What if the iPad Ran iPad OS?

Rene Ritchie:

Imagine instead, like the Apple Watch, the iPad ran its own distinct version of iOS: iPad OS. Rather than stripped down version for smaller screens and batteries, imagine it ran an amped-up version that really took advantage of bigger screens and batteries, with a Home screen, interaction methods, and capabilities optimized for a tablet.

It’s an interesting thought experiment, but my gut feeling is that it wouldn’t be a good idea. If anything, I think the iPad and iPhone versions of iOS should become more similar, not less. (Why no built-in Stocks and Weather apps for iPad, for example? Why does the SD Card adapter only work on iPads and not iPhones?) To me, as the iPad has gotten smaller (with the Mini) and the iPhone has gotten larger (with the 6, and especially 6 Plus), iOS feels like a single software platform on a continuum of display sizes.

★ Thursday, 5 February 2015