What it is: Console and PC programs are coming to the iPad and that defines the future.
At one time, mainframe and minicomputer users derided PCs as “toys” because they weren’t as powerful as the big computes. Then PCs gradually got more powerful until they reached a point where they were far more useful and versatile than mainframe and minicomputers, even if they weren’t as powerful. PCs became popular because they were cheap and easy to put on the desks of people who needed them. Eventually PCs did become more powerful than mainframe and minicomputers, so that’s why you don’t see mainframe and minicomputers around except in rare cases.
The same trend is now happening with the iPad and laptops. Apple claims the latest iPad Pro with an A12x Bionic processor is faster than 92% of all laptops currently being sold. That means in one more generation, the iPad’s processor will likely be faster than nearly all laptops. So while the performance of the iPad keeps improving rapidly, the performance of the laptop grows much slower. Soon the iPad will be more powerful than laptops and less expensive too.
Now combine the fact that Adobe is releasing a real version of Photoshop on the iPad while AutoDesk is releasing a real version of AutoCAD on the iPad as well. Game developers are prompting their console and PC games to the iPad because the iPad is finally powerful enough to run them. That means within the next year or two, the iPad will be at least as powerful as the average laptop if not more powerful. Then win a few more generations, the iPad will be drastically more powerful than a laptop, so what will that mean for laptops? Essentially it means that laptops will fade in popularity.
After all, why pay more for a laptop when an iPad can run all your favorite programs while being lighter, less expensive, and faster to boot? That spells the end of the laptop and shows that the future is strictly the iPad. When more programs migrate from PCs to the iPad, then the iPad won’t have any disadvantages while laptops will be more expensive, heavier, and offering less battery life. Why would anyone choose a laptop when that situation becomes common? Laptops are dead.
That’s why Apple is betting more on the iPad and less on the Macintosh. Even though more people are using the Macintosh, it’s clear that the iPad is the future computer for the masses. With an optional keyboard, the iPad can be an excellent tablet and a decent laptop. In comparison, Microsoft’s Surface is an excellent laptop and a mediocre tablet. Microsoft is trying to keep Windows relevant as long as possible, but when the iPad is faster, less expensive, and capable of running every program that a Windows PC can run, what will be the point of buying a Windows PC? There won’t be one because the iPad will be far more popular.
Of course, the Macintosh and Windows PCs will still be around, but for mobile use, the iPad will dominate. The Macintosh and Windows PCs will be fine for running older programs or more complicated software like Linux, but the masses of people will opt for an iPad for ease of use and lower expense. Professional computer users will need more powerful and versatile tools (Windows PCs and the Macintosh) but the general public will be happier with the iPad.
The iPad is the future of general computing. Just compare the cost, weight, and advantages between an iPad and the newly released MacBook Air and it’s getting harder to tell which one might be a better choice, and that alone should make laptop enthusiasts nervous.