The Apple iPad Pro Review
by Ryan Smith, Joshua Ho & Brandon Chester on January 22, 2016 8:10 AM ESTSoftware UX
For those that are unfamiliar with our other articles, we reviewed iOS 9 at its release back in September. If you aren’t familiar with what has changed in the move from iOS 8 to iOS 9 I highly recommend reading it as for the most part I have nothing new to say in the context of what was covered in that review. Instead of treading old ground, it’s worth discussing the specific aspects of the user experience that are unique to the iPad Pro.
The first, and perhaps most obvious change is the display size and resolution. While the aspect ratio is the same as the iPad Air, the significantly increased display size and resolution also affects applications. For the most part I haven’t noticed any issues here. However, in some cases there are still applications that haven’t been properly redesigned for the larger display, so they end up simply being purely upscaled versions of applications designed to fit 7.9 and 9.7 inch displays. This tends to look fairly ugly in my opinion but it does work without issue when dealing with backwards compatibility.
In cases where applications are updated to fit the iPad Pro, designs are generally well-executed and take advantage of the additional screen real estate. It’s probably not a surprise to know that most applications fall under this category, but it’s worth mentioning at any rate.
The larger display size also greatly enhances the utility of split-screen multitasking on the iPad Pro, as it’s generally quite useful to be able to run two almost iPad Air-sized apps simultaneously on the iPad Pro. As discussed in the Apple Pencil section of this review, being able to read a PDF and take notes/do problem sets based upon a document opened in Safari is incredibly useful and helps with productivity. There are other applications here to be sure, but I think an education setting was where I found the most value. However, it's worth mentioning that the multitasking UI feels like it isn't really designed for a future where hundreds of applications will occupy the slide-out multitasking menu.
For the most part, iOS is smooth and performant on the iPad Pro. However, there are a few notable cases where I did notice frame drops. For whatever reason, this seems to be basically limited to the Notes application. It seems that as time has gone on it has become increasingly difficult for anyone shipping a mobile OS to make everything smooth all the time, likely a product of their increasing complexity and larger code base.
Overall, I don't have as much to say here. When the only two competing tablet operating systems worth discussing in comparison to iOS are either neglected (Android) or heavily reliant upon legacy applications that really need a mouse and keyboard to be used properly (Windows), iOS stands alone as basically the only touchscreen OS worth using. I don't think the solution to the problem of the keyboard with the iPad Pro means that it needs a touchpad, nor should using both keyboard and touch simultaneously in the deployed mode be the dominant method of interaction. Trying to do the former is basically just emulating a really terrible laptop, while the latter makes for poor ergonomics almost universally.
While it may be appealing to make a tablet that is also a laptop due to the nature of legacy Windows applications, trying to make such a convergence device is a great way to make either a compromised laptop or a compromised tablet. The other half of the functionality is almost never going to be used in practice if my experiences with Surface Pro are anything to go by. Android showed arguably even more promise than iOS as a tablet OS due to its more traditional computer than appliance OS structure, for whatever reason the promise that came with the structure of Android didn't pan out in execution.
As a result, the iPad line stands alone in software, for better or for worse.
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tim851 - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
"Pro" is just a marketing moniker. There are smartphones that carry it.Apple wants iOS to succeed. People wonder if OSX will come to the iPad, I think Apple would rather consider bringing iOS to Macs. They are fanatical about simplicity and an iPad with iOS got that in spades.
And that's why they are taking the opposite approach of Microsoft.
Microsoft is trying to make their desktop OS touch-friendly enough. Apple is trying to make their touch OS productive enough.
Windows devs are by and large ignoring Metro, the tough UI, and just deploy desktop apps. Apple wants to force devs to find ways to bring professional grade software to iOS.
I'm quite happy that the two companies are exploring different avenues instead of racing into the same direction.
ddriver - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
"I'm quite happy"People should really have higher standards of expectations, because otherwise, the industry will take its sweet time milking them and barely making any increments in the value and capabilities of their products. They won't make it better until people demand better, the industry is currently in a sweet spot where it gets to dictate demand, by lowering people's expectations to the point they don't know and can't even imagine any better than what the industry makes.
People should stop following the trends dictated by the industry, and really should look beyond that, which the industry is willing to do at this point, towards what is now possible to do and has been for a while really. Because otherwise, no matter how much technology progresses, this will not be reflected by the capabilities of people, if it is up to the industry, it will keep putting that into almost useless shiny toys rather than the productivity tools they could be.
exanimo - Monday, January 25, 2016 - link
ddriver, I want to start out by commending you on your writing and ideas. Top notch, really.I also really enjoy your idealist approach to saying that people should be dictating the industry, rather than vice versa (seriously). My only question is how can one do that as a consumer? Is seems to me that we have little or no choice but to follow trends because Google, Apple, and Microsoft are becoming too big to fail.
