Apple iPad Pro Disappoints: Too Cumbersome For A Tablet, And Too Frail For A Computer


Apple iPad Pro may have excited Apple faithfuls for its hybrid nature before its launch on November 11, but now it seems consumers have started to unearth too many problems with the device.

But before delving into the specifics, let us talk about the genesis of the product itself. Apple iPad Pro was an ambitious idea from the very beginning. Built with a massive 12.9 inch screen, it aimed to bridge the gap between a tablet and the traditional notebook, meant to be as productive as the latter, with the easy-going responsiveness of the former.

Unfortunately, however, it seems like the new Apple iPad Pro lives up to neither of those yardsticks. Two weeks after its launch, most users have complained about the large product being too cumbersome and too bulky to be used as a tablet. For the normal user, it is not worth making the switch — say, if you already own an iPad Air — simply because it does not provide any reasons to do so. On the contrary, it is too big and much more of a nuisance if you want something portable to carry in your handbag.

That’s certainly one side of it. The other side, as far as using the Apple iPad Pro as a tablet is concerned, is a little more positive. It is incredibly thin, at just 0.27 inches, and also very light, at just 713 grams. Moreover, with an 8-megapixel rear snapper, a 1.2-megapixel front camera, and at least 32GB of storage, it makes for a robust machine, which you could carry to your business meetings, provided size isn’t a constraint for you.

Apple iPad Pro is good for drawing, but too unhandy otherwise.
Apple iPad Pro is good for drawing. [Photo by Stephen Lam/ Getty Images]
The odd creative customer will also be pleased to find out, as the Financial Review notes, that one can draw amazingly well on its incredible screen with its optional-extra electronic Pencil. Furthermore, some business travelers will also find its split-screen multitasking features suited to their tastes, but that is about as much you can say for Apple’s new product.

For the typical tablet user, then, Apple iPad Pro fails to impress.

But the question is, can Apple iPad Pro be used as a portable computer?

Not really, unless all you do with a computer is sit at a desk and type onto the screen. If you write and consume a lot of digital content, the Apple iPad Pro has to be reviewed favorably, because the Split View mode basically gives you two iPad Air 2 screens side-by-side. That’s a plus, but that’s where it stays at with this particular product. There is no way you can use a mouse or trackpad with it, rendering it virtually useless for heavy duty work, unless you have way too much time on your hands.

Add to that the fact that some apps are still not optimized for the Apple iPad Pro, like Spotify and Apple’s News App, according to Gizmodo. Worse still, other apps still run in portrait mode, which means they’re full-screen and sideways when you’re using the iPad Pro with the keyboard, which is not the ideal situation.

Apple iPad Pro can be used as a portable computer after attacking the keyboard.
[Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]
That’s not all the downside to it. A routine scan of Apple’s community threads will show you that there have been a lot of complaints about Apple iPad Pro becoming unresponsive before going completely black. Apple has already acknowledged the problem and are looking for a fix. A statement on its site read as follows.

“To get back to using your iPad Pro, force restart it by pressing and holding both the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons for at least ten seconds, until you see the Apple logo. Apple is aware of this issue and is investigating.”

So, to summarize, there are both upsides and downsides to Apple’s new product. While it is a terrific device if you consume a lot of digital content and depend on your tablet for reading, or if you are the creative type, it is simply not a great product if you are looking for a handy tablet that you could go to bed with, or a more heavy-duty notebook which would help you accomplish the more time-consuming jobs.

And with Apple iPad Pro encountering responsiveness problems, it would be a good idea to wait for them to be resolved before you think about spending upwards of $800 on it.

[Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]

Share this article: Apple iPad Pro Disappoints: Too Cumbersome For A Tablet, And Too Frail For A Computer
More from Inquisitr