Microsoft executive Ryan Gavin alleged the recently released Apple iPad Pro was copying the Microsoft Surface Pro.
“We have been learning and perfecting our products in the 2-in-1 category for years now, [but] when Surface initially launched everyone was skeptical, including them [Apple]. And then they followed, and the iPad Pro is a clear example of that.”
It’s difficult to take Mr. Gavin’s statement seriously especially since I’ve been using an iPad 2 (which came out in March, 2011) connected to an Apple Keyboard. As an iPad user, it was obvious to me Microsoft was copying Apple when they released the Surface, February 2013.
It was very exciting to learn an iPad could be connected to a keyboard. This pairing brought my productivity up as my iPad became my go-to machine for writing. Email, notes and ideas were easily typed out on my go-anywhere iPad.
Apple created a mobile device I could draw and write on. Heck, my iPad came with me on longboard trips around Mill Pond where I found myself sketching scenes with a rubber nibbled stylus.
When I began attaching a keyboard to an iPad I recognized immediately how versatile the form factor was.
We’ve come a long way since then. It’s 2017 and even tho I’ve upgraded to an iPad Pro 12.9″ I’m still using an Apple external keyboard. It’s a great form factor – and I don’t mind at all that Microsoft copied it.