The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes the ‘damp squib’ as “something that’s disappointing because it’s not as exciting or effective as expected.” And that’s how I would describe Apple’s unveiling of iPadOS 18 at WWDC 2024.
While the iPad-focused operating system gets a lot of neat iOS 18 features, like smart email categorization in Mail and the ability to schedule messages in iMessage, iPadOS 18’s exclusive features are big old meh.
Yes, the addition of a native Calculator app for iPads may have created an outcry at the WWDC keynote and caused many to flock to TechTadar TikTok, but the other features didn’t leave my colleagues or me feeling that the sleek caresses of Cuperta’s slate were particularly pushed.
The Notes app has Smart Script to help smooth out quickly scribbled text, and there’s now live audio transcription and a few new tweaks to let users rearrange home screen icons and widgets where people want them.
None of this is bad, but since the iPad Air 2024 and iPad Pro 2024 come with Apple’s new M4 chip, I’m left with the distinct feeling that Apple’s own silicon is hardly pushing itself.
I’m actually a little annoyed that Apple didn’t do more. There’s talk of iPads being able to replace laptops, at one point including the infamous “what’s a computer?” commercial — which still makes me cringe — and yet it refuses to make iPadOS more of an experience when paired with a Magic Keyboard on a desktop computer.
In my eyes, it felt like a missed opportunity, even though Apple has long railed against bringing iPadOS closer to macOS.
At the heart of it is the power that Apple has packed into the new iPad Air and iPad Pro models. While the M4 chip isn’t necessarily a big step up from the M3 chip, as it favors efficiency and AI workloads over big increases in raw performance, it’s still a slice of silicon that’s essentially laptop-level; in some cases desktop-level when you consider the 24-inch iMac and Mac mini.
Sure, a set of iPads will get access to the new Apple Intelligence, and they’ll certainly have access to a smarter Siri. But these tools seem generic and good for iPhones, rather than something that really takes advantage of the power and flexibility of the new iPads. The addition of a gaming mode and improved audio via compatible AirPods is also nice, but again, it’s nothing iOS 18 didn’t get; Plus, I feel like these features don’t help turn iPads into slick gaming machines despite having chips at their hearts.
All equipment with no idea
That’s frustrating, as my colleague Matt Hanson, executive editor of Core Tech, pointed out recently when he ditched his laptop for an iPad Pro for a few weeks, that “the hardware is there—but the software isn’t.” So it seems to me that Apple is really missing a trick here, even though it has often managed to get the most out of its technology.
And I feel like all of this puts the new iPads in a special place. They may have more power, but that power doesn’t seem to be put to good use, and older iPads can still do almost anything the newer ones can do, due to the lack of heavy software.
Now, one could argue that we see similar things with some of the best Android phones that have powerful chips but never actually develop these capabilities. But phones still cover a different use case than tablets despite being close cousins, meaning it’s not unreasonable to expect more from a tablet.
The caveat here is that I haven’t tried iPadOS 18 yet. But unless Apple has some hidden features it’s yet to show off, and Apple Intelligence isn’t really taking advantage of the M4’s power, iPadOS 18 has me stumped, and I can’t shake the feeling that M4-equipped iPads are overmatched to the point of being a waste of money in a neat rectangular shape.