Why the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil is a FAIL (for now).
So this past Wednesday, we were given a great keynote of what to expect this holiday season from our fearless innovators over at Apple Inc. I must say I was quite impressed with the advances in Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iPhone 6S/6S+ with 3D touch, but there were two new product offerings at first glance I was both excited and disgusted with, and that was the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil. I was excited for the new shift in creative focus Apple was placing in the fore-front for all the designers in the professional world. But I was thoroughly disgusted in the manner Apple purposely held back certain innovations so they can continue to be the domination kings of planned obsolescence. What’s that you say? What is planned obsolesence?
A Brief Education of the term Planned Obsolescence
Planned obsolescence is a business strategy in which the obsolescence (the process of becoming obsolete — that is, unfashionable or no longer usable) of a product is planned and built into it from its conception. This is done so that in future the consumer feels a need to purchase new products and services that the manufacturer brings out as replacements for the old ones. Please keep this strategy in mind as you read. Let’s dive in.
Pencil is only for the Cash “Pro” in you
<furious>Ugh!</furious>
The countless bank account drains the Apple fans dumped into this company for them to innovate and provide great tools for us to make our workflows better, and they immediately give us a tool that is crippled excluding their flagship tablet. I would have welcomed them limiting the Pencil to the iPad Air/Pro line and leave the iPads/Mini’s in the dust. But only allowing us the privilege to use your first production stylus with a tablet clearly placed out-of-budget for the non-creative user will only stifle the opportunity to learn from your users and make the 2nd-Generation Apple Pencil that much more special. Note there could have been an opportunity to only limit pencil on non-Pro iPads to certain apps. They even omitted their darling iPhone 6S/6S+ from using the Apple Pencil [mind-blown]! With 3D Touch, I would think the iPhone 6S+ would be given some Pencil love but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Charging Solution or an accident waiting to happen?
Continuing on my Apple Pencil rant. The charging solution is completely bonkers and off-base. It could’ve been thought out much better. Here’s how:
The current charging solution for the Apple Pencil has several problems, most notably, when you charge it — there’s the potential to snap the Pencils top portion off as you’re traveling around the office. I can see this being a problem coming around a blind corner and stabbing someone just so you can have a full charge or it getting clipped in a door somehow. In my opinion, this could make for a very innovative 21st century jousting apparatus (coming soon iJoust).
My proposed solution is to use the Smart Connection technology. This serves a dual purpose. 1) The ability to securely [magnetically] keep your Apple Pencil docked to the iPad Pro when not in use. 2) Give you the option to have the home button on your left or right side orientation. What would be awesome is when you place Apple Pencil on the Smart Connectors you get to see an on-screen view of the charge amount (see above).
iPad Pro Touch ID is out of touch
Here’s where planned obsolesence comes into play.
Apple Keynotes have the ability to immerse you in the great allure of new produt releases, but if you pay close attention you realize it comes at a cost. When Phil began to do a running tally of the features the iPad Pro will have, the last of the features was Touch ID. Now to the unaware, later in the keynote when the iPhone 6S/6S+ was revealed. Did you notice it? The iPhone 6S/6S+ has the new 2nd-Generation Touch ID hardware that’s twice as fast as its predecessor. But what about the iPad Pro? Shouldn’t this revolutionary device have the same features as the latest iPhone? According to Apple it is best to let us use 1st-generation components in a 1st-generation device we are confident can handle the 2nd-generation Touch ID technology.
3D Touch, 7000 Series Aluminum, Stronger cover glass, need I continue?
It’s obvious to say Apple knows who the cash cow is and it’s not in iPad. The “post-pc” era has been upon us since the introduction of the 1st-generation iPad. So if Apple is so passionate about being the tip of the spear in this “post-pc” era, I rather see them double-down and really put more effort into new products such as the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil instead of continously eatting around the edges.
Why I’m waiting for iPad Pro & Apple Pencil 2nd-Generation and why you should too.
With all 1st-Generation products every company in history has created, it has always been best to skip that version. Why? Your 1st-generation product — is honestly still a tester regardless if they are publicly releasing it for consumption. Apple is just as clueless about how people will use the iPad Pro/Apple Pencil as much as you are. They’re advantage is the ability to deliver the hardware and give developers and 3rd-party hardware makers the tools to make the base offering even greater.
I’m sure someone within the next 6–9 months or sooner will create a case for the iPad Pro that will produce a sleek housing for the iPad Pro/Apple Pencil to live in harmony. But I rather Apple start putting their innovate money where their mouth is and stop spoon feeding customers with innovations and give us a 1st-generation product worth an immediate purchase.
In conclusion, I’m still going to desire having an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil until this time next year, and the year after that when theories and speculation run rapid of what features they avoided the year prior will appear on a new generation device making me technologically inadequate and running to my wallet to pre-order. It’s my hope that this article encounters those on the fence who need to educate themselves on the risk of buying 1st-Generation products. Apple or non-Apple.
