Since it has an M1 chip, it would be nice if the new iPad Pro ran macOS

Apple’s new iPad Pro is a truly incredible piece of hardware (and pricey, topping out at US$2,400 if you choose the 12.9-inch model with 16GB of RAM and a 2TB drive) since it packs an M1 processor.

However, with the surprise (to me) addition of that processor, I wonder why Apple didn’t include macOS in the new tablet. Or at least offer an optional “iMac Pad.”

The new iPad Pro packs more punch than most Intel laptops. However, where it falls short for many folks (me, included) is iPadOS. Sure, it’s a fine tablet operating system, but it’s not as well-rounded and mature as macOS. And if Apple truly wants its tablet to be a laptop alternative/replacement, it needs an enhanced operating system (enhanced file management, better multitasking, etc.).

Admittedly, I can do pretty much everything on my iPad Pro that I can do on my Mac (though not everyone can do this). However, it requires kludgy workarounds in many cases. And it takes me longer to do my daily work for Apple World Today on the tablet than on my iMac or my MacBook Pro.

The iPadOS will continue to evolve over time, adding more macOS-is features even as the Mac adds more iPadOS/iOS-ish features. However, an Apple tablet with macOS and a Liquid Retina XDR display would be an almost-perfect portable computing system.

On a related note, I was also disappointed that Apple didn’t announce an Apple Pencil in black. Or iPad Pros in different colors that bring the fun factor found in the new iMacs.