Should Apple Make a 15-inch iPad Pro?
Game-Changing Tablet or Overpriced Slab of Glass?
Quick update on the blog—after giving it some thought, I’ve decided to change the schedule. Last week’s discussion post got some traction, but I realize that most readers probably just want to read the email and not have to go to another website.
For today’s discussion post, I’ll try something a little different—I’ll write a short article (that can be read completely in your inbox) that’s aimed for discussion/thought (anyone who wants to can leave a comment).
For this week, I’m wondering if Apple should make a 15-inch iPad Pro.
My answer is no. Here’s why:
The Status Quo
As you probably know, the largest slab of glass Apple currently sells is the 12.9” iPad Pro (that’s what I’m typing on right now).
The 12.9” iPad is massive—when you pick it up for the first time, it looks and feels massive. Over time, though, you get used to it: I recently picked up a friend’s 11” Pro, and it felt so tiny that I genuinely thought it was a Mini at first.
Yet, some (including me) are interested in what an even larger iPad would look like. After all, if the 12.9” inch iPad Pro could unlock so many multitasking benefits compared to the 11” iPad Pro, imagine how powerful a 15” iPad Pro could be.
The Good
As expected, the primary benefits of a 15” iPad Pro would be multitasking improvements.
In particular, using Stage Manager on a 15” iPad Pro would be interesting—while it isn’t anything groundbreaking on the 12.9” iPad Pro, use on a 15” screen would be more effective.
Similarly, the introduction of a 15” iPad Pro would probably push Apple to introduce more multitasking software to iPadOS. App developers would also take a similar approach by developing apps that make use of the massive screen.
For students, a 15” iPad Pro would unlock incredible multitasking—in one window, you could have a YouTube tutorial on a topic. In another, you could have your textbook. In a third, you could have GoodNotes or another note-taking app open.
The Bad
Despite the numerous benefits, there are also some serious disadvantages with a 15” iPad Pro.
The first that comes to my mind is price. The 12.9” iPad Pro is currently $1099, while the 11” iPad Pro is $799. Of that $300 difference, $100 could probably be attributed to the Mini-LED screen in the 12.9” version.
Even in the best case scenario, the 15” iPad Pro would cost at least $1299.
If you add an Apple Pencil, that comes to $1428.
If you add a Magic Keyboard (assuming a $400 price due to the larger size), the total cost would be $1828.
1,828 dollars for an iPad.
In addition to the high cost, the 15” iPad Pro would also be incredibly heavy. The 12.9” iPad Pro + Magic Keyboard + Apple Pencil is already around the same weight as a 13” MacBook.
Assuming the weight ratio is the same, a 15” iPad Pro + Magic Keyboard + Apple Pencil would weigh around the same as a 16” MacBook Pro (4.7 pounds).
What Do You Think?
I came up with a pretty short list (I wrote this post during a single class period).
Hopefully you can add more - what do you think are some of the main advantages and disadvantages of a 15” iPad Pro?
Thanks for reading!
Adi