A practice Apple is coming under increasing scrutiny for is the arbitrary gating of some features. It’s not entirely clear, for example, why the first-generation Apple Watch Ultra can’t run some form of watchOS 27, even if it might not be equipped for Siri AI. More baffling is that only iPads with M-series processors can extend their desktop to an external display, instead of mirroring — never mind that the MacBook Neo can do the same while running the A16 Pro chip from my iPhone 16 Pro.
The gap between iPhones and iPads often makes even less sense, as iOS and iPadOS share the same codebase. There are explanations for some of these discrepancies, but only a few are justifiable from anything except a business angle. If you’re listening, Apple, I’m eager to stand corrected.
Pairing an Apple Watch
No good excuse for this one
It’s no secret that part of the incentive for building the Apple Watch was locking people into the iPhone ecosystem. If you’ve got a $500 or $800 smartwatch, you’re unlikely to switch to a platform where it’s suddenly useless. But what’s illogical is refusing to let people pair with an iPad, which might expand Apple’s wearable audience while keeping people inside its overall ecosystem.
You might point to the absence of NFC support in iPads, but that doesn’t matter. The pairing process only requires Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and a camera, and an iPad has all of those. You might alternately point to some functions requiring a constant internet connection, yet the Apple Watch is increasingly independent, especially if you have a cellular model.
I wonder if Apple is hellbent on steering people towards iPhones, or just doesn’t want to bother developing a Watch app for iPadOS. Knowing how long it took for a Calculator app to reach iPads, anything is possible.
Native cellular calls and texting
Chained by the iPhone halo
There are, in fact, native Phone and Messages apps on your iPad. And I can and have taken calls and texts using them. But in all cases, my iPhone was nearby, connected to the same Wi-Fi network. There’s no way for an iPad to receive calls and texts on its own, even if you’ve spent extra for a model with 5G. On your iPhone, you have to go to Settings -> Apps -> Phone -> Calls on Other Devices, as well as Settings -> Apps -> Messages -> Text Message Forwarding.
There’s no official explanation for this. One guess is that iPads are equipped solely for data rather than traditional voice networks, but many phone calls are already being routed through data networks when necessary. Another possibility is that it’s a holdover from when carriers were terrified of laptops and tablets flooding their bandwidth. Notably, carriers continue to charge extra fees for tablet and wearable devices.
Using the Wallet app and passes
Slightly more sensical
iPads do have access to Apple Pay, including web and in-app payments. To add a card or even change your default, however, you have to delve into Settings -> Wallet & Apple Pay. This feels a little ridiculous, since it’s not as if the iPhone Wallet app would be that difficult to port over, and there are other features that would be nice to access on the fly, like order tracking.
Another is passes, including event and transit tickets. Yes, it’s true that iPads aren’t equipped for NFC payments or scanning, and it would look strange to whip out an iPad Pro to get into a CHVRCHES concert. Frequently, though, passes rely on QR code scanning, and if all I have with me is an iPad (for some reason), it’s up to me how awkward I look. I should be able to pull up Wallet instead of digging through my email or a third-party app.
CarPlay
Let me replace my dash display
It’s arguable that if you can mount an iPad in a car, you really don’t need CarPlay, since the main point of the tech is pushing iPhone apps to a larger screen. There’s some validity to that. CarPlay also enables a simplified, driving-friendly interface though, and some features can link directly with your car’s systems, such as EV battery monitoring. Imagine how nice it would be if you could enable a CarPlay Mode directly on your iPad — instant dash upgrade.
In this instance, I suspect the feature just isn’t a high priority for either Apple or customers. If you’re hopping into a car, you’re almost certainly carrying an iPhone or Android device with you, and you’re probably content with a phone mount if your vehicle doesn’t support CarPlay or Android Auto. Some automakers are also making progress on their integrated interfaces. If you’re driving a Rivian, you’ve already got native versions of apps like Apple Music and Google Maps, on a giant screen no less.
