The Pros That Weren’t

Enough With the Gaslighting, Apple: There Is No iPad “Pro”

About time people called the company out for its greed and self-serving tactics, now as good a time as any

Promoting a tablet as a “computer” for a long time without ever having the intention of letting it be a true one is nothing less than a scam, Tim Cook. It’s simple as that and people are onto you now. (Image: Apple)

So WWDC 2021 came and went, all the stories have been published and we now have a pretty good idea of what Apple plans to do with the operating systems and services powering its devices for the next 12–18 months. Doing the rounds on YouTube, on websites, forum topics and comment sections, though, some disappointment, frustration or even anger from fans is palpable. It’s true that the most outspoken consumers are often the ones with a bone to pick, yes. But, this time around, it seems that many somber voices — even some actual Apple fanboys — have joined in. This time is different. This time Apple seems to have truly dropped the ball.

It’s not hard to see why. Many of us watched an almost two-hour-long digital event that seemed more like a Powerpoint presentation than anything else, with smooth transitions and clear bullet points but no soul. There were a few interesting tidbits here and there but the company’s new versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS felt largely like business as usual. What’s more, judging by the amount of “new features” that were either much-needed fixes or Apple versions of stuff others have offered years ago, it became painfully obvious that the Cupertino giant is officially out of ideas. That it simply cannot, or will not, “innovate” on the software front.

Oh, sure, Apple will give us a cute pen to draw with but when it comes to actual productivity tools — such as pro-grade software — no, we’ll have to buy a Mac for that. Convenient. (Image: Daniel Korpai, Unsplash)

Then it was the shuttering of expectations of some Apple fans — expectations created by media speculation, yes, but also by some of the company’s own choices leading to certain logical outcomes. New e.g. MacBook Pros were not announced, but those are not far off and — along with a refreshed Mac Mini model — they may deserve their own event anyway. Almost everyone, though, after April’s event expected big software news related to the M1 iPad Pro. It made sense. Many — including yours truly — suggested that, with M1 onboard, Apple should give owners of this powerful tablet the option to…