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Thoughts on new iPad Pro (for music and other creators)
So, some new iPad's huh? Smaller bezel, no home button (or headphone jack) AND….dun dun dun USB-C! While I welcome any advancements in iPad performance, it seems quite a few people are up in arms over this update.
I understand the worry over a switch to a new connection medium (USB-C); however I don't understand the genuine anger over such a decision. The original iPad was released 2010 with a 30 pin connector. At the time loved by many as it was Apple's main connection for iPod/iPhone. 2012 came and we saw the switch to Lightning. Pitchforks blazing people took to the streets to express their outrage only to later quietly adopt the newer, better, connection medium.
Here we are in 2018, 6 years into lightning and what are we seeing but another switch to a different connection type. Yes yes, I like many of you have multitudes of lightning cables and accessories laying around that I use for various tasks. Will I have to buy a few new adapters? Yes. Will I get more versatility out of USB-C adapters that I can use on other devices that would have previously been stonewalled into iOS only adapters? Yes. Will I miss lightning? No.
Apple has already begun the move to USB-C by introducing it in their laptop, and desktop line. Why anyone is surprised to see this come to the iPad? Not sure. Bottom line, many companies, not just Apple are adopting USB-C as a newer and faster connection method. Don't fear change simply because you're angry you have to buy a few new connectors. If you don't like it, stick with your current iPad and run it into the ground. Go pick up an Android tablet for music production. (Ehh, on second thought maybe not.) Oh wait, Android is also going USB-C. Hmm.
Ok, now to the elephant in the room and one that I am genuinely a little miffed at. No headphone jack. Again, not something I am totally shocked at considering it's departure on mobile around the iPhone 7 era. Dongle be damned if I need to have an adapter to use my "normal" headphones. True Bluetooth audio latency is still a big factor and not a viable option for "live" audio reference. Yes there will be a USB-C to headphone jack adapter just as there was and still is for lightning. Am I happy over the change? Not entirely, but does it sour me to the bone to the point of expressing hatred for Apple and all it's decisions because I feel slighted at such a decision that feels fundamental to my mobile workflow?! Also no. If you're using an iPad for true mobile music production, you're most likely running the iPad into a dock or some other device that is ultimately giving you audio out via lightning and not the headphone jack. The digital audio you're getting out of the lightning/USB-C port is going to be better than your traditional 3.5 inch. Yes it's a pain for the time being, but we will adapt.
In regards to the home button, I won't miss that at all. I can understand those who feel indifferent. Yet after making a switch from a iPhone 7 to an X I can say I don't miss the button at all in favor of more screen real estate and a faster unlock procedure.
So while I've heard a lot of varying opinions on the new devices (seemingly mostly negative from most iPad/iPhone mobile producers) I for one welcome the change. While I won't be upgrading my current 10.5 iPad Pro to the new generation (simply because it's still a powerhouse device that does what I need) I'll upgrade to whatever the newest version is in a few years when I feel I can't push the current device any further. (or until iOS 15 which will just upload our sentience into iCloud to produce tracks automagically like Wotja)
Thoughts? Comments? I'd love to hear from people and have a more in depth conversation on the future of iOS devices.
(sorry if this is a bit of a double post of some other threads talking about similar things)
- Will you upgrade to a new iPad at any point?46 votes
- Yes!67.39%
- No.21.74%
- No, and I will not buy an iPad that doesn't have lightning/headphone jack.10.87%
Comments
Good posting @difuzer !
I can not understand the hysteria in the other threats.
Up to now I’m happy with the iPads I own but I’m sure that I will upgrade my Pro’s one day.
Every coin have two sides lets say a good and a bad side. If people focussing just to the bad sides they will miss the good. Because I’m a optimistic person my favourite side is always the good one. That’s why I can be happy... 😊
Even with the new iPads! 😎
My AIr 2 is still running and performing for what I do. But I might upgrade a some point in the future.
My only question is how to connect a USB keyboard and Headphones at the same time, as I do now on the Air 2 using the lightning conn+CCK and headphone jack. Will a USB C hub work to connect two devices at the same time?
You can connect many, many devices via USB-C, you just need a hub.
So Apple have released a hub, or somebody has tested a hub, or you are guessing ?
iPad have always supported hubs, why would this one be any different?
something like this maybe
https://sweetwater.com/store/detail/USBCHub-4--startech-4-port-usb-c-hub-usb-c-to-1x-usb-c-and-3x-usb-a?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3251365556&rkg_id=0&utm_source=MSN&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Studio%20&%20Recording&utm_term=Id=&campaigntype=shopping&campaign=aaShopping%20-%20Core%20-%20Studio%20&%20Recording&adgroup=Studio%20&%20Recording%20-%20Computers&placement=bing&creative=78615121216953&device=c&matchtype=e&msclkid=5aa40552f2fb1473f4c95e8b04bfcb42
So it should be possible to connect a midi keyboard, iRig HD, record in Cubasis and monitor through headphones or line out using a single usb-c hub that has USB 3.0 sockets and USB to Jack coverters?
