When the first iPad was released, it looked like a solution in search of a problem. At the time, back in 2010, tablet computers were a novelty and for the most part the tech was poorly executed. But the use-cases for the iPad are so varied that I think of it as being Apple’s most flexible device.
The iPad defined a truly new product category
While the iPhone is credited as being Apple’s great invention and spawned a new product category, it’s arguable that it was a step change in the user experience rather than an all-new product category.
Sony Ericsson, HTC, Palm and others had been making smartphones for sometime, based on the PalmOS and Windows Mobile platforms. With touchscreens (although not multi-touch), pocket-size and the ability to connect to cellular networks and Wi-Fi (albeit with kludgy switching), the smartphone category was ripe for someone to come along and fix all the user experience problems of the time.
When the iPhone arrived, it completely changed our perception of what a smartphone could be. But the smartphone category already existed.
When the iPad came along, three years after the iPhone, there was no lightweight tablet in the mass market. There were Windows-based tablets around but these were much heavier, more expensive and harder to use. The iPad was a complete reimagining of what a personal tablet computer could be.
The Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro (when it’s released broadly) all take concepts that already existed in the market and added the Apple fairy dust. None of those devices were or will be first to market. But all have or will bring Apple’s design language and focus on the user experience.
The iPad’s flexibility is its killer app
The problem with many pundits is that when a new device or platform is launched, they look for a ‘killer app’ – the one thing that will prove a device’s broad value to a market. The iPad does not have a single killer app.
The iPad’s killer app is that it doesn’t have a single killer app. Its flexibility is what makes it special.
- Give it a keyboard case and it makes a ‘good enough’ alternative to a laptop for many people (but not all people)
- Give it an Apple Pencil and it replaces a paper/pen notebook
- Put it in a shop and it’s a point-of-sale device
- It’s a media player
- It’s a photo editor
- It’s an e-book reader
- It’s a portable recording studio
- It’s a game console
It’s not all things to all people. But’s as close as possible to that goal as I’ve seen.
So, who are the four different iPads for?
Let’s quickly break down the iPad range.
- iPad mini (8.3 inch display, approx 295 grams)
- iPad (10.9 inch display, approx 480 grams)
- iPad Air (10.9 inch display, approx 460 grams)
- iPad Pro (11 inch display, approx 467 grams and 12.9 inch display, approx 683 grams)
The iPad mini is a great device that, I think, can
- Replace a paper/pen notebook
- Be a media consumption device (books, movies, photos)
- Be a gaming console
The three larger iPads can do all that. But add a keyboard and you have a ‘good enough’ alternative to a laptop for many people. It’s not perfect (file management is a real hassle with iPadOS) but if you’re not on the road all the time it’s serviceable.
If we had to choose between the 10.9 inch and 11 inch iPads, I think the 10th generation iPad is good enough for most people. The iPad Air has better integrated speakers and supports the second generation Apple Pencil, which I think is far superior to the original Apple Pencil.
The iPad Pro (I have an 11-inch iPad Pro) is overkill for almost everyone in my view. The real-world difference between the smaller iPad Pro and the iPad Air is negligible. The Pro has a few extra features such as Pro-Motion support in the display and Apple Pencil Hover but those differences will only matter to a subset of iPad users.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a bit like the Mac Pro in my view. It’s designed for a very specific audience. For most people, I don’t think it’s worth considering. If you’re looking for a laptop replacement, I think a MacBook Air and iPad Air combination is likely to be a better fit and will cost less once you factor in the cost of a decent keyboard case for the iPad Pro.
The iPad is a ‘something for everyone’ range
The iPad is Apple’s most flexible product category. And I’d argue it’s a category that Apple truly invented. Before the iPad, there was no truly comparable product. It is not a laptop shoehorned into a tablet. And it’s not a stretched out smartphone.
The iPad is a platform that meets the needs of almost every computer user. It just does it differently for each person.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.