Tim Cook confirms Apple has no plans anytime soon to merge Macs and iPads, contrary to recent rumors. In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, the chief executive said Apple doesn't believe in "sort of watering down one for the other."
One reason why both machines are incredible, he claims, is that Apple has pushed each to do what they do well.
"And if you begin to merge the two ... you begin to make trade offs and compromises," says Cook.
It's not what people want, he adds.
"It's about giving people things that they can then use to help them change the world or express their passion or express their creativity. So this merger thing that some folks are fixated on, I don't think that's what users want."
You Can Converge Anything, Doesn't Mean It's Going To Be Good
Cook's latest statements echo his previous opinions about converging two things together. During an earnings conference call in 2012, Cook said anything can be forced to converge, but doing so would trigger tradeoffs to the point where the result isn't able to please anyone.
"You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but you know, those things are probably not going to be pleasing to the user."
Cook's comments come at a time when it's much harder, especially for millennials, to distinguish between a computer and a tablet. A full-fledged computer is, of course, no match for an iPad, especially for more intensive tasks such as rendering, video editing, and gaming, but for those who only browse the internet, do some light photo editing, or type documents, an iPad is likely more than enough.
Microsoft, by contrast, has bridged the gap between computers and tablets with its Surface line of 2-in-1s, which have received acclaim for their portability, design, and features. Apple, meanwhile, isn't planning to mimic Microsoft's plans, if only because it thinks Macs and iPads offer different capabilities, and one can't really be compared with the other.
Continuity Features
While Macs and iPads have remained separate platforms, Apple has and will continue to bridge the gap between them. In 2014, for instance, it introduced Continuity features such as Handoff — the ability to continue a workspace from one platform to another — and Universal Clipboard — the ability to cut, copy, and paste text from one device to another. These features enable seamless experiences across Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.
Don't expect for a Mac/iPad combo at all. It's not going to happen. At least not now.
