The iPad is stagnating and that’s no coincidence

Let’s look at Apple’s hardware hierarchy: the iPhone comes first, its importance is beyond question. The Mac secures the second spot, which is crucial for developers to build applications across the Apple ecosystem. Without them, Apple’s software for both the iPad and iPhone would not exist. Then we have the iPad. Rumors of the Mac’s demise began around 2016 when Apple championed the iPad. However, the introduction of Apple Silicon on Mac in 2020 has put all doubts to rest. The MacBook Air now has twice the battery life of the iPad Pro, and the MacBook Pro offers a lot more performance than the more powerful iPad, coupled with decades of software experience on MacOS.

Apple, much like it did with the Apple Watch, has recalibrated and taken a step back to redefine the role of the iPad at a time when the Mac continues to play a central role. The focus is on using the Pencil for drawing and note-taking, as well as features familiar to iPhone users. Still, we are left with disappointment and expectations that the iPad will one day exceed its manufacturer’s goals, while Apple continues to clarify its intentions: the iPad is, at its core, an enlarged iPhone augmented by the Apple Pencil. It is now a device that can be used alongside the Mac. I think we should appreciate the iPad for what it is, not what we wish it were. It has great note-taking and drawing apps and is a killer device for students and media consumers. There is no sign that Apple is suddenly changing course.