iPad’s gonna be iPad

Why macOS will never come to Apple's tablet.

Author

Leander Kahney
June 13, 2025

At Macworld years ago, some small startup was showing off a freakish FrankenPad tablet made from a hacked MacBook screen modified to detect finger input.

The tablet ran Mac OS X and it got a ton of attention. If I remember correctly, many pundits said this was what Apple should do with the still-young iPad: Ditch the tablet’s operating system in favor of the Mac’s and be done with it.

There are lots of reasons why Apple has always rejected this idea. For one, macOS wouldn’t work well with sausage fingers. And for another, the iPad’s underlying hardware wasn’t powerful enough to run the Mac’s operating system.

But over the years, calls for the iPad to run macOS have barely died down, especially as the tablet’s processing power has advanced (thanks to Apple’s M-series chips, which also power today’s Macs).

Meanwhile, Apple’s attempts to make the iPad more Mac-like haven’t really taken off. Kludges like Split View, Slide Over and Stage Manager all came with learning curves, and the results weren’t that great anyway.

Luckily, iPadOS 26 goes a long way toward making the iPad more Mac-like, without ruining the tablet experience. Just don’t expect your iPad to run macOS — ever!

Also in today’s newsletter:

  • Wow. I’m genuinely surprised that almost all the iPhones sold in the United States are now reportedly assembled in India. That was a quick switch!

  • Passwords and logging in to this or that all day are the bane of my life — and I’m sure yours, too. Now, 1Password is experimenting with a new system that fills all your passwords without having to unlock the app all the time. Looks interesting.

  • I don’t know, maybe I’ve drunk too much Apple Kool-Aid, but I think Apple’s delay in rolling out a smarter version of Siri is wise. The amped-up Siri will have access to a ton of sensitive data — possibly everything there is to know about you, including your medical, health and financial records, and much more besides. I know for a fact that I would not trust OpenAI’s Sam Altman with this data. So reports that Apple is not going to ship the smarter Siri until next year are reason to celebrate, not despair.

  • This story beggars belief. After a U.K. couple’s car was stolen, despite the vehicle having not one but two immobilizer systems, they repossessed it themselves using an AirTag. And surprise, surprise, the Old Bill were useless.

  • This inexpensive suction-cup mount looks perfect for mounting your iPhone in the shower or car, or recording your workouts at the gym. Handy!

  • Check out the latest upgrade to Cult of Mac writer Dave Snow’s cool setup, with a pair of shiny 5K monitors and the new “Wobbly Keys” mechanical keyboard.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Why Apple still won’t put macOS on iPad

A high-level Apple exec explains why iPad and macOS will stay separate, despite converging designs in iPadOS 26 and macOS 26.

Virtually all iPhones sold in US now made in India to avoid Trump tariffs

Nearly all Apple’s handsets for sale in the United States are reportedly now assembled in India.

AirTag helps couple swipe back their stolen Jaguar

When an AirTag finds a stolen car, you call the police. But sometimes they're busy. This couple decided to get their Jaguar back themselves.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

This suction cup mount lets you put your iPhone anywhere

With its powerful magnetic grip, this suction cup phone mount ensures a firm hold on your iPhone so it won't slip or fall.

Wait for AI-enhanced Siri stretches out almost a year

The release date for the AI-enhanced version of the Siri voice assistant will likely come in spring 2026, a year later than expected.

1Password unlock presets will cut down on constant unlocks

1Password's new settings aim to eliminate the hassle of constant unlocks by providing more options.

A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team

Discount code: Transfer and sync all kinds of files among your Apple devices

AnyTrans is a one-stop content manager for iOS devices. The app makes it easy to transfer any kind of data -- music, photos, texts, etc.

Sydney Sweeney kills in thriller ‘Echo Valley’ [Update: Now streaming]

The new Apple TV+ movie makes a killer mother-daughter duo of Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney.

Today in Apple history: Eddy Cue takes the stand to defend iBooks pricing

On June 13, 2013, Eddy Cue testified during an antitrust case regarding e-book pricing. Apple eventually settled the iBooks lawsuit.

MacBook Pro rig adds dual 5K displays and badass mechanical keyboard [Setups]

Our setups writer revisits his own to show off a pair of new 5K displays and a rather cool and customizable mechanical keyboard.

Tweets of the day

Wallpaper of the day

One more thing ...

❝

By expecting them to do great things, you can get them to do great things.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

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