iPad and Focus
September 21, 2015
Tim Cook said this at Apple's September event:
iPad is the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing. A simple, multi-touch piece of glass that instantly transforms into virtually anything that you want it to be.
There are many reasons the iPad Pro cannot replace the Mac for many people. I think the most overlooked reason is that there is no comfortable way to touch the iPad's display when using it with a hardware keyboard. You need the iPad to be upright in order to see it. Reaching to touch the upright iPad screen becomes extremely uncomfortable over time. There is no mouse or trackpad for iOS.
One of the core concepts of tvOS is focus. The Apple TV remote is essentially a trackpad. The Apple TV changes the currently focused UI element in response to swiping on the remote.
I anticipate the focus engine being incorporated into the iPad, allowing it to work with a trackpad. This will make the iPad dramatically more appealing as a personal computer replacement.