Putting Face ID on the iPad is Ridiculous… With One Exception

Reading Time: 6 minutes.

I have an iPad Air and have, recently, been thinking of getting an iPad mini for portable note taking. I had thought about waiting for some time, months, even, but a fear struck me: what if Apple adds Face ID from the iPad Pro onto the iPad Air and iPad mini?

The horror!

Let’s back up a bit. I have a desk. You know, one of those flat things for tossing stuff on top of. I put my phone on said desk. It’s on a wireless charger, but not any wireless charger. A MagSafe charger stand. I have a nice handmade wooden stand that holds my iPhone upright. Why? Because, if my iPhone was laying flat next to my keyboard, or even my wrist rests, I would not be able to unlock it by glancing at it. This is because the angle for Face ID requires that you be looking at your iPhone almost perpendicular.

On the other side of my desk is my 4th generation iPad Air. It lies flat because I typically use my iPad for writing notes with the Apple Pencil. Sure, sometimes I might use it as a third display with Universal Control, but mostly, it’s for notes, reading, and occasional photo editing.

Now, if I had gone with an iPad Pro, I would not be able to simply tap my iPad’s lock button and start writing in a note. Instead, I’d have to tap the screen and hover over the iPad, looking down at it, hoping my hair and glasses are not obstructing my face, and wait for Face ID to unlock my iPad. I’ve noticed in these situations, my iPhone is terrible at the job. That’s why it’s always on a stand.

Does anyone at Apple even use the iPad? How did they think this was okay? What if we’re not supposed to use the iPad Pro like an iPad?

The Clear Superiority of Touch ID

I’ve been using an iPhone with Face ID since the iPhone X. I was wary of the technology at first, but it grew on me. I don’t mind it too much anymore. Sure, I used to be able to use my iPhone more without looking at it, but it works almost as quickly as Touch ID 90% of the time… as long as I’m not wearing a mask. Which, thanks to a pandemic that just won’t go away, I do pretty often. Then it works on the first try maybe 70% of the time, and I have to look up and down, shifting my head until it notices me.

Know what works faster and more frequently, even when I’m wearing a mask? That’s right, Touch ID. I fortunately still have it on the lock screen button of my iPad Air 4. God, I love it. I actually let my iPad Air lock after just a few minutes to conserve battery life specifically because it’s so quick and easy to unlock it. If I had to hunch over my desk, back arched and hair pulled back every time, you can bet I wouldn’t let that thing lock on its own throughout the day. That’s terrible for battery life, energy usage, device longevity, and security. But hunching over your desk to use your iPad? That’s just ridiculous. Who in their right mind is using them like this?

Maybe someone not using their iPad like… well, an iPad.

The iPad Air and iPad mini Are the Only “True” iPads

I brought hot takes and I’m not afraid to use them.

The latest (5th generation) iPad Air can do almost everything the iPad Pro can do. But it does it with Touch ID. That means you can use it easily for taking notes on a desk, or writing something down on a quick note without looking at the device at all. Basically? You can use it for the kinds of things iPads are made to be used for. It does it all with the multitasking power of an M1 chip too. The screen is a little worse, with only Apple’s 60fps display, but ProMotion isn’t so much better that you’d want it over just using your iPad like a tablet. The iPad Pro does have another feature over the iPad Air, and it’s kind of niche. If you want to use your iPad to make 3D models, the iPad Pro with a dual camera system and TrueDepth LiDAR system is the right one for you.

But who really gets an iPad for the camera? In fact, I have been a little pissed about the iPad camera since Apple put a camera bump on the iPad. No one asked for that!

The iPad Air is the best of both worlds. It enables classic iPad usage as a tablet on a desk as well as the future of the iPad platform, desktop replacement. You can use a Magic Keyboard with it, any keyboard and mouse, or use it as an extended device with Universal Control. You can even use it as an additional monitor for your Mac. The iPad Air really is the jack of all trades, master of none. Sure, it doesn’t have 2TB of storage or four speakers… but that doesn’t seem too important. However, while it is perfect for notes, it is just a wee bit big on your desk. On top of that, you’ll need a laptop-sized bag to cart it around. If only there was something a bit smaller, something that might even be better for portable note taking…

Mini Power

The iPad mini isn’t about replacing your laptop or anything like that. It’s about having an iPad with you wherever you go. In fact, it might be the most true to form for a tablet. It’s a bit bigger than a phone (god, phones have gotten too big), and it has Apple Pencil 2 support, wireless charging and all. It’s about the size of a Moleskine notebook, perfect for journals, notes at work, document annotation, reading, or even mobile gaming. It doesn’t have a Smart Connector for a keyboard attachment, but at this size, you’ll just use your thumbs like you’re texting on a huge iPhone.

