
Apple's new iPad Pro is not compatible with any external storage devices - miles
https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ipad-pro-not-compatible-with-external-storage-2018-11
======
miles
Two clarifying quotes from Nilay Patel's review[0] on which this shorter
article is based:

1\. "Apple says third parties can write apps to talk to external storage, but
out of the box, this $1,899 tablet simply won’t talk to a flash drive."

2\. "I tried a handful of USB-C hubs with an assortment of USB-A, HDMI, card
readers, and Ethernet ports, and everything worked as intended."

[0] [https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/5/18062612/apple-ipad-
pro-r...](https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/5/18062612/apple-ipad-pro-
review-2018-screen-usb-c-pencil-price-features)

~~~
TillE
It's odd not to support them natively when they finally added the Files app in
iOS 11 to support a kind of generic file interface. An external drive would
fit very easily into that UI.

~~~
dpkonofa
I think that might be true on the surface but, when you actually think about
how most people use an iPad, it kinda falls apart. Most applications on the
iPad function through the use of some kind of Library system where the app
handles its own files and shares them in common pools of apps that use the
same filetypes. Throwing external storage into that mix natively would allow
for the possibility of situations where multiple libraries exist, one external
and one internal, for example, and where libraries could become inaccessible.
I think that would complicate things enough for the majority of people who use
iPads that it would disrupt the experience. People who really need external
storage aren't going to be relying on an iPad until the devices really catch
up more with full personal computers.

~~~
dpkonofa
Glad to see the powerful arguments against my statement from those voting me
down.

------
writepub
Why oh why should I drop a cool ~$2000 for Apple to take away some fundamental
computing freedoms? How long before the public starts seeing through the
"Apple knows best" philosophy of taking away your computing freedom?

Anyone who's owned a general purpose computing device prior to the iPhone
should be complaining about these freedoms, or lack thereof:

1\. Full lockdown on app install - only app store blessed apps can run

2\. Purposeful crippling of the browser's W3C compliance to retain control
over apps on iDevices (long, long list of web APIs that don't work on
iDevices)

3\. Further on #2, devs are forbidden from running their own browser engines
on iDevices. Puts to shame the anti-trust suit against Microsoft regarding IE
on Windows. Imagine if MSFT policy were to disallow non IE/Edge/Chakra browser
engines

4\. All Apple accessories need to go through the Made For Ipod (MFI)
certification process, which is why off the shelf storage devices won't work
on the iPad. Apple ends up imposing a $7 surcharge on every lightning
accessory, because they very fucking well can, to bless _your_ accessory as
Apple certified.

5\. Blatant, retroactive policy modifications to stifle competition (Steam was
pulled from app store, Android watches aren't allowed the same deep
notifications access, ....)

Apple might be the most evil corp. to ever succeed at scale in computing.

~~~
dpkonofa
This is a pretty ignorant take on the whole thing. Most people pay the premium
for this specifically because only "blessed" apps and accessories work and
they don't have to mess with things. They're paying extra for the
interconnectivity and the guarantee that the apps and accessories will work.

You, and others like you, need to realize that you're not the market for this
product. If you don't like it, don't buy it. For the majority of people,
though, they look at these devices as something simple that they don't have to
fuss with to get working. Do you honestly believe that the majority of iPad
owners care about sideloading apps or what browser engine is running while
they look at Facebook? These are not fundamental computer freedoms (how overly
dramatic). These are trade-offs that are important to some and not important
to others.

~~~
writepub
> If you don't like it, don't buy it.

No one on HN needs a crash course in market economics, choice, and free will.
Un-substantive comments are strongly discouraged.

> Do you honestly believe that the majority of iPad owners care about
> sideloading apps or what browser engine is running while they look at
> Facebook?

No - but app devs like Facebook, who end up serving the end user, definitely
care. At some point, it won't be worth the hassle of submitting to anal-cavity
searches by Apple, just to list on the app store. I personally think the time
has already arrived, as ZERO new apps [1] get installed. Netflix & co have
already started to disallow subscription purchases via the store, the time to
bypass it completely is nigh - except for the chronic stymieing of the browser
engine on iDevices by Apple to protect it's app store hegemony.

[1]: [https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/25/majority-of-u-s-
consumers-...](https://techcrunch.com/2017/08/25/majority-of-u-s-consumers-
still-download-zero-apps-per-month-says-comscore/)

------
dzhiurgis
Has anyone benchmarked it yet?

Frustration I have with latest iPhones is that they still run on USB2.0
speeds. Sure, USB-C cable supposed to do up to 10Gb/s, yet you are pumping
512GB of data at 20MB/s...

