It’s about the UX. The hardware can do it but they don’t want to simply port macOS to a device it was never designed for.
Instead they’re just going to keep adding things to iPadOS over time until it’s the same. It’s just that they’re taking way too long to get there.
Well, with macOS there are layers to what the user can do. You can stick to apps (most), or you can open up the terminal and the console and use the machine at a significantly lower level (ie, “hacker” unix/bsd style).
I haven’t used an ipad in ages … but AFAICT It seems slightly dumb that they don’t just open up a similar possibility with the ipad for those who are happy to go there. A mode that is literally just “Laptop” mode … full macOS with mouse cursor and the full functionality. Then when you want to just browse and read etc, hit a button and you’re back to touch based iPadOS. At this point it should really just be a different UI skin.
The reality though, I think, is that it’s about market segregation (ie monopolistic money).
Apple, like Microsoft, Amazon, Google etc are all “IBM-ified”. More about squeezing their well established market positions than doing anything remotely risky or interesting. A fusion ipad/laptop is the sort of thing a younger company would have done by now (with of course microsft having tried that ages ago).
i have 2018 ipad pro, and it’s so frustrating to know that i have what is essentially a pretty powerful computer, and it’s being nerfed by it’s software that barely has any more functionality than ios ☠ apple actually released mac mini devkits that ran on a12z so we know it’s possible to run such software there, they just refuse to do it.
btw, does anyone remember when they said it’s impossible to bring stage manager to 3rd gen ipad pros, and then they actually brought it after user outrage
