Will Apple's iPad Pro Kill the PC? -- Redmondmag.com

The Schwartz Report

Will Apple's iPad Pro Kill the PC?

Curious to see the new iPad Pro that began shipping last week, I went to Best Buy Saturday to check it out and, as I expected, it's an overgrown version of Apple's standard tablet. Indeed it has many fine refinements including a faster processor, sharper resolution and much better speakers. But it's very expensive for what it is.

Comparisons to Microsoft Surface Pros, other laptops and even MacBook Pros are to be expected and, for some, the iPad Pro might be a suitable replacement. Generally speaking though, they're different beasts. When Apple's original iPad came out five years ago, it was truly a novel device that let us do things we couldn't before. The iPad Pro does offer new capabilities such as an optional pen for drawing, which certainly give it new use cases in certain situations, but it's not anything revolutionary.

Apple CEO Tim Cook stirred up the debate last week when he said that "I think if you're looking at a PC, why would you buy a PC anymore?" That may be his goal -- and it certainly was the goal of his predecessor, the late Steve Jobs -- but it still seems like a stretch to say no one would have a reason to buy a PC any more.

I have an older iPad and use it quite extensively to consume content. But when it comes to work and productivity, the PC is a far more useful device. At this point, I wouldn't like to replace either but if the Universal Windows Platform lives up to its promise, I can see giving up my iPad. It's hard to see anyone wanting to give up their PC or Mac for an iPad Pro, and certainly not for one that will cost more than $1,200 if you opt for the 128GB version.

Even if I was to replace the iPad I have now, I'd likely swap it out for the more affordable and lightweight iPad Air 2, which is half as expensive and can handle most everything its larger sibling can do.

What's your take on the new iPad Pro? Do you see buying one, or your organization's employees using them? If so, will it be to replace or merely supplement their PCs?

Posted by Jeffrey Schwartz on 11/16/2015 at 11:23 AM

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