I’m shocked with how long the Pro has been out, that nobody has used the jailbreaks to install MacOS yet. Is there an active project even out there? Normally I hear about projects like this and theres some updates here and there, but it’s just been silent. I wonder is it lack of interest, or is there something in the ipad that makes it nigh impossible? Specs wise it should be able to run even on the 2018 Pros (Never mind the lack of touch screen support).

It wouldn't be from the jailbreak community. It would need dedicated work along the lines of the Hackintosh community. They were incentivised by being able to use OS X/macOS on cheaper hardware. Outside of a bit of fun, there's no real incentivisation to put in the long hours required to get macOS on the iPad.

But let's say it did happen. Developers do enjoy a challenge.

I'm unsure of the nature of architectural differences between macOS and iPad. My guess would be the following probably quite difficult areas:

• Jailbreak: It'd need one of these, obviously. One that persisted across reboots if this is to be a practical realistic setup for most users.
• Boot loader: One of these would need to be created from scratch so you could choose between iPadOS and macOS. This might require hacking the firmware, which is a whole new level of pain for developers.
• Driver support: I don't know if iPad uses commodity hardware like the Mac (e.g. wifi/bluetooth adapter, sound module). If it does then there might be drivers that can be hacked. If not, drivers will need to be created from scratch. That's painful too.

And then there will be issues like getting an on-screen keyboard working under macOS. There is one built-in, if I recall, but it's not designed for touch input.

woolypants said:

It wouldn't be from the jailbreak community. It would need dedicated work along the lines of the Hackintosh community. They were incentivised by being able to use OS X/macOS on cheaper hardware. Outside of a bit of fun, there's no real incentivisation to put in the long hours required to get macOS on the iPad.

But let's say it did happen. Developers do enjoy a challenge.

I'm unsure of the nature of architectural differences between macOS and iPad. My guess would be the following probably quite difficult areas:

• Jailbreak: It'd need one of these, obviously. One that persisted across reboots if this is to be a practical realistic setup for most users.
• Boot loader: One of these would need to be created from scratch so you could choose between iPadOS and macOS. This might require hacking the firmware, which is a whole new level of pain for developers.
• Driver support: I don't know if iPad uses commodity hardware like the Mac (e.g. wifi/bluetooth adapter, sound module). If it does then there might be drivers that can be hacked. If not, drivers will need to be created from scratch. That's painful too.

And then there will be issues like getting an on-screen keyboard working under macOS. There is one built-in, if I recall, but it's not designed for touch input.

Click to expand...

Probably next to impossible.

If the bluetooth adaptor can be hacked, that would allow external keyboard / mouse. Or easiest of all, use a USBC-B adaptor to allow a USB keyboard. USB driver probably easier and better documented than bluetooth.

But I agree, not much point to this work. 2014 Mac Mini now available on the used market for around £$100, and that gets you a decent MacOS system with i5 cpu and a lovely aluminium chassis and an upgradeable nvme SSD. I know as I bought one just now.

In fact, a better way forward might be virtualisation. Snazzy Labs on YouTube covered this a few years ago but it was a non-starter. However, now that 8GB/16GB iPads are becoming common, this isn't too unrealistic. Might be a few years yet until it's a commonplace thing, though.

Geminiwave said:

I’m shocked with how long the Pro has been out, that nobody has used the jailbreaks to install MacOS yet. Is there an active project even out there? Normally I hear about projects like this and theres some updates here and there, but it’s just been silent. I wonder is it lack of interest, or is there something in the ipad that makes it nigh impossible? Specs wise it should be able to run even on the 2018 Pros (Never mind the lack of touch screen support).

I don't know why anyone would expect there to be a MacOS for the iPad. Two different architectures.

Are people still doing jail breaks? Seems like little gain now, unless you sre into side loading apps.

Rafterman said:

Are people still doing jail breaks? Seems like little gain now, unless you sre into side loading apps.

Agreed, jailbreaking has annually lost momentum due to the fact the App Store is here and that unlocking isn't an issue like it was in the past.

sracer said:

I don't know why anyone would expect there to be a MacOS for the iPad. Two different architectures.

