File this one beneath Too Loopy to Ignore: A leaker on Twitter claims that Apple is engaged on a “smaller model of macOS” that may run “solely” on the brand new M2 iPad Professional subsequent yr.
We’re with you—there are lots of causes to be skeptical. For one, the leaker, Majin Bu, doesn’t have a lot of a observe file past case leaks and the yet-to-be-confirmed 14-inch iPad. For an additional, there’s little or no proof that Apple is working to merge the iPad and Mac traces apart from the 2 sharing the identical Stage Supervisor function in iPadOS 16 and Ventura. And at last, limiting such a dramatic change to a single iPad Professional mannequin would increase the ire of many customers.
However nonetheless, it’s an fascinating, if not thrilling rumor. The iPad Professional stays a tool with untapped potential, with a screaming quick processor, beautiful ProMotion show, Thunderbolt, and Face ID. Nonetheless, whereas there are a number of options in iPadOS 16 which are unique to M1-powered iPads, Apple hasn’t actually elevated the iPad Professional above its different less-expensive iPads.
Bu claims that the “simplified” model of macOS 14 can have “a 25% bigger macOS UI” that’s presumably optimized for contact. However since iPadOS already helps trackpad navigation with the Magic Keyboard, the final macOS expertise wouldn’t want to vary. And now that Apple has added Stage Supervisor to each iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, there’s one thing of a unified navigation system as properly.
So possibly it’s not so loopy. Because it stands there aren’t a ton of causes to purchase an iPad Professional over an iPad Air, and a “lite” model of macOS would completely shake issues up in a giant method. We gained’t know if this rumor is true till Apple uvneils the subsequent model of macOS at WWDC in June—or till Mark Gurman or Ming-Chi Kuo corroborates it—however for now, we’re completely happy to maintain dreaming.