Why I’m selling my third-generation Apple iPad
As you probably realized from my last post, I’m moving away from Apple in every way possible. I swapped my iPhone 5s (that I got a day after its launch) for a Samsung Galaxy Note 3; I’ve stopped using Apple’s iCloud services; and I’ve moved my entire media library from the company’s proprietary iTunes software to Google Play Music and Netflix.
I’m almost completely done with my transition from Apple, but there’s only one thing standing in my way: my iPad that sits on the desk beside me. And that’s why, after much deliberation, I have decided that I’m selling my third-generation Apple iPad.
I haven’t been very open about it (yet), but I absolutely hate iOS 7. There is nothing good about Apple’s latest mobile operating system; from the colors to the awful usability issues that arise from hardware designers trying their hand on software, the whole system feels bogged down and confused – a good representation of how it performs, really. Even on the 5s – which has a 64-bit processor – iOS 7 was the slowest version of iOS I’ve ever used, as scrolling and just using the thing was laggy and, at times, very crash-prone.
You can imagine that the experience on my iPad was much worse. In fact, it had gotten to the point where trying to use it felt like a chore. Eventually, I delegated it to a position as Lead Paperweight on my desk. There, it collected dust and was never touched; I opted for my Microsoft Surface Pro whenever I wanted a usable tablet, despite its worse battery life and awkward portrait mode. And here, I found the biggest reason for selling my iPad: my Microsoft Surface Pro, a device that was panned by critics and consumers alike, was giving me a better and more-consistent experience than my iPad.
iOS 7 isn’t a good operating system, and the third-gen iPad just makes it worse. I won’t miss my iPad because I have my Surface Pro to make up for it, but I originally fell in love with Apple’s first Retina tablet. It was fast, thin, light, beautiful, and lasted an entire day of heavy use on its massive battery. Apps worked flawlessly, as did the operating system that ran them. I hope for Apple’s sake that the new iPads scheduled to come out next week will be much better than the ones that are currently on store shelves. Maybe Apple will make a version of iOS that works on iPads, one that allows for functionality and design to work together on such a big, beautiful display.
But as for me – well, I’m done waiting for Apple to catch up to the rest of the tech industry. I’m ready to move on from a subpar tablet experience to Microsoft’s, and maybe pick up another competitor’s product to support quality devices, too.
Do any of you have similar experiences with Apple’s latest operating system? If so, what would the company have to do to make things better? Let us know in the comments!