I’d argue that there’s a product from far before the iPad that it is the spiritual successor to: old-school personal data assistants (PDAs). You know, the kind of thing the Palm Pilot popularized or, more topically, the Apple Newton. It’s a device that’s there for your electronic needs, whatever they may be, wherever they may be. And, sure, for a lot of people that may be a phone. But a phone this large would just be cumbersome and annoying. A smaller one would need a small Apple Pencil. Instead, this is just a bit taller than a full-sized Apple Pencil and works perfect for quick notes, doodles, photo editing, anything you want your iPad to do, just on the go. In fact, if your jeans have cargo pockets, you might not even need a bag. But if you don’t, you’re in luck! It’ll fit in plenty of purses, crossbody bags, and slings. It’s the grab and go tablet.

And, yes, it still has Touch ID, so you don’t have to worry about your face mask on the train or hovering over it on your desk. Can it replace your laptop? No, probably not. But it can replace your Moleskine notebook (actually, I’m more of a Leuchtturm 1917 gal), and maybe even an iPhone Pro Max. Get an iPhone 13 mini and an iPad mini and take your tech everywhere!

Who Should Get an iPad Pro Then?

There are two people who should get an iPad Pro. I’ve already hinted at both. The first could be people working in 3D modeling and movies. It has the most power and the ability to quickly scan and import 3D objects into your projects. That’s kind of niche though, right?

The second is far more common: people who want a simple, easy to use laptop that is occasionally a tablet. Maybe you want to occasionally sketch on your iPad, FaceTime with a friend or family member, and use it mostly as a laptop replacement. The iPad Pro is perfect for that. It unlocks when you look at it, sure, but that really shines when you’re using the iPad as a laptop. Because then you can just tap any key on the keyboard and the iPad Pro is already facing you. It’ll just unlock. This is so perfectly seamless, I’m convinced that this is the primary way Apple expects people to use their iPad Pro tablets: as a laptop.

In fact, forget my criticism. Face ID is perfect on the iPad… as long as you’re not primarily using it to take notes or draw with your iPad on the desk. Are you using your iPad as a tablet primarily? Then Face ID is likely atrocious. But if that iPad is going to replace your laptop? Go for it. Get the Pro. The Face ID is going to compliment your use cases perfectly.

If I might make one suggestion though? Go big. If it’s primarily going to be a laptop replacement, then get the largest you can. You’ll have the most screen area and the largest keyboard and trackpad.

So Which iPad Should I Get?

You know, I started writing this just wanting to complain about Face ID on the iPad, but it did turn into a bit of an iPad comparison, didn’t it? Turns out, there is at least one legitimate reason to get an iPad with Face ID. If you want an iPad that can do just about everything pretty well, but isn’t very compact, and has limited internal storage, go for an iPad Air. If you just want a writing or drawing pad to replace that Moleskine notebook of yours and fits in a small bag, go for the iPad mini. And if you want a powerful laptop that is sometimes a tablet, the iPad Pro is your best bet.

There’s no reason to go for the 10th generation iPad. I could see the 9th generation as an option for a child or education environment, but the 10th generation? It’s overpriced for what it offers, uses the old 1st generation Apple Pencil, it has slow USB-C transfer speeds, and needs a dongle to charge your Pencil. Pass.

I’ll never understand why Apple took such a critical and useful feature like Touch ID from the iPad Pro though. It would be an easy recommendation over the iPad Air if it just had Touch ID. Apple could even put both Face ID and Touch ID on the tablet, so you could use whichever worked for you. There’s a 13-inch iPad Pro, don’t tell me they didn’t have the space for it. Maybe it was so there wouldn’t be one tablet with everything? After all, if Apple released the perfect tablet, with more power than it’ll actually need for years, why would you ever buy another?