Apple have just unveiled their latest iPad Pro, and the device basically builds on the same concept as the previous models by the company, adding a lot more functionality and improving the formula quite a bit. So far, reviews about it have been very positive and many people seem convinced that it’s a good entry into the market. On the other hand, some questions are still hanging in the air with many people questioning the actual point of a device with such a configuration.
It has a large screen, a fast processor and it even comes with a stylus – but all of that has made certain people question whether they need a device like this in the first place or if it’s just a gimmick as a whole that we can go without.
It certainly makes sense to ask these questions too, as the iPad Pro can certainly do a lot but it’s not very clear which part of the market it’s actually aimed at. Some reviewers have been looking at the possible options and discarding each one for various reasons. For example, it’s obviously not aimed at students as it functions like an overpriced laptop for media consumption more than anything else in this context.
Saying that it was designed for business users – where the “Pro” in the name possibly came from in the first place – is also quite strange as there are various better options in that part of the market for the needs of the average businessperson. So who is the new iPad aimed at exactly, and what kinds of people should be looking at buying it in the first place?
The stylus is an interesting addition that could imply that it’s meant for power users who want to get the most from their device, but at the same time some have been jokingly pointing towards a previous statement by Steve Jobs describing the stylus as a poor design decision. Some critics seem to agree with that statement too, claiming that the Apple Pen is quite overpriced and doesn’t offer anything special to its users that they can’t get from cheaper devices on the market, or in the cases where it does offer a unique feature, its merits are quite limited.
While it’s true that the device has a lot in the way of specifications and performance, critics have been unsure about the actual use of those features. Who is going to benefit from so much processing power, RAM and such a large screen?
Mostly people who consume a lot of media, which raises some questions about the “Pro” name of the new iPad. If it’s really aimed at heavy media users, why did the company name it that way, and could they have been trying to target another market segment officially? It’s hard to tell at the moment, but Apple have of course not revealed anything official about their intentions with this device, other than what was said at the official presentation.
In addition, there might be some potential problems with the basic build that some reviewers have been quick to point out, such as the strange way of charging the pen. It’s supposed to be inserted into the tablet itself for charging, which, as some reviewers noted, seems like a pretty easy way to break either the pen or the tablet – or both. At the same time, it will need to be recharged quite often.