Now that the M1 iPad Air 5 is encroaching on the M1 iPad Pro, my guess is the M2 iPad Pro is somewhere out there for a fall 2022 or spring 2023 release, after the M2 MacBook Air. Of course, the real hope is that Apple unleashes the M2 iPad Pro next year (iPad OS 17) with more “PRO” features.
Currently I’m down to the SP8 and my eBay iPP11 2021. My thinking at this point is the SP8 will be my last full time Windows device and the iPP11 will remain my Apple experiment until the fog lifts some more (hopefully) with iPad OS 16 or 17. I’m becoming more comfortable with Office for iOS, and keep thinking the only real impediments to a more full time use at this point are the file system and full external screen support. I keep thinking the iPP11 would be a perfect match for my old USB-C Samsung 27" QHD which includes power delivery and a built in USB hub - resolution would be inferior but a perfect work at home productivity screen.
I also wish Apple would update the Smart Keyboard Folio with a trackpad and backlighting, because I really prefer the sleek design and lightness over the bulk and weight of the Magic Keyboard, Logitech Combo Touch, or the ESR Rebound. FYI - stay away from the ESR Rebound - it is far heavier than the Magic Keyboard and the typing/mouse experience is inferior. I still recommend (highly) the ESR folio with pencil flap over any other carrying solution - an incredible value at $16.99.
Mod edit: the M2 iPad Pro was released Oct 18, discussion starts here.
I’m hoping against hope that the M2 IPP will be the real iPad Pro, thanks to the M1 iPad Air. It will finally be treated as the “PRO” iPad and the touch alternative to the Mac line…
Ross Young has turned out to be a very accurate display prognosticator, so even though I discount MacRumors, their quoting him is probably solid. Doesn’t surprise me either given supply constraints and the MacBook Pro 14/16 needing these panels as well. I can live with that if they will just edge closer to MacOS with:
A real file system
Extended display support at full resolution (preferably with multi-window support)
Better keyboard (whether lighter Magic or beefed up Smart Keyboard)
Well FWIW we hear that an M2 is coming as well, but the focus is on power consumption and size and that performance gains are going to be fairly small. The M2 seems destined to be more about making a thinner MacBook Air and future iPad Pro
and BTW, there is an awkward and expensive work around. If you use Cloud Windows AKA Windows 365, file explorer has access to the user accessible portions of the IOS file system (documents, downloads desktop). Not sure it’s worth $30 a month though
negative. see above you can select multiple files in the same directory to perform actions on, but that’s it.
That’s not as big a drawback as you’d think IMHO as cloud windows has it’s own storage option which is fully functional, just can’t do it directly on the iPad
That’s a shame, as one major reason I might subscribe is for the flexibility of using Windows Explorer for local file management. If you can’t even rename or move local files, that seems extremely restrictive.
I understand though, it’s treating the client OS user files as a read-only ‘convenience’. Your supposed to be using Azure cloud for storage, dummy.
Feeling pessimistic about M2 also marking the debut of a new Apple Pencil, considering new iPads are coming out right now that are designed for the 4 (?)-year old Pencil 2. Guess this thing is poised to have longer legs than the Magic Trackpad. Maybe I’ll be surprised.
I’d be happy if they would just change the surface material to match Microsoft’s Slim Pen and call it the Pencil 3 (some sort of rubbery surface instead of plastic). It would still be backwards compatible with all existing iPad charge magnets. I can’t see any disadvantages to that, but I guess you are talking about what’s probably the most popular stylus in the world, so I don’t know, maybe you’d have a lot of people unable to resist digging into it with their fingernails until the surface wears away and then demanding replacements.
For me, I’ll post my reply to SvenJ over their in teh Comments, who played the “must preserve pure iPad” card:
"I beg to differ. M1/M2 + keyboard + mouse/trackpad = MacBook, and Apple should not be artificially holding it back. The example above emphasizes this is an OPTIONAL feature, and it doesn’t have to spoil anyone’s idea of a “pure” iPad experience - I would go even further to limit this to the 512gb or above SKU’s with both a keyboard and mouse/trackpad, and just dual boot iPad OS and MacOS at the user’s discretion - call it MacOS Bootcamp!
I would order an M2/16gb/1tb iPad Pro 11 on day one! Maybe even splurge on 2tb!"
Somehow I missed Gurman predicting M2 AND MagSafe for iPad Pro 2022 according to MacRumors
Either Apple has a bombshell waiting for us with iPadOS 16 and Gurman’s M2 iPad Pro, or they are lovechild of Dr. Strangelove and Dr. Evil. If Gurman is remotely right, there is no remaining reason the high end iPad Pros aren’t full MacOS laptop replacements. But from this look on Timmy’s face from the M1 reveal, meet the love child:
“Nanny nanny boo boo. You can’t have it! You can’t have it!”
New Pro will have m2 but will still be an iPad NOT a Mac.
And FWIW, don’t expect a big performance jump for the M2 either. The focus allegedly is on size, power efficiency, and lower thermals which would be ideal for a redesigned thinner lighter (2lbs) Macbook Air. Now when they announce that a M2 Pro chip going in an iPad maybe…