2024-05-08

Why is Jason Snell so confused about the iPad use case?

In the latest Upgrade Jason Snell's just a broken record repeating his own nonsense at this point. His big storyline is the M4 iPad Pro is too expensive, too powerful for iPadOS. He wants to know what it's use case is, who is it for?

But, now, wait, wait, wait. Wait. Thirteen months ago, Jason, along with every other podcaster/pundit, was asking the same question about the M2 iPad Pro. And, at that time, the big question, the demand being made over and over was: "Apple, where are your Pro apps for iPad? Where is Final Cut Pro? Where is Logic Pro? Where is Xcode?

Apple released two of those apps, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro a year ago. The pundits were surprised but it had very little impact on their narrative. Some said, well, it's not enough, the apps are missing features, where's Xcode? Jump back to today and Apple has announced version 2 of those apps. Still not full feature parity but one of the biggest misses, the lack of external drive support has been added to FCP 2.

Jason, in this clip from Upgrade:

I don't think for most use cases it makes any sense. Because there are a lot of pro use cases out there where pro users might want a convertible but iPadOS can't do it for them. So you're left with this narrow slice of creative cases...

He keeps talking about iPadOS and forgetting that while the OS is important it's the apps people use to get work done.

Jason. Jason. Why do many people buy the Mac Studio or MacBook Pro? Who might we think of first when we think of the target audience for the most powerful Macs? What group is likely to be the first to pop into our minds?

That's right, it's probably video editors using Final Cut Pro or other video editing apps. It's one of the most demanding tasks and here we are, Apple releasing the M4 iPad Pro along side of Final Cut Pro. They're telling you Jason, this is a use case. A year ago you were shouting from the rooftops: Apple, give us Final Cut Pro for iPad.

They did. And this year they improved it. And alongside of it they've announced a new M4 iPad Pro for you. It's right there Jason, FCP is looking at you right now.

Back to Jason on Upgrade:

What are the things that justify the existence of the iPad Pro and justify the price? And that's where I just start to struggle a little bit because Apple has built it, they built it, right, they built the amazing machine but now, like, to what end?

Jason, you seem to be missing it, it's right over there. It's looking at you. It's Final Cut Pro. Apple spent years building it from scratch for iPad and it's right there. Don't you see it?

Now, I understand that Xcode is still missing. That's another app that's needed. Sure. But these guys and their new 2024 meme that the only solution is now, suddenly, put macOS on the iPad is just goofy pancakes. They're making stuff up.

Now, this is not me saying iPadOS is perfect. But please, let's stop pretending that Apple has not made big strides in the past few years. Let's stop ignoring the work that real human beings are doing at Apple to make the experience better.

The narrative is not holding water the way you think it is. It just feels cynical for the sake of content and it's a bit sad.