iPad Pro: can replace the PC business? – ZDNet France

As expected, Apple has launched a new version of its iPad Pro, with a smaller 9.7-inch screen. For Apple, the product exactly meets the needs of professional, better, it is intended to replace the good old PC business. The question is known: the shelves are they intended to replace the PC

So far, the answer is no: the tablet is at best an additional terminal for some trades. But may qualify the aim with hybrid tablets (with a detachable keyboard) or hybrid portable 2 in 1 that can meet more needs. With its optional keyboard, the iPad Pro can be considered a hybrid tablet but is it enough?

For Apple, the machine may contribute to the “great replacement”. During the last keynote, Phil Schiller, vice president of worldwide marketing for Apple has began to dream that most users of the iPad Pro migrated from a Windows PC.

“The Windows PCs were originally designed before Internet, before social networks, before there are application stores, and is a surprising figure: more than 600 million PCs used today have more than five years. It’s really sad. “

But if the iPad can replace a PC for home use, in business the question is much more sensitive. The iPad Pro does not lack quality but still outpaced by traditional PCs or Microsoft Surface Pro and iPad sales are declining because the concept of iPad stagnated even with this evolution.

Some arguments explaining this fact:

-A OS less suitable

This is the first argument put forward by many professionals: the system iOS designed for the smartphone offers too simple interface for users more demanding in terms of setting, storage … Moreover, multitasking and switching between applications are not as Successful.

you may wonder when Apple dare he integrate OS X to its shelves to truly provide pros a full operating system. Microsoft has in any case passed the equipping its latest Surface Pro a complete and classic version of Windowsd (8.1 and 10) quickly abandoning the system dedicated Windows RT. Enough to give some advantage to the product.

-A limited application catalog?

Apple Critics often complain that the apps for iPad are simple adaptations of apps for iPhone. This is not entirely true, especially for professionals. Recall that Apple and IBM have had a strategic partnership to develop business applications for the iPad and the catalog starts to fill well.

But it is still fatally set back facing the Windows Application Catalog which both run on a PC than on the last Surface Pro. Here, the choice surely will depend on the availability of such business applications on such machines.

-Power calculation and withdrawal memory

In the case of complex applications, the iPad Pro can show its limits in terms of power. If the large format has 4 GB of RAM, it seems that the version planed offers only 2GB. As for A9X processor, Apple says it is as powerful as the chip turning conventional PC. However, comparative demonstrate that the latest Intel processors are faster.

So everything will depend on the professional use but in the case of demanding applications, the PC or the Windows 10 tablets remain before. The Surface Pro 4 offers for example between 4 and 16 GB of RAM with an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor (engines powering the MacBook Air …).

-The limits of storage

Apple has not been very generous in endowing its latest tablet storage of up to 256GB. again, some pros use, it may be insufficient. Especially since Apple does not propose SD slot. Regarding the competition hybrid Windows tablet, the expansion ports are common and some, like Microsoft, offer up to 1TB of storage.

-The balance of power is changing
>

The sales figures seem to agree with Microsoft. According to IDC, shipments fell 10% in 2015
 13% in the last quarter alone. They are
 sealed by the drop in demand for so-called classical tablets
 (-21% In Q4 2015).

On the hybrid segment (+ 163% growth in the fourth quarter according to IDC), Microsoft
 meet with a net success with its Surface tablets. And the
 results of the manufacturer even exceed estimates IDC.

The firm stated that 1.6 million area were delivered in the last three months of 2015. Digitimes,
  citing sources from Taiwanese subcontractors, it is 2.5
 Surface million that would have been delivered during the period by
 Microsoft.

And the whole of 2015, the Redmond would even
 far exceeded expectations of the market (4 million) with 6 million
 Surface tablets delivered. This figure is not confirmed by the
 maker. Microsoft does not provide in its effect on volumes
 tablets.

For IDC, the area would have 1.6 million
 Microsoft shipped during Q4 2015, at least 50% would be
 Surface Pro. The 2.5 million shipped Surface
  awarded by Digitimes would allow Microsoft to supplant Apple,
 IDC estimates that he has passed a little more than 2 million iPad Pro
 since its launch in late 2015.

With this new iPad Pro, Apple does not really change its product and it is not clear how this trend would be reversed unless the iPad Pro drastically changes embraquant OS X, most of connection (even by offering the support of the mice …), more storage, more RAM, by drawing on Microsoft after all …

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