A perfect anecdote would be BlackBerry's OS10. They came late to the show (after they realized you can be too big to fail when you become stagnant) and released a technically superior mobile OS that had the consistency and reliability of iOS, with the control and versatility of Android. On top of that was the use of gestures and an amalgamated hub for messages. I wish I had a choice to use this operating system, but the writing on the wall says that it will collapse within the next 2 years. This is because they're still losing market shares and people are not supporting applications.
There is innovation, but it's stomped out by these huge companies and THE PEOPLE that dictate which OS to develop for.
The Hardcard - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
What software do you use that came out in 1981 when the PC launched. Probably none. Virtually guaranteed none. It is surprising the lack of forward vision sometimes. In five years there will be plenty of professional software on iOS, to run on the significantly more powerful iPad Pro Whatever. The writing is on the wall.ddriver - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
There were barely any software development tools back then, and barely any software developers for that matter. Today there is plenty of software development tools, and plenty of software developers, plus mobile devices have been around for a while. Yet none of those seems to produce any professional software, despite all the time and the fact the hardware is good enough. As I said earlier, this is entirely due to the philosophy, advocated for mobile devices - those should not be tools for consumers to use, but tools through which the consumers are being used. This market was inventing for milking people, not for making them more capable and productive.andrewaggb - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
I think it really goes back to what a person needs to be productive. For some people that is just a web browser (eg chromebook). I have no doubt that the iPad pro may be productive for some people/uses and be everything they need in a computing device.In my case, as a windows/linux/web software developer I need a windows machine (or vm), with visual studio, sql server, eclipse, postgres, ms office, and various supporting apps. For me a chromebook or ipad is not a pro device or really even useful. I have various co-workers with SP3/4's + dock that drive dual screens and peripherals and get by ok. I like to run vm's and various other things that cause 16gb of ram to not be enough, so I'm stuck in desktop/premium laptop territory. I really don't mind that.
Personally - I barely use my ipad air and ended up installing crouton (ubuntu) on the chromebook. I'm sure other people are different.
Different devices for different kinds of professionals.
lilmoe - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
Your point?$1000 laptops (even from Apple) are MUCH more powerful already, and they will get even more powerful. Same can be said about $1000 Windows 10 tablets. Technology will always progress, this isn't restricted to iPads.
Why is everyone trying to make iOS for professional productivity a thing? Why torture ourselves? Do you guys really believe it's only about computing power, which by the way isn't nearly close to being adequate? Good luck moving that 200GB RAW 4K video clip on that thing, let alone edit it. Good luck using it for 3D modelling and engineering. Good luck writing and compiling software...
As pointless as the new Macbook was, it sure as heck is a lot better than this thing for what it's advertised for...
This is an accessory, NOT a pro product. "The writing is on the wall"...................
ddriver - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
"Why is everyone trying to make iOS for professional productivity a thing?"You ENTIRELY miss the point, which is "why is NOBODY doing it". It is a computer, REDUCED to an accessory, which COULD be THAT MUCH MORE USEFUL.
Actually, using OpenCL even mobile hardware can process high resolution video faster than a good video workstation was capable not 5 years ago. The hardware is perfectly capable of audio, video editing, 3d modelling, graphics, engineering, software development and whatnot. It is not as fast as the fastest desktop workstation, but it is fast enough to do the job, while still being very portable. All it lacks is the software to do it.
lilmoe - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
Cool story, nice mood swings, you're amazing. lolBut still. Why torture yourself with iOS running on crippled "hardware", when there are devices that do iPad stuff better than iPads, run desktop class OSs and already have the software you need for the engineering and productivity stuff.
Because buying multiple devices to accomplish one task is a better thing to do?
ddriver - Friday, January 22, 2016 - link
What a touching attempt at condescending cynicism. Alas, as always you get things the wrongest way possible. Those capitalized words were not the product of mood, but motivated by your poor cognitive abilities, a last resort attempt at making the painfully obvious a tad more obvious, so that hopefully, you could finally get it. Unfortunately, you seem to be entirely hopeless."Because buying multiple devices to accomplish one task is a better thing to do?"
It is you who advocates such things. My point is exactly that - given the proper software, an ipad would be all that is needed, no need to buy an ipad AND a laptop to get your work done.
And that would be the last set of keystrokes I waste on you. Seriously dude, invest some time in improving yourself.