Now that the iPad uses the same M1 chip as the Mac, isn’t it time for Apple to put macOS on its tablet computers? Maybe, but then we might end up with the worst of both worlds.
The Real Reasons Apple Won't Put macOS on the iPad
Both of Apple’s computing platforms, iOS and macOS, now run on the same Apple Silicon chips. M1 Macs can run iPhone and iPad apps in addition to Mac apps, so shouldn’t the reverse be true as well? In theory, you should be able to install macOS on the new M1 iPads and boot them like a Mac tablet. In reality, it would be a horrible experience.
"The [Mac] UI is not legacy-built for touchscreens," technology journalist Andrea Nepori told Lifewire via Twitter. "You can easily add well-designed pointer interaction to a touchscreen UI, but the opposite is a disaster, as many Windows hybrid devices clearly demonstrate."
Apple designed the Mac around the mouse. That was the gimmick when the first Mac launched in 1984, and the mouse pointer is still at the heart of how it works today. The iPad, however, was designed for touch.
