Apple may want you to think the iPad is a computer...but you should not yet be convinced

Source: The Verge/Apple

Seemingly not that long ago, Apple was telling us that kids today do not even know what a computer is or was; iPads were all they needed and computers were as obsolete as the vinyl record. It was a gutsy, albeit ill-advised move, at the time, and it was as polarizing of an advertisement as any. However, as the iPad continues to push more in to the "computer" market, Apple is completely changing their tune.

In the new ad for the iPad, not only does Apple insist that computers are as relevant as ever, but they insist that the iPad is a computer. For those trying to follow along, Apple is now saying that iPad is indeed a full-fledged computer competing in that market rather than a tablet that have rendered computers ancient history. It's a bold move for sure (one that Microsoft struggled to make for years), but it is also another ill-advised one. Trust me, we know that the iPad Pro is not a full computer replacement.

For all its glory, the iPad still struggles on many levels to make it a computer. In today's world, you can use the iPad to run Photoshop, Microsoft Office, Garage Band, iMovie, and more making it a highly capable machine. The introduction of USB-C, as well as the speed and power of the A12 Bionic, also make it a highly compatible and powerful device with an excellent display. For the average user, the iPad Pro is more than enough for an every day user, and when coupled with the Pencil and Keyboard, it can get you through the average day.

But, the problem with the iPad Pro is the use of the word "Pro". If they wanted to market this to the every day person for web browsing, word processing, video streaming, and gaming, they would certainly have a point on the "computer replacement". However, Apple continually shows this as a device for professionals and creators, and that is where it falls woefully short. As someone that loves cloud storage, I still find myself with a tremendous amount of native storage; in case you forgot, the iPad does not support external storage. On iOS, multi-tasking and multi-windows are still a nightmare and not fully supported or usable. Finally, even tasks such as using Excel are daunting and frustrating on iOS without mouse/cursor support. These are three pretty standard computer tasks.

Apple is more than welcome to make the claim that the iPad can replace the computer; they can also tout the new features on the iPad, such as Photoshop and Garage Band, as reasons that it is the better device. However, the truth is that the iPad is not yet ready to make us get rid of our computers just yet. The iPad and iOS continue to get better and more useful, but there is still some work to be done. Apple once had a child ask, "What's a computer?", and try as they might, the answer to that question today is still, "Not an iPad".