application is a direct scaling rather than any proper interpolation, so at 1x mode the application is comically small and at 2x the application often looks horrific due to aliasing and upscaling artifacts. Both modes leave large levels of unused space in the display, so there’s a strong impetus to make a proper tablet application. The multitasking gestures continue to add to the tablet's functionality as well, which can be even quicker than normal multitasking. This is also helped by the use of two gigabytes of RAM, which noticeably reduces the amount of times that applications are kicked out of memory in my experience. As AArch64 can increase memory requirements it seems important for future iPhones and iPads to all ship with at least two gigabytes of RAM.
For the most part, these are already advantages that iPads have had for a while, so none of this really changes when compared to most other tablets, which have generally suffered from a relatively poor breadth of applications designed to take advantage of a larger tablet display. The one significant software feature to talk about here is TouchID, even though this is a hardware-driven feature. Similar to my experiences with TouchID on the iPhone, TouchID on the iPad makes a lot of sense. While there’s no NFC feature for Apple Pay, the same system works for online purchases which has a great deal of potential for any applications that utilize Apple Pay. The launch of iOS 8 also means that TouchID can be used as an alternate form of authentication for any application that uses the appropriate API, which is definitely nice as well. Of course, for basic unlock this system continues to work incredibly well, to the point where it’s often possible to accidentally unlock the device when turning it on with the home button.
However, there’s not much else to talk about. Unfortunately, while Apple has done a good job of developing the tablet it feels like there’s a lot of potential for new applications and other usage models that haven’t come to fruition. While the stylus is often seen as a negative for user experience, I suspect that the iPad would have for more value if a good pressure-sensitive stylus was included for note-taking and similar use cases. In addition, the lack of a proper multi-window system definitely detracts from the potential for the iPad to take on a productivity role. While these are all things that Samsung has done for the Galaxy Note line, these features aren’t really as well executed as they need to be for good user experience which leaves room for Apple to innovate in this area. It seems fully possible for an iPad to replace a ~20 mm thick convertible tablet for productivity and note taking, but proper development of these ideas hasn’t quite happened.
Unfortunately, as a function of the iPad’s size I find it hard to integrate into daily use. For the most part I don’t find myself missing the extra screen size when compared to a phablet like the iPhone 6 Plus, and this is likely to be Apple’s biggest issue as the iPhone 6 Plus can give much of the tablet functionality while still remaining relatively compact. While I’d be willing to put up with the extra size if there was compelling functionality that I wouldn’t be able to get on another formfactor, it feels like this uniqueness is lacking in the iPad. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t value to the iPad formfactor as there is a sizeable population of people that effectively use the iPad as their primary computing device, but for general browsing and comparable tasks I’ve never felt limited by the relatively small display of a phablet or smartphone. This means that there’s a significantly higher bar for utility, which is really the source of my concern. While the iPad’s software experience is excellently executed, after multiple generations it seems to be time to push in new directions for utility.
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sprockkets - Saturday, November 8, 2014 - link
"Most Android users have no idea.ITunes hasn't been required in years."
Except every ios device has to contact apple to work initially, and either itunes or itunes on the web does this. It's a stupid requirement that apple will never ever let go of.
carloshehe - Sunday, November 9, 2014 - link
You don't have to connect any apple device to iTunes. At all. Ever. You take it out of the box, you turn it on, it asks you a few simple questions and you're on the homescreen.What you're talking about is recovery mode. That's the only time I've seen that.
NEDM64 - Sunday, November 9, 2014 - link
Google Play Services is what?Google's version of "iTunes on the web"...
Really? That "iTunes on the interwebs" is the most retarded thing I haver have read here... But two pages from this, and anyone can see the real problem of this user...