The usb-c is great news. Surely this means having less Apple-only dongles as well since lightening only works on with iOS.
Of course the new upgrades will turn out to be amazing. Apple has a significantly better track record of consumer satisfaction than the perpetual outrage crowd. Some humans live to whine about shit. Others embrace inevitable changes with optimism.
I’ll continue to enjoy my 10.5 since nothing yesterday made it obsolete. In awhile, apps and iOS updates will have been updated to access all of the new power and optimizations of the new Pros. Around that time, I’ll find a used one for half price just like I got my 10.5.
Since I already use my current iPad in a stationary manner (hooked to CCK3+Powered Hub, and a the UR242) skipping the CCK dongle and using the hub directly would just eliminate one dongle
The USB-C -> 3.5mm jack for mobile use would be a minor annoyance but not a dealbreaker.
(I don't carry around power banks anyway and my ears get a break when it needs charging).
And well, I'm already using a dongle on my iPhone 5 (which has a 3.5mm jack) just to be able to monitor the input when using the Røde SmartLav+ in the built-in headphone jack...
The issue is finding a hub that has more than one USB-C port, so you can use one for charging and one for the headphone dongle. Have yet to find a hub that has more than one USB-C port!!!
Because iPads have always supported hubs via CCK, it is quite possible that only branded Apple hubs will work, does anybody even know what this USB C contains other than it being a USB C connector, not all USB C connectors have all USB C options.
The reason I want to know is It would be nice to see a case that had a built in slimline full width USB C hub with full size USB ports and a headphone output, that would negate all the complaints other than the home button, and wouldn't add much in size.
I just plug my head-phones to the UR242 which is connected to a charged hub...
Yes, I am most likely going to update my 2015 iPad Pro. Glad to read a more positive thread. Change is inedible and there is nothing we can do about it except opt not to buy the new model.
Yeah, all the negativity and hyperbole is tiresome. I was ready to order the 12.9 as soon as it was available but decided to slow my roll a bit. If it still had the headphone jack I would have gone ahead, but I decided to wait until I figure out how I'll switch my current CCK-based uses to USB-C. I'm also slightly worried about the square edges being uncomfortable to hold. The chamfered edge of the last gen really bothered me without a case. I wish they just used the current iPhone curves.
@Liquidmantis I also held off until I find a solution I like for the headphone jack. I also want other people to get it first to hear about any concerns/success stories but I know Im gonna get it in the next month or so.
‘Up in arms’ is just hyperbole. People are concerned about the single USB-C and the dropping of the headphones socket for many reasons. It is concern and not’up in arms’. Here’s a few reasons:
A single doit all jack on a Pro device is asking for trouble. It’s all eggs in one socket basket. Two USB-C ports would have been sensible in a Pro device.
It’s still early days, but having USB-C does not mean that Apple will let you use that socket for all the things that you would (rightly) expect to use it for on a laptop. Already there are reports this may be the case. So, just because it’s a USB-C socket, don’t expect it’s going to be any better than how Apple have treated us with cables all of a sudden not working after an update.
My experience of Apples cables and dongles are that they are extremely expensive for their level of quality. My look at the selection of dongles and cables newly released is that they are not yet covering all use scenarios well enough, unless we are able to use some of those other solutions already on the market (see 2 as to why this Amy not be so).
One of the major benefits of a portable device is minimising extraneous parts hanging on. One USB-C socket is less likely to help afford other manufacturers clear and easy thoughts on how this can best be achieved. Already many manufacturers ignore the iPad hardware add on market as they have been bitten in the past (Apple changing sockets is not new, but keeping up with what and how you can use that socket as well, makes them cautious).
Apple could have promoted iPad music making, putting another nail in the coffin that iPads are not serious music making tools. They did little towards this. As music makers, we care for our hobby first and care little for Apple having to appease gamers with wow look at the detail on this basketballer. Showing that they can have Photoshop and graphically intensive games won’t keep us believing that they can’t make a high end DAW for iOS. They have the money and ability, but it obviously does not rank highly enough with their money making plans as yet.
The shows themselves are becoming very similar to the video piss takes on you tube. Apple play this psychological game to create as much hyperbole around their new products as possible while they often drip feed tech at continually higher prices. They are masters at making money - problem is they are showing all companies how to do it - soon that choice people talk about will be gone as you will have to be locked into someone’s system to such a degree that choice no longer becomes relevant.
