Can the iPad replace the desktop?
It’s not just about the hardware.
I think the real question should be if iPad, running iOS in its current form, can replace desktop? Like you guessed, the real problem here is iOS and not iPad, as a hardware. iOS and iOS apps are designed for touch, however we are used to a totally different kind of interaction pattern on desktop. Yes, there are overlaps, merits and demerits at different levels, but I don’t think they can be fully replaced, yet.
E.g. take Newton for Mac. It looks more or less like an iPad app but its interaction model is fully designed for desktop (window management, keyboard, keyboard shortcuts, menubar, mouse, track pad gestures, clicks, right clicks, drag, hover etc.). Keyboard on desktop is not only used for typing, it’s also for navigation and shortcuts. Sometimes it’s way easier to just use the trackpad or mouse on desktop rather than touching the display. Today if we redesign the Newton iPad app, it’s mostly going to look like the Mac app but we’ll have to rethink a lot in terms of the interaction model to make it touch friendly.
On desktop, it’s not just the hardware that should adapt with an attached keyboard, but the software also should change to best fit the usage. To achieve this, iOS (and Android) should also have a desktop mode and it should be optimised for keyboard and mouse interactions. It’s little more than just responsive design. The moment the keyboard is attached, the entire system should change to, maybe not macOS, but something in the middle. I know, I know, it’s easy to say :-). But till that happens, I don’t think the iPad can fully replace desktop computers.
It’ll definitely happen, one day.