And "iTunes on the interwebs" is welcome, makes a stolen iPhone or iPad worthless, wich if cool, unless you plan to stole one.
akdj - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
As does Samsung (& Google/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Carrier)As does HTC (& Google/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Carrier)
As does LG (& Google/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Carrier)
As does {insert OEM here} (& Google/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint/Carrier)
....and this DOES include the 'Nexus' lineup. While 'stock Android', it's built by and distributed the largest 'data miners' AND exploiters on the Internet, today. Google. Period
At least with Apple, sure, you definitely 'register' with them ONCE ...From then on, your communication with them is limited by your choices in settings. If title doing nothing wrong, I don't see a reason to help with 'traffic' or a developer improve his app, etc
If I'm doing something wrong, I suppose I would shit those options off. No need to 'phone home' as EVERY Android device does, including my Note3 I enjoy so much
At least Apple's a one shot, you choose deal
In the world of Android, it's a gamble unless you're using Nexus. Then you're 'only' sharing with Google. Everyone else you're dealing with the OEM and the carrier's bloat ...and constant background, unavoidable and incessantly running 'processes'
Anyway, yeah...TL/DR
What did you mean with your quotes?
A) you don't need iTunes EVEN in the beginning to activate your phone. Use a gmail account as your iPhone check in acct
B)‘Most Android users have no idea'
This I disagree with. If argue most ARE aware of this lack of necessity for some time now. Bad thing is you don't ..yet you quoted something you clearly don't understsnd, didn't realize and failed to respond with a 'back up' to your complaint(s)
It's neither a 'stupid requirement'
And Apple only held on to it so it could sync your phone in an expeditious manner! Wireless, broadbamd and 'clouds' have t been here forever.
That said, iTunes eats KIES alive. It's definitely the first thing replaced on my Note updates. Music and media management. Unfortunately, one still has to deal with it for OTA updates
I'll take the iOS 'update' approach (to both apps and full on OS upgrades all day in comparison)
As akways, ymmv
J
robinthakur - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Except every Google device has to contact Google to work initially, and all the time thereafter, feeding them yopur usage metrics to make them money. It's a stupid requirement that Google will never ever let go of.There we go, fixed that right up.
extide - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
Actually you can use an Android device without ever even having a google account. Obviously things like gmail and the play store wont work, but the option is there if you really wanted.akdj - Thursday, November 27, 2014 - link
No different than Android devices using your Gmail information for 'initial contact'There's NO NEED to use iTunes. iTunes on the web. iTunes on your iPhone! There's hundreds of programs to play your media from
And the 'need' to contact Apple, use iTunes or any of the other BS you've been told a couple dozen times now hasn't been the case since 5.0, right?
This is 8.1. So over three years have passed
carloshehe - Sunday, November 9, 2014 - link
In all fairness you do need iTunes still. How will you put all your music in an iPad? Maybe you'll say there are other programs out there you can use, but the fact is you still have to sync it and use some sort of program to put your music.You have 3,000 songs in your computer. You get an iPad. How are you going to put all that music in your iPad?
With Android you can just plug it in and drag and drop your music like the tablet is an external drive.
That being said, Android sucks because it has no tablet apps.
Android tablets are for the very basics. Documents, email, videos. But for anything else, you need an iPad.
akdj - Monday, November 10, 2014 - link
AirDropSync via home sharing (playlists)
Dropbox GDrive OneDrive
iTunes match up to 25,000 songs with ya, everywhere you go ...just $20/year
There's Sooo many options to list, no need to 'sync' your media any longer with your computer physically connected. If you're on you're gime network, feel free to send me a line and I'll walk you through.
All3,00 songs;)
akdj - Thursday, November 27, 2014 - link
I'm blown away by the ignorance hereWow. You'd think half these comments are being made by someone who's never used an iPhone, an iPad. iOS period. Much less a Mac or iTunes ITSELF, no, you do NOT need to 'plug in' to get yiur music. If you've got a hundred thousand, yes. Because a TB or two won't fit. Then, it's as easy as plug in to .mac or PC, sync managment and check the boxes to sync (playlists, artists, all...whatever).
A signficantly better media managment system in aggregate than ANY other in the world
I use Plex. I use Traktor, I edit audio in Audition, video in premier...but like anything else, organization is key. And iTunes has it nailed.
Kies. Sucks ...,and it's the other AIO organizer forced upon you by the biggest (by a HUGE margin) OEM making Android phones. Samsung.
As well, since you know so little about iOS, I assume the same is true with iTunes. It's come a VERY long way since you had to 'connect' your iPhone