iOS 11 First Impressions

Since the launch of iPads in April 2010, they have never really been more than a large iPhone. Despite Apple's recent attempts at marketing iPads as a laptop replacement, this has not been the case for anybody who used their laptop for more than shopping, watching videos, and checking social media. For the power hungry and the productive, a laptop was always to hand when the iPad couldn't quite rise to the occasion.

iOS 11 finally is going to change all of this! Almost.

For the first time, the iPad does not simply look and function like an oversized iPhone. The dock will probably be the first thing that you will notice when you update to Apple's latest software. The larger the tablet, the more space seems to wasted on the old dock. Only having a limited number of apps at the bottom of your home screen with a vast void in between icons. Now, finally, the app hoarders among us can load all of our favourites front and centre, much like you can on iMac's and Macbooks. Add that to the fact it is even accessible from inside apps with a swipe up from the bottom, and it's app prediction. guessing which app you need access to, the iPad suddenly becomes a masterful, multi tasking tool.

Swiping up from the bottom of the screen, not only summons the new and wonderful dock, but if you keep your finger going you will dropped right in to the redesigned app switcher. Not only does it look better and allow you to switch between apps more fluently, getting to it makes a lot more sense than double pressing the home button. You can still do this if you want to but let it be known, if that is your prefered method, you're an idiot.

Drag and drop has made it's way to the latest version of the operating system too. It's every where and even in Beta, it works magically.

Moving apps around is simpler; you no longer have to tap and hold and then wait for the icons to start dancing on the screen. No you just tap it and drag it to wherever you want.

Remember how frustrating the process of creating a new folder for your apps used to be? Say goodbye to the laborious ways old. It is now possible to drag multiple apps at once! Oh, if you could see me smiling as i move a whole screen load of apps in to a folder in one go! Living the dream.

Split view has become a popular part of using a large screen ipad. Especially for the productive powerhouses out there. With drag and drop you an take pictures from a website and drop them straight into an email or document. No downloading it or saving, then inserting it. What a waste of time that was! You can do this for text, images, URL's. It works great and will speed up a lot of work for a lot of people.

There is an entirely new app that is bundled within the update which has almost always been available on desktop and laptop computers. It's a welcome addition to iPads but it does seem a little ridiculous to think we are only just now getting it on a device that has been trying to replace laptops for a while. Files.

Yup, a single location to see all the files you have (both on the device and in different cloud accounts ie. Google Drive, iDrive, and Dropbox).

You will want to keep this on your dock given that the dock is now accessible from within apps. If we revisit drag and drop for a moment you will see why.

Pressing and holding on Files (also works with some other apps) will give you a pop up preview of recently opened files. From you here can drag them straight in to whatever you're working on in the main screen.

There is a lot more to talk about with iOS 11 but these features alone have gotten excited all over again for iPads. Maybe i will take it out more and lug the 12.9 inch iPad Pro around with me most days instead of my 13 inch Macbook Pro. Maybe. I suppose that I will have to finally invest in a Smart Keyboard cover though.

I will have to see how much work i get done on a day to day basis before conforming anything but If i do opt for the iPad pro over the Macbook Pro to get work done in a coffee shop then, in a small way, Isn't the iPad finally getting closer to it's goal of replacing the laptop?

I will still need a laptop on occasion for heavier tasks like burning CD's, editing movies, and transferring files. So the iPad still has a way to go. For now at last, my back can be spared the extra weight lifting.

#iPad #ios11 #apple