Thanks for starting this thread and to everyone here for sharing your experiences!! I’ve been “mostly” iPad only since the iPad Air 2. (I realize that’s not “actually” iPad only.) Currently, I have a 2nd Gen 12.9” iPad Pro, which I’ve had since it came out.
The first time I got in an Uber and worked the whole time reviewing deposition transcripts, sending and receiving emails, and browsing the web, I realized there were no longer any limits on how (and where) I could work on solving the problems my clients hire me to solve. The first time I went to trial and had just my iPad carrying every single document in the case, perfectly organized, at my fingertips, and ready to present wirelessly at any moment, I knew I had an edge on everyone else in the courtroom and the admiration of the jury. The first time I sat in front of a client in a conference room while taking notes electronically without having a screen between us, I smiled knowing that technology would now be my servant allowing me to do my job but not hindering with my ability to connect with the people I serve.
IPad is one of the best things that has ever happened to computing. I like using it so much. I’d like to use it—and only it—for absolutely everything, but there are a few areas where I still need to lean on the Mac. (Nerd that I am, I also really like using a desktop-class OS and all the well-grooved tools I’ve been accustomed to for the past 37 years.)
The trouble areas for me come in about five big category buckets.
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I need lots of room on the screen. This is not really an iPad problem; my 15” MBP screen is often too cramped to work on. At home and the office, I dock my MBP into a 27” display. I stretch my work out and use all the space, plus lots of desktops through Mission Control. My wish is for iPad to incorporate some kind of Mission Control feature so that when I plug it into a nice 4K display, I could have a larger workspace (with apps designed to take advantage of the larger space and not just scale up), and have different active workspaces on both displays. I don’t know how this could be implemented, but I think it would be fantastic. Then one of the big difficulties for me would be solved. How great would it be to work on an iPad at the coffee shop, and plug in at the office to all the screen(s) you need?
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Most of my work requires me to consult multiple sources of information while working on a task. Writing a brief might require me to have several Word documents, pdfs, Internet research, and notes at hand. On my Mac, I can open multiple windows and scatter them about and arrange them to be effective. My wish is for iPad apps to all support multiple tabs and a split view (like Safari). I also wish that we could have multiple instances of an app paired with different apps for multitasking. Word and Notes in one space; Safari and Notes in another.
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Reduced-function software. Most software developers seem to exclude some of the (for me) critical functionality of their apps. So, the problem is that with these tools I cannot complete a task on my iPad, but have to go to another computer to finish the job. Comparing documents in MS Word is one example. The key for me to be iPad only is being able to take a task from start and finish on iPad. (Don’t get me wrong, I can do that with a lot of things already—OmniFocus is a pretty good example.)
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FIle management. My wish is for iPad to incorporate into the Files app a lot more of the tools that are in Finder on the Mac. I do a lot of work with files, there is no escaping it. As with number 2, multiple tabs and a split view would be quite helpful.
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Email management. My wish for iPad is a more functional stock e-mail application. Some examples for me would be the ability to create/manage rules, export emails, and have more sorting options.
The only reason I didn’t upgrade to the new iPad Pro is because it is no longer the device itself that is holding things back. The software needs to grow up. I think this is happening, and I’m looking forward to see how some of these things might be addressed in iOS 13. Crossing my fingers.
*** After posting this, I went over to MacStories and discovered that Apple just posted a series of videos on iPad work flows. Check it out. ***