As an Android user who has built his entire digital ecosystem around Google devices, adding a foreign OS can upset a lot of my workflows. Sure, Android and Windows sync well thanks to Microsoft’s Phone Link app, but there’s no room for any Apple devices here.
Despite this, I find myself wanting an iPad. It’s not because Android has failed me, or that Android doesn’t have good tablets. The iPad offers something uniquely compelling that Android tablets simply can’t match.
Why Android can’t get tablets right
A big problem here is Android’s diversity. While this is normally a strength on phones, it becomes a massive weakness on tablets. With thousands of different devices running various Android versions, developers face the impossible task of optimizing their apps for larger screens. Apps that work beautifully on one Android tablet may crash or look terrible on another. This fundamentally breaks the user experience on larger screen devices, especially those priced at the budget or mid-tier segment.
Many Android apps are simply stretched versions of their respective phone apps. Developers don’t invest resources to create tablet-specific interfaces because the user base just isn’t there. This results in users not buying Android tablets because they aren’t optimized. It’s a vicious cycle that Google is yet to break.
Android tablets are also often plagued by performance issues. The same diversity and fragmentation that make development difficult also mean that Android tablets face poor optimization, inconsistent updates, and hardware variations that create compatibility nightmares. I’ve used Android tablets in the past that worked great for the first six months, and immediately slowed to a crawl after the next major update.
It’s not that Android doesn’t have any good tablets. Some amazing tablets from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and even Google’s Pixel Tablet do their job relatively well. In fact, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 might finally make your next tablet decision more difficult. However, just about every good Android tablet is on the flagship end of the spectrum. This means you end up spending a crazy amount of money for an over-the-top tablet. While that may appeal to some, an expensive tablet just doesn’t fit the bill for me.
The iPad does everything a tablet should
As someone who loves Android to the core, it hurts to say this, but the iPad simply excels at being a tablet in ways Android devices don’t. Since Apple controls both the hardware and software, there are no fragmentation issues, no broken user experience. The iPad is a seamless experience, consistently excellent across the entire lineup.
Unlike Android, Apple has a dedicated OS for tablets, iPadOS. This means you get a consistent experience across any iPad. All the settings, system controls, apps, and everything else work together to take advantage of the larger screen and support the external devices compatible with the iPad. There are upcoming features that can even make the iPad your primary device.
User experience aside, the iPad also has a significantly higher number of specifically designed apps. These apps take advantage of the bigger screen and use layouts that deliver more information in a user-friendly way that feels natural to use. It’s not just about the number of apps either. They’re better quality apps as well.
Take Procreate, for example. It’s a digital art powerhouse that has no real Android equivalent. Adobe’s suite of creative apps is also a great example, launching first on iPad and often with better optimization.
Performance and longevity also favor the iPad in ways that make the price tag seem more reasonable. Apple provides five to six years of software updates for the iPad, and these updates bring real value. iPads also hold their performance well over time, far outlasting any Android tablets I’ve used in the past. Now equipped with the M-series chips, the best iPads can provide desktop-level performance, which is simply unheard of in Android equivalents. I’ve seen decade-old iPads that are still going strong.
Next up is the excellent Apple ecosystem integration. Features like Handoff, Universal Clipboard, and AirDrop create a seamless experience between the iPad and the rest of Apple’s devices. Even though I use Android for everything and Google is coming up with new (and sometimes better) alternatives, I really appreciate how effortlessly an iPad can slot into everyday workflows without much technical setup, if at all.
Then there are the accessories. Creative professionals and students gravitate towards iPads for good reason. The Apple Pencil offers precision and responsiveness that no Android stylus matches yet. iPad exclusive apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Procreate, and countless other creative tools also favor the device. When major companies like Adobe consistently prioritize iOS and iPadOS for their creative apps, it says something about the platform’s strengths.
To be honest, I’m not happy about this conclusion. Throwing an iPad between my Google Pixel and Windows Laptop means I’ll have to come up with workarounds for seamless connectivity between my devices.
I’d love for Android tablets to be amazing. The customization options, variety of hardware choices, and lower prices are genuinely appealing. But these advantages feel hollow when the fundamental tablet experience—apps, performance, and long-term usability—favors the iPad heavily.
So yes, I use Android and Windows, but when I finally buy a tablet, it’s likely going to have an Apple logo on the back. Sometimes you have to choose the right tool for the job, even when it doesn’t match the rest of your tech stack.