All the above and more often leaves people with a nasty taste of being manipulated and used - which in this society we surely are anyway, but I won’t go there. It’s perfectly normal to kick back on occasion. Most of us know the tricks these companies play, but they are all the same, so little choice is out there. So, let us have a little kick. It will surely (as we know) make little difference, but may help us feel a little better in the long term. If however after having your say, you should feel the need to have a little jibe at anyone who is not over the moon because...’Apple’, then just let us all relax in the knowledge that it doesn’t really matter how much hyperbole is thrown at discussion of Apple products - very few instances of any discussion have ever changed any company plans. In fact, I can only think of the PS4 vs XBox One thing lol
I won’t vote because the choices are too finite. I’m likely to upgrade an iPad one day, or not....all depends on lots of life things and I doubt Apple will sway me much one way or the other at the moment, as I don’t think I’m high up on their demographic love list
@Fruitbat1919
PS4!!!!
Oh yes, of course I’ll buy the 11 inch iPad at some point. The question is when? At this point my 10.5 is working like a clockwork. No glitches, latency or other. I’ve only half filled the 64Gb it has. So if I find a near new refurb on eBay for under £500 I might just release the hounds
but no pressure otherwise.
Talking about pressure. No 3D Touch on new iPads huh?
For mobile use, I don’t want to have to drag around an audio interface just to hear my headphones!
The only complaint I have with the new iPad Pros is the missing Headphone jack. It was really dumb of Apple's to take it out of a device that big.
TouchID was great to unlock the device in any position without having to face it but I can live without it as it has FaceID now. FaceID may be a drain on the battery because it keeps scanning everything that comes in front of it to see if it is a registered face while it is locked.
Those complaining about the missing Home button - there is even a better solution in iOS for years:
Settings > General > Accessibility > Assistive Touch => turn it ON
It renders a soft/transparent button on the screen that we can move it around anywhere (you'll see this in my screen-recorded YouTube videos
). Tapping on the soft button gives a menu with Home, Lock Screen, Siri, Screenshot, Notifications, SOS and other buttons and we can customize its cool menus and add more options/gestures to it and also for single-tap, double-tap, long-press, 3D-touch, etc. The soft Home button in the Assistive Touch works like the hard Home button - including the double-tap to show all the open apps and long-tap for Siri. I open the SmartCase to turn on the iPad, just lift the iPhone 6s to turn it on and use the Assistive Touch to turn it off. I've used Assistive Touch for years and don't remember that last time I used the Home button to go to Home screen or to switch between apps - other than for TouchID to unlock. This kept my Home button in pristine condition without any wear-n-tear.
On iOS 12, the soft button keeps disappearing once a week even though its setting is on and I go into Settings and turn it off and back on to make it visible and it is good for another week. Reported the bug to Apple and it was acknowledged as a valid glitch. Not sure if it got resolved in 12.1 - I need to update and see.
Yes, the new iPad Pro is worth an upgrade especially for the small-form factor, storage, speakers, smart Pencil 2, smart Folio keyboard, gestures, ProMotion, Bionic chip, USB-C, etc.
Sometimes I use my iPhone 8plus for music (no headphone jack).
So I use this little lightning to audiocable for the headphone. When I use a midi controller, there are always connected via Bluetooth (Seaboard Block, NanoKontrol Studio, Xkey Air) with no noticeable latency. Everything works fine with this setup.
The little USB-C to 3.5 Dongle we can get for 9$ 😎
There's always the USB-C->3.5mm dongle from Apple...
The battery should last quite long and when there's a need to charge it the ears might need some rest
Aside from the loss of 3.5mm jack, the USB-C port has the potential to be far superior to lightning. It is a logical step forward. A single hub with USB inputs, HDMI out, Ethernet, power (at USB 3 capacity, delivered to iPad and to peripherals) would be so much more simple than my current setup: lightning to USB 3 camera adapter, with lightning cable for power, USB cable to powered USB hub, extra cable for power, then finally USB connections for audio and MIDI peripherals.
It does remain to be seen if most standard USB-C hubs will work or not. It would be unfortunate if we can only use Apple-branded dongles.
Interesting - I’ve used the soft home button since my iPhone 3G button broke with wear, no issues here on 12.
I think one of the issues with a lack of a physical button, is not being able to do a reset.
We'll just have to wait a bit more until the devices actually ship
For proper mass-storage support we'll likely have to wait to at least to iOS13 or so...
nough with their money making plans as yet.
+1, and:
this is good advice. If the new iPad pro can access this feature and also disable swipe up from bottom then that could fix a lot of potential issues.
I, for example, disabled the iOS 8 four finger pinch/swipe thing immediately, because I am always using 4 or more for keys, etc. Its never been an issue. I'm hoping a similar workaround would be available for new iPad gestures.
Yup, already have one on order with the new iPad. Problem is hooking up my Arturia Minilab Mk2 at the same time.
Understood, my portable keyboard is the nanoKEY Studio when I need one.
I've grown so used to using the 'screen' as my keyboard I seldom miss the hardware controller.
(I suck at live-playing so step-entry is more my melody anyways).