Working on an iPad Pro in 2023
Real-life experience shared by yours truly, a professional designer/developer/tinkerer.
The Rise of Mobile Work
One of the most exciting changes in the way we work in 2023 is the increasing popularity of mobile work. More and more professionals are enjoying the freedom to work remotely, from the comfort of their own homes, or on the go. With the iPad Pro, it’s easier than ever to access your files, emails, and work-related apps from anywhere. Not only is it lightweight and compact, but it’s also powerful enough to handle even the most complex tasks.
Another advantage of using an iPad Pro in 2023 is the incredible power of the Apple Pencil. With the Apple Pencil, professionals can easily take notes, annotate documents, and create sketches with ease. The precision and accuracy of the Apple Pencil make it an indispensable tool for designers and other creatives. Imagine being able to finally get your whiteboarding sessions back, but virtually!
This is why the last time I decided to buy a new machine, I opted for an iPad instead of a laptop. I currently do not own a professional laptop, and here’s my experience so far.
The great stuff
The switch to a USB-C port, instead of Lightning, has opened up an ecosystem of many possibilities. You can now have a setup similar to what you had on a laptop, with an external display (more on that later), keyboard, audio interface, and more. It looks and feels almost the same, and only requires moving your USB-C hub dongle from one device to the other — at least in theory.
Using an Apple Pencil to draw on a Zoom whiteboard is a magical experience, and it’s the feature I miss the most when working remotely with my collaborators. So far, it’s the closest experience I’ve found.
iPadOS is improving quickly. With Stage Manager, after a smooth learning curve, you can have different setups like MacOS’s Mission Control spaces with multiple windows and apps.
Most work applications now have either a web version or an app, thanks to the new portability with Mac Catalyst and SwiftUI. However, some features may not be available across all platforms, which can be frustrating and require trial and error before deciding whether to use the web or the native app.
The not-so-great stuff
That being said, the general feeling is that iPadOS is almost there. Features have improved significantly, but only in a silo or in limited scenarios.
No External Webcam Support
When I said that you can use all of your previous gadgets from your laptop era, the noticeably absent one is your external webcam. It may not be a big deal since you can use your iPad's front camera, but it seems strange that iPadOS doesn't even support Continuity Camera, which is a brand new feature in MacOS.
Furthermore, even if you want to use your iPad's camera with an external display, the camera is stuck in portrait mode. This is true for Zoom and other web applications that I tried, but it works in FaceTime.
Conclusion: you’re stuck taking video calls on your iPad but it works.
Poor external display management
Continuing with external display management, I find myself having to reset the arrangement settings every other day, otherwise, it will reset to mirror my iPad screen. In rare cases, I even have to unplug/replug the HDMI cable because the external monitor loses the connection.
Furthermore, if your external monitor has speakers (which are usually poor), it’s impossible to set the sound output back to the iPad’s, which are usually better. It’s annoying, but I have two solutions for you:
- Use some Bluetooth headphones (maybe not all day, but for important video calls).
- Plug in your USB-C audio interface AFTER the external screen. It works most of the time, but sometimes my connection drops, and I have to replug it (I’m using a Focusrite Scarlett Solo).
Conclusion: These are clunky workarounds, but they usually work. However, they are not 100% reliable.
The Erratic Behavior of the Virtual Keyboard
The behavior of the floating keyboard can be frustrating and difficult to understand. It’s hard to know where it will appear and what functions will be available. If it gets in the way, you may need to try different combinations of moving your app to the iPad or external monitor, getting to full screen or resizing the window, or even unplugging and replugging your keyboard.
Here’s a list of situations that I regularly encounter:
Conclusion: Hours of playtime! Who needs to get anything done anyway?
To Sum It Up: 3 stars
It’s clear where iPadOS is headed. In my opinion, it’s understandable to offer a different experience on tablets with a specific operating system rather than porting macOS to the iPad, especially since MacBooks don’t have a touchscreen. However, it’s also clear that iPadOS is not a priority in comparison to iOS on one side and macOS on the other.
If you’re a pioneer at heart, come join us in the excitement of hoping that your least favorite bugs will finally be squashed with every new OS release!
PS: To the Apple and iPadOS engineering team, if you happen to read these lines, know that I’m with you. Please prioritize fixing the camera and keyboard bugs, as the rest can be a P2 for now. Cheers!
