Apple’s Craig Federighi on the long road to the iPad’s Mac-like multitasking
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Kind of a mind blowing read since Android has had this for over a decade.
Apple F'd this up way back when they had divergent builds between phone and tablet OS treatments because they were afraid the iPad would impact MacBook sales. They nerfed the entire device line by restricting memory for this exact reason. Not even mentioned once in this article.
They needed the entire device line by restricting memory for this exact reason. Not even mentioned once in this article.
Autocorrect issue? This doesn't make sense to me as written. Maybe impeded?
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Personally, I was shocked that they did the thing that people have been asking them to do for years. I expected them to continue to dig their heels in and ship another halfstep / half-assed measure.
Apple’s Craig Federighi on the long road to the iPad’s Mac-like multitasking
Federighi talks to Ars about why the iPad’s Mac-style multitasking took so long.
Ars Technica (arstechnica.com)
I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
I use my iPad with a keyboard/touchpad as my primary fuck-around-the-house computer streaming my windows pc and MacBook, there’s obviously no reason an iPad couldn’t be running those OSes natively. That said I don’t really need for iPad os to be more in the way
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They needed the entire device line by restricting memory for this exact reason. Not even mentioned once in this article.
Autocorrect issue? This doesn't make sense to me as written. Maybe impeded?
Yep, thanks for the catch. Meant "nerfed", not "needed".
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
Exactly. Made similar comment, but people really need to know.
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
Yep, you could use your iPad as your primary device if Apple would let you, but they're never gonna let it run OSX
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Yep, thanks for the catch. Meant "nerfed", not "needed".
That makes sense and I can totally see how autocorrect would change it.
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
I'm sorry, but I didn't realize that the phone that fits in my pocket is the same as the fourteen inch computer that lives on my desk. And the 1500 nits screen on my MBP is exactly the same as the 500 nits screen on my iPad Air. Fuck you for treating me like a dumbass. I know what I'm paying for.
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I'm sorry, but I didn't realize that the phone that fits in my pocket is the same as the fourteen inch computer that lives on my desk. And the 1500 nits screen on my MBP is exactly the same as the 500 nits screen on my iPad Air. Fuck you for treating me like a dumbass. I know what I'm paying for.
I'm not treating you like a dumbass, Apple is.
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I'm not treating you like a dumbass, Apple is.
Thanks for belittling my intelligence. You're an asshole.
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Thanks for belittling my intelligence. You're an asshole.
Alright then.
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
I think it's hilarious that people will see an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and think the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any mental restriction is manufactured.
Size actually matters.
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Personally, I was shocked that they did the thing that people have been asking them to do for years. I expected them to continue to dig their heels in and ship another halfstep / half-assed measure.
Apple’s Craig Federighi on the long road to the iPad’s Mac-like multitasking
Federighi talks to Ars about why the iPad’s Mac-style multitasking took so long.
Ars Technica (arstechnica.com)
It really seemed like with Stage Manager, they tried to make a distinct window management solution bespoke to the iPad as a differentiator, but no one really asked for it to be novel or different.
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I think it's hilarious that people will buy an iPhone, iPad and Macbook and not realize the only thing that's different about them is the software. Any restriction is manufactured.
edit: apparently I've upset some Apple users. I apologize. My point was that the features each class of device has is manufactured to ensure you buy 3 products instead of 1 while the hardware inside is essentially the same. Like restricting touch and pen support isn't about hardware limitations; it's about getting you to spend. If you're happy with a company that does that you, then hey you do you, but don't get upset when that fact is pointed out.
I don't think a macbook can fit in my pocket ... and I don't think the (virtual) keyboard on an iphone is a "manufactured restriction" compared to a macbook
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I use my iPad with a keyboard/touchpad as my primary fuck-around-the-house computer streaming my windows pc and MacBook, there’s obviously no reason an iPad couldn’t be running those OSes natively. That said I don’t really need for iPad os to be more in the way
I would have absolutely bought an iPad instead of a Surface Pro if I could run desktop MacOS applications on it when docked to desktop peripherals. I want one single convergent device for tablet and desktop.
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Kind of a mind blowing read since Android has had this for over a decade.
