Macworld - USA (2019-12-B)

DECEMBER 2019 MACWORLD 91

Apple’s Smart Keyboards
are the only accessories
they’re really good for, and
we’ve yet to see the flood
of compatible accessories
Apple suggested we’d
see.
You may still want a
third-party Bluetooth
keyboard case from a
company like Zagg (once
they start appearing)
because the Smart
Keyboard costs a
whopping $159. Once you combine that
with the 32GB starter model, you’re
looking at a $488 price tag—$587 if you
get the Apple Pencil. You’re getting into
laptop prices at this point. Heck, you’ll end
up paying $717 for all that if you get the
32GB Wi-Fi and Cellular model.
With iPadOS 13, fortunately, that’s a little
more palatable than it used to be. When I
reviewed the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (go.
macworld.com/12pr), I was disappointed
that I still didn’t feel like it was a true
“laptop alternative” even with all its power.
With Apple’s new operating system,
though, you can freely plug external drives
into your iPad and arrange files and folders
with an improved Files app. You have
access to a Today panel on the home
screen that allows for widgets with
important information at a glance, and the

icons aren’t so spread far apart. When

Catalina rolls out, you’ll be able to use this

iPad as a secondary display for your Mac

(go.macworld.com/side). The

implementation is wonky, but you can

even use a mouse.

The iPad still isn’t as versatile as a Mac,

but iPadOS makes it easier to interpret the

iPad as Apple’s “low-cost laptop line,”

which I get the impression Apple has been

wanting us to do for a while. All the better

reason to release a device like this at this

point in Apple’s history.

PETRIFIED PERFORMANCE

Normally, the processor performance

would get more attention in a review like

this, but there’s not a lot to say here. It still

supports the A10 processor, and as you

can see from the benchmarks, it still

I do kind of miss having a palm rest, though.