Improving iPadOS ! = the making of macOS: The best iPad Pro features – 9to5Mac

I’ve been using the new M4 iPad Pro exclusively for the past week, resisting any urge to use my MacBook Pro as a crutch. Needless to say, it was educational, interesting, and dare I say it, and entertainment experience on many fronts. My biggest meal? iPad has bugs, but iPadOS doesn’t have to be macOS to make it a good computer.

There is a large contingent of iPad users who use computers today only because of iPadOS and how it’s available to them. The iPad arguably made computers accessible to users who were once downright afraid of computers. For that reason alone, we should respect the iPad name.

Before the latest batch of iPad Pro reviews came out, I was predicting what the ongoing story would be, and I’m not very good at predicting. Over the years we have seen the same story over and over again. Yes, the hardware is great…but the software falls short. Oh, and by the way, it’s my fault too.

For years, the iPad Pro has had hardware under the hood that is more than capable of getting things done. For some users, it was the flaws and quirks of iPadOS that made it difficult to get the most out of its performance.

But that doesn’t mean the iPad has to use macOS to reach its full potential. It just has to be the best version iPadOS.

What does the best version of iPadOS look like?

I don’t think it looks like Apple copied and pasted macOS into the iPad. I think it still looks very similar to how iPadOS would appear today, just with the kind of improvements and creature comforts that more advanced users expect. It also needs app developers to treat the platform as a first-class citizen.

There are many areas where I think iPadOS can improve, but there are three main areas that I think are the most important.

1. iPadOS apps and the need for a common thread

iPadOS apps almost feel like their own little mini operating systems running on the iPad. This is because each app has its own unique way of interacting with it, accessing the necessary tools, etc. There is a common thread missing that ties all the apps together to make it a cohesive environment.

On the Mac, this common thread is the menu bar. It’s a place where, regardless of the app, you can go and do that thing…whatever happens.

One might argue that the current methodology for viewing keyboard shortcuts—holding down the Command (⌘) key—is essentially the iPadOS version of the menu bar. The problem with the hotkey menu is that it relies on an attached keyboard, is slow to call up and takes up too much space, I think it needs a more thoughtful redesign that caters to both touch and keyboard users.

2. Shortcuts, but taken seriously

This is both an iPadOS issue and an app-specific issue. As fun and practical as touch interfaces can be, they are not always suitable for certain tasks. Power users rely on keyboard shortcuts to get things done more efficiently.

iPadOS of course has keyboard shortcuts, but app developers, including Apple, need to take them more seriously. If it exists as a function, it should have a corresponding keyboard shortcut in most cases.

While editing the entire video embedded above on my iPad using Final Cut Pro, I ran into one of the most egregious examples of this problem. Apple for NLE is an amazing experience in many ways, especially for its touch interface. I think this app has a tone potential, and I’m excited about Final Cut Pro for iPad 2, which should be shipping within the next month.

That being said, it lacks features that video editors need and don’t yet have, and that’s understandable given the app’s short life. What is not so understandable is the absence of keyboard shortcuts for certain commands that do currently exist, such as copying and pasting effects between clips. Since there were no keyboard shortcuts for these commands, I had to go through the time-consuming process of manually copying and pasting effects between the hundred or so clips in my timeline to make them all match.

Apple should also implement a way to allow users to create their own keyboard shortcuts. Such a feature already somewhat exists as an Accessibility setting in Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Full Keyboard Access, but it only serves to customize the keyboard shortcuts used to navigate iPadOS, not for individual apps.

3. File management for tots

The Files app is a huge improvement over its first iteration back when it was called iCloud Drive. I appreciate that we now have more detailed information about files, how we can compress and decompress files, etc., but users need more flexibility in file management.

One of the many frustrating things I encountered was the inability to preview video shot with my Sony FX30 via Quick Look. Opening a file with Quick Look produced a blank screen prompting to open the file in another application.

There are many small issues like this that aren’t a big deal by themselves. But when you start adding up all the minor file management flaws in iPadOS, it stands out.

iPadOS doesn’t need to be “patched”

I compared the difference between using macOS and iPadOS to accomplish the same task like the difference between running on land and running in water. Eventually you both reach the finish line, but who will finish first? Better yet, who will feel better after run? Apple has drained a lot of water that has swamped the iPad experience, but more needs to be done.

iPadOS is a highly capable platform with its own unique paradigms. Some of its shortcomings can be seen as strengths depending on how the light hits the prism. Flaws can also spur innovation when engineers are forced to approach a problem in a different way.

iPadOS doesn’t need to be repaired because it means iPadOS is broken. iPadOS needs to be improved and optimized. Improving the platform isn’t just about copying and pasting macOS onto the iPad. Improving iPadOS requires Apple to pay close attention to the most basic user experience and interface flaws, while constantly building it with new and unique features every year. Apple hasn’t been perfect at this yet, but we have to acknowledge how far the iPad has come in a relatively short period of time.

9to5Mac’s Take

Although Apple probably should have read the room before releasing the controversial ad where it squashed all the beloved physical relics of creativity into the thin and light iPad Pro, I got where it was going. This machine can wear an infinite number of hats and is probably the most versatile piece of consumer electronics ever created.

The software that powers it, iPadOS, is fine. Many users will support this idea. We have to be patient, let iPadOS be iPadOS and allow the platform to mature.