This MacBook feature could be an iPad killer

When a company releases a different version of the same device on a near-annual basis the way that Apple releases MacBooks and iPads, there’s always going to be a danger that the public will lose some interest. The products need to offer something new and different that will catch the consumer’s eye. It is certainly what the company did with the new iPad Pro and iPad Air editions.

We don’t yet know if and when a new version of the MacBook is coming, so, of course, we don’t know what new features a souped-up MacBook Pro might offer. At the very least, the M4 chip seems like a no-brainer.

However, if one long-standing rumor about the 2024 version of the MacBook Pro comes to fruition, it will be a game changer for Apple’s laptops. However, if the devices do get cellular connectivity support, Apple could have an interesting conundrum on its hands.

MacBook Pro 16 inch (M3 Max, 2023)

A cellular MacBook Pro could kill off the iPad

Long rumored feature could drive a big MacBook resurgence

When considering a MacBook Pro that doesn’t need a nearby WiFi signal in order to connect to the web, it seems like a no-brainer. It’s not as though laptops having cellular connectivity is a new feature — in fact, it’s been available for quite a while.

Apple is also no stranger to taking advantage of allowing its users to do work no matter where they are, as long as a cell tower is somewhere in the vicinity. iPads have had the ability to be paired with someone’s favorite cellular company almost from the moment they hit the market.

The question then becomes, what happens to the demand for the iPad? Apple has already done a very good job of making the MacBook ultra-portable. The new MacBook Airs are especially light and easy to tote around. And while the iPad smart keyboards are a nice accessory to Apple’s flagship tablet, they fall short of offering the more desirable function and feel of the MacBook’s full-fledged keyboard.

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It doesn’t seem like a stretch of any kind that should the MacBook offer the ability to connect anywhere, even when WiFi isn’t offered, there would be at least a dip in the demand for the iPad. Even the stronger, faster, and better iPads that carry price tags nearly identical to MacBooks.

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One other feature would bury the iPad for good

Would Apple be okay with iPads being an afterthought?

It seems strange to consider that Apple might be looking to kill off one of its most popular products, but if the reports flying around the internet are true about the Cupertino company’s next set of moves, it could be considered a 1-2 punch to its tablets. Cellular connectivity for MacBooks would just be the start.

It wasn’t that long ago Apple filed a patent that would bring a touchscreen interface to the Macbook Pro that also has Apple Pencil support. It’s not clear whether the screen would boast a full touch interface, or just have a spot that would allow people to write or draw on a section of the keyboard with the Apple Pencil.

Either way, Apple is clearly planning — or at least considering — bringing every feature the iPads currently offer to the MacBook Pro. Should the company follow through with those apparent plans, it would indeed be an iPad killer. It would be the kind of move that would severely undercut claims that people should buy an iPad at all.

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