Skip to main content

Tim Cook says Apple will not build a converged Mac and iPad

Apple iPad Pro
Jessica Lee Star/Digital Trends
Apple has no plans to create a “converged Mac and iPad,” said the firm’s chief executive, Tim Cook, in a recent interview with the Irish Independent. Cook said customers were not looking for this type of device, and that the company would have to make too many compromises.

Instead, Cook wants to build the best iPad and MacBook possible. He says that while the gap between the iPad and MacBook has shrunk, this gives customers the best possible productivity experience on both platforms.

The comments come a few days after Cook said nobody should buy a PC anymore, because the iPad offers enough performance to become a daily driver. He is still confident that the iPad will bounce back into form, after eight straight quarters of decline.

At least Cook is consistent in his views, recently saying that Microsoft’s latest hybrid, the Surface Book, isn’t impressive.

The iPad Pro is as close as we’re going to get to a hybrid from Apple, at least in the short-term. The 12.9-inch tablet comes with a stylus and keyboard, and apparently has the CPU performance of the MacBook Air and the GPU performance of a MacBook Pro. The only major difference is it runs iOS rather than OS X.

In our own review, we came to the conclusion that the iPad Pro is one of the best tablets on the market, but that it is expensive even for a PC alternative. The 12-inch MacBook is similar, a super-slim laptop thinner than some tablets, but expensive considering the performance downgrade.

Apple is clearly still trying to reach the perfect balance between performance, size, and price for the iPad and MacBook, so it is probably not the right time for a hybrid. And even if that day came, we suspect Apple would rather sell you an iPad and a Mac, rather than a hybrid.

Editors' Recommendations

David Curry
Former Digital Trends Contributor
David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…
MacBook Pro 16 vs. MacBook Pro 14: The important differences
MacBook Pro laptops.

MacBooks are typically seen as some of the best laptops money can buy, thanks to their combination of performance and longevity. It's not uncommon for MacBooks to be running flawlessly years after purchase -- so while their upfront costs are a bit steep, they're great long-term investments.

That holds true for the MacBook Pro lineup, which comes in two sizes -- 14 inches and 16 inches. Both are top-of-the-line computers designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at them, offering access to the M3 chip, vibrant Liquid Retina XDR displays, and plenty of other high-end hardware.

Read more
Apple accidentally revealed a big iPad Pro display upgrade
The iPad Pro (2022) sitting in the Magic Keyboard.

iPad Pro 2022 Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Apple is already past its usual upgrade cycle for the iPad Pro after the previous model was released in October 2022. Latest reports hint at an announcement now set for "early May" this year where Apple will unveil the new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, even though a proper event seems unlikely. Despite Apple's suggested lack of fervor, these purported new iPad models are expected to bring significant changes, especially to the display.

Read more
The biggest threat to the MacBook this year might come from Apple itself
The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have held a dominant position in the laptop world for the past few years. Though there have been meaningful rivals from the Windows side of the aisle, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro still feel like they hold an unshakeable lead at the moment.

But according to the latest reports, the most serious challenger to the MacBook's reign won't come from Windows -- it'll come from within Apple in the form of some very advanced new iPads.
What's a computer?

Read more