When Apple just launched the iPad, it seemed that the company was able to offer a convenient and compact device to replace laptops. Sales of the device grew for the first few years, Apple's tablet lineup quickly replaced the netbooks that were cheap and uncomfortable.

However, then Tablet PCs - on both iOS and Android - began to displace widescreen smartphones. At that time, gadgets were already used instead of an MP3 player, GPS and pocket cameras.

Apple is positioning the iPad Pro as an alternative to laptops, relying on a case with a built-in keyboard and new features in iOS 11. But tablets are not easy to replace a laptop. Example: Microsoft already tried to do the same with Surface, then it switched to 2-in-1 devices, and then gave up and went back to traditional "clamshells".

Techpinions columnist Carolina Milanesi said she successfully uses the 10.5-inch iPad Pro as an add-on to her Mac. Depending on the tasks, it switches from tablet to computer. In her experience, the iPad and Mac are very convenient to use in conjunction with each other. But this combination seems not very convenient and quite expensive.

IPad is still a strategic product for Apple. Being a relatively inexpensive and compact device, it is offered for use in the corporate environment and in education. Apple made it clear that they focus on strengthening the position of iOS as a mobile operating system, attractive for businesses. But here the tablet is often a means of launching certain applications and is not a full replacement for personal computers.

The main problem is that the iPad is still a mobile device. When the tablet just appeared seven years ago, there was a lot of criticism in its address, the essence of which was that the iPad is just a larger version of the iPhone or iPod Touch. At the same time, Apple itself initially positioned the iPad as a purely consumer device, intended primarily for viewing content, rather than for creating it. Despite the subsequent rather successful efforts of Apple to promote the tablet in enterprises, the idea remains that it can not compare with a computer, so the iPad can not be the main working tool - only an additional.

IPad lacks unique services that could attract users. Apple constantly emphasizes that all popular services work fine on iOS devices, but users often download Uber, Airbnb, Instagram, Tinder, WeChat and other applications on the iPhone, not on the iPad.

The ARKit platform could breathe life into the iPad - working with Augmented Reality technology is ideal for a tablet that has a large screen and is portable. At the same time, the compact size and light weight of the iPhone can make it more accessible and simple solution for similar tasks.

Steve Jobs identified the iPad as a device that is located between a smartphone and a laptop. So far, he has remained in this gap without the ability to compete on an equal footing with the popularity of the first and the functionality of the second.