Apple F'd this up way back when they had divergent builds between phone and tablet OS treatments because they were afraid the iPad would impact MacBook sales. They nerfed the entire device line by restricting memory for this exact reason. Not even mentioned once in this article.
This is the problem with android fans. You’ll say Android does X or Y thing and has been able to do it for years! Apple sucks!
But the reality is that it doesn’t matter because the app ecosystem for Android tablets is abysmal, so who gives a fuck about the capabilities of Android tablets if there’s nothing worth doing on them? Most Android tablet apps are still phone apps. It’s terrible all around.
And I don’t mean this in a platform war way, it’s just that it’s not a straight up comparison as it would be with Phones which are more up to par.
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This is the problem with android fans. You’ll say Android does X or Y thing and has been able to do it for years! Apple sucks!
But the reality is that it doesn’t matter because the app ecosystem for Android tablets is abysmal, so who gives a fuck about the capabilities of Android tablets if there’s nothing worth doing on them? Most Android tablet apps are still phone apps. It’s terrible all around.
And I don’t mean this in a platform war way, it’s just that it’s not a straight up comparison as it would be with Phones which are more up to par.
Did WWDC 2025 just prove that Apple is kneecapping the iPad?
There's a lot to love about iPadOS 26, which makes the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. It makes you wonder: why doesn't the iPad have macOS?
Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.com)
Apple’s Slow March Toward MacPad Continues
The new iPad Air gets a desktop-grade chip. Consider it a sign of things to come.
WIRED (www.wired.com)
And also I was at WWDC 2019 where they literally said in a Q&A they weren't making developer tools available for iOS because they wanted people to use MacOS for development.
There is literally no difference in software between any of them anymore, except the manufactured kneecaps that they won't allow certain devices to produce under.
Android had all this over a decade ago. It's just a fact.
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Personally, I was shocked that they did the thing that people have been asking them to do for years. I expected them to continue to dig their heels in and ship another halfstep / half-assed measure.
Apple’s Craig Federighi on the long road to the iPad’s Mac-like multitasking
Federighi talks to Ars about why the iPad’s Mac-style multitasking took so long.
Ars Technica (arstechnica.com)
Multitasking is a feature of an operating system that is already there.
And window management on a touchscreen - I guess tiling is fine. Maybe.
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Did WWDC 2025 just prove that Apple is kneecapping the iPad?
There's a lot to love about iPadOS 26, which makes the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. It makes you wonder: why doesn't the iPad have macOS?
Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.com)
Apple’s Slow March Toward MacPad Continues
The new iPad Air gets a desktop-grade chip. Consider it a sign of things to come.
WIRED (www.wired.com)
And also I was at WWDC 2019 where they literally said in a Q&A they weren't making developer tools available for iOS because they wanted people to use MacOS for development.
There is literally no difference in software between any of them anymore, except the manufactured kneecaps that they won't allow certain devices to produce under.
Android had all this over a decade ago. It's just a fact.
If you like Apple devices you also know they are opinionated. Sure there’s no reason not to allow X or Y thing on it, but if it requires dev time why would Apple invest on something that they do not see as a priority for the device? The iPad is not aimed at developers or engineers it’s aimed at creatives and board room executives. I know many tattoo artists that use it, they have 0 complaints about the device. I know it’s widely used by illustrators as well.
And yea it’s true Android has had all those features for ages, but who gives a fuck like I said? The apps are not there and no one wants an android Tablet because of it. If those features were so good and so better than what the iPad offers people would be ditching their iPads for Android tablets, but that’s not what happens at all.
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I don't think a macbook can fit in my pocket ... and I don't think the (virtual) keyboard on an iphone is a "manufactured restriction" compared to a macbook
A small box you can stick into 3 different cases, one looking like a laptop, another like a tablet and another like a phone, can.
Or a phone you stick into the former two, like a dock station. One could do this with Ubuntu Phone, sadly they failed.
One can argue that the case of a MacBook and its screen and the keyboard account for much of its cost, but I think the fact itself that it's a single device with different UIs would make many situations more convenient. No need to synchronize files - it's already the same storage medium. No need to charge 3 separate devices. No need to stop your work when switching.
And yeah, I still think the "computer" part costs a lot.
