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380 points rezonant | 6 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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DCKing ◴[] No.40208207[source]
The iPad App Store is perhaps an even more dysfunctional place than the iPhone in how much it holds hardware and use cases hostage to the manufacturer's vision. Just imagine how much more versatile the iPad Pro would be if only you could run Linux VMs on it in the moments you want to do anything remotely tinkery on an iPad.

Apple's hardware since the 2021 iPad Pro (with M1) has had the ability to do this. The iPads have the RAM (16gb on higher storage models), appropriate keyboard and trackpads, the works. Great hardware being held back by Apple's vision people weren't allowed to deviate from.

A straightforward reading of the DMA suggests that Apple is not allowed to restrict apps from using hardware features. Let's hope that means Parallels/VMware style VMs are possible without too much of a fight.

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BillyTheKing ◴[] No.40208607[source]
totally agree - the iPad Pro could be a great second coding/programming tool - I'd love to justify buying myself one, but.. I just don't see a use-case if I can't work on it. I don't design stuff, don't really feel like I need a separate browsing device either
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immibis ◴[] No.40210193[source]
Why not buy one of the hundreds of non-Apple tablets which can do what you want?
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1. chongli ◴[] No.40210358[source]
Because they don’t run iPadOS? People love all the things the OS can do. They just wish it wouldn’t stop them from doing that one thing in particular that they it to do.

Tantalizingly close to perfection with one glaring flaw is extremely frustrating!

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2. immibis ◴[] No.40210373[source]
What can it do that other ones can't? Integration with Apple's walled garden is the most common complaint.
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3. chongli ◴[] No.40211028[source]
It's the UI. It is designed from the ground up for touch. People who like iPadOS do not like Windows Surface tablets for that exact reason. A desktop UI that's been shoehorned into a tablet is not as good as a purpose-built touch UI.
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4. immibis ◴[] No.40215103{3}[source]
The two tablet genders: iPad, and Windows Surface. It's a shame no other giant tech company ever created one that has exactly the combination of attributes you asked for.
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5. chongli ◴[] No.40215912{4}[source]
If you’re referring to Android, the answer is no. Android is a mobile OS. It does not run Mac or Windows desktop apps.
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6. fennecbutt ◴[] No.40231700{5}[source]
Samsung Dex is probably the epitome of this. It certainly acts like a desktop os...ms office etc on it is great

https://imgur.com/svSZzYD

Obviously not for full time use, but as something you can plug in if you're traveling, it's amazing