OPINIONquality-of-life changes the tech giant unleashed at this
year’s WWDC. Almost every long-standing grievance
got attention. With iPadOS, we can finally take Apple’s
tablet somewhat seriously as a laptop alternative. We
can use mice on iPads now. Safari finally looks much
like it does on a Mac.
The firm was so keen to improve its software that
it even introduced support for multiple users on the
Apple TV of all things, and I’m not even sure how
many people were asking for that.
But I know plenty of people – mainly parents – have
wanted iPads to support multiple accounts for ages.
This very editorial is part of a long iPad & iPhone User
tradition that stretches back at least to 2013, and as
recently as last November, columnist Dan Moren was
telling everyone that Apple needed to roll out multi-
user support for the Apple TV, HomePod, and iPad.
Apple granted the first two wishes, but not the latter.
It’s an especially oddball policy when you consider
that so much about Apple’s marketing suggests the
company wants its tablet to be embraced by families,
workplaces, and schools.
Schools, in fact, may point the way forward. Apple
already lets school districts set up multiple accounts
for students on its tablets with a service called Shared
iPad, and so far it hasn’t caused some privacy crisis
or burdened the tablets with lackluster performance.
Since Apple syncs students’ information through
iCloud, students can work off of any iPad from the pile.
Teachers act as administrators for the iPads, so they
can see their students’ performance and even see how
they’re using their iPads. It’s basically what we want.OPINIONquality-of-lifechangesthetechgiantunleashedatthis
year’sWWDC.Almosteverylong-standinggrievance
gotattention.WithiPadOS,wecanfinallytakeApple’s
tabletsomewhatseriouslyasalaptopalternative.We
canusemiceoniPadsnow.Safarifinallylooksmuch
likeitdoesonaMac.
Thefirmwassokeentoimproveitssoftwarethat
itevenintroducedsupportformultipleusersonthe
AppleTVofallthings,andI’mnotevensurehow
many peoplewereaskingforthat.
ButIknowplentyofpeople–mainlyparents–have
wantediPadstosupportmultipleaccountsforages.
ThisveryeditorialispartofalongiPad & iPhone User
traditionthatstretchesbackatleastto2013,andas
recentlyaslastNovember,columnistDanMorenwas
tellingeveryonethatAppleneededtorolloutmulti-
usersupportfortheAppleTV,HomePod,andiPad.
Applegrantedthefirsttwowishes,butnotthelatter.
It’s anespeciallyoddballpolicywhenyouconsider
that somuchaboutApple’smarketingsuggeststhe
companywantsitstablettobeembracedbyfamilies,
workplaces,andschools.
Schools,infact,maypointthewayforward.Apple
alreadyletsschooldistrictssetupmultipleaccounts
forstudentsonitstabletswithaservicecalledShared
iPad,andsofarithasn’tcausedsomeprivacycrisis
orburdenedthetabletswithlacklusterperformance.
SinceApplesyncsstudents’informationthrough
iCloud,studentscanworkoffofanyiPadfromthepile.
TeachersactasadministratorsfortheiPads,sothey
canseetheirstudents’performanceandevenseehow
they’reusingtheiriPads.It’sbasicallywhatwewant.