Really? It depends how you define architecture. But a lot of what was one architectural is now on the M1 SoC. Even memory, and memory manager. As I mentioned earlier, I suspect the key difference is likely to be firmware in terms of boot-up and also probably security because these are very locked down now with Apple hardware.

sracer said:

I don't know why anyone would expect there to be a MacOS for the iPad. Two different architectures.

Uhm... explain.....

woolypants said:

Really? It depends how you define architecture. But a lot of what was one architectural is now on the M1 SoC. Even memory, and memory manager. As I mentioned earlier, I suspect the key difference is likely to be firmware in terms of boot-up and also probably security because these are very locked down now with Apple hardware.

Yes. Architecture is more than a single chip... regardless of what that chip does. They're not even close but I guess I can understand someone thinking, "hmm, the iPad has an M1 and the Macbook has an M1 so why not".

I expect getting around security is a major hindrance. Like @woolypants mentioned, virtualization via jailbreak is likely more feasible than dual boot.

Of course, Apple can easily allow dual boot if they wanted to since they're the ones signing the firmware. Granted, ensuring things work properly is a different matter.

A 12.9" iPad Pro running macOS is my dream device. I will probably just get an M1 MacBook Air, but sometimes I don't want the keyboard! I read sheet music and documents from a stand and would just like the screen. But ain't no way I'm shelling $1000 out for a device that basically does nothing more than documents because it's fatally crippled by iPadOS.

C'mon Apple. Just give in and do it. macOS on iPad would be a game-changer.

Amazed that people think jailbreaking is so easy

return2sendai said:

Buy a Macbook

Why though? I already have an iPad. And the screen is way nicer. I really like the iPad Pro 12.9 along with the magic keyboard. And heck I could do the 10” with a keyboard too. Great machine. No reason to get a MacBook (except, you know, besides that I can’t get MacOS on the ipad….)

I get what you mean but I do think it’s a bit BS that they run the same chipset and they don’t let you put macOS on it.

Geminiwave said:

Why though? I already have an iPad. And the screen is way nicer. I really like the iPad Pro 12.9 along with the magic keyboard. And heck I could do the 10” with a keyboard too. Great machine. No reason to get a MacBook (except, you know, besides that I can’t get MacOS on the ipad….)

I get what you mean but I do think it’s a bit BS that they run the same chipset and they don’t let you put macOS on it.

It's not just a matter of letting you put macOS on it. It would certainly require a significant commitment on Apple's part to make macOS available as a robust alternative on the iPad, not just initial development & test but long-term support. Assuming their current engineers and supporting staff are not just sitting around on their hands looking for something to do, it could require a staffing increase. I'm not sure that the ROI is there to support that.

I’m sure somewhere inside Apple’s R&D lab that there’s an M1 iPad Pro running macOS. However I’m pretty convinced it’ll never leave that lab.

xraydoc said:

I’m sure somewhere inside Apple’s R&D lab that there’s an M1 iPad Pro running macOS. However I’m pretty convinced it’ll never leave that lab.

They’ll be way beyond that stage now. There will be a variety of hybrid operating system projects on the go within Apple’s offices, that mix and match macOS and iPadOS. This is so technically easy to do bearing in mind it’s trivial to run iOS/iPadOS apps on Macs.

I would not be surprised if something on this theme is announced at WWDC in a month’s time. iPadOS is only at the start of its journey. It can borrow a lot more from macOS, just like macOS has borrowed a lot from iOS over the past few years.

I have said many times that MacOS as an option (whether dual boot or virtualized) would be great for users, but not for Apple, so it won't happen.
I doubt hackers would be able to do it. Apple has put so many restrictions that it would probably be less hard to make the M1 iPad pro run IOS 6 than run MacOS....

And for the "buy a MacBook" crowd, do you even realize that most people here already have a MacBook? Many even have a M1 (pro) Macbook? The point is being able to have (and carry) one device that can be used with either OS depending on what you need to do with it, especially on the go.

Again, it's not in Apple's interest, so the best one can hope for is them making MacOS more productive with some sort of desktop mode when connected to a monitor, improved multitasking and file management, but that's as far as it can go.

Digitalguy said:

I have said many times that MacOS as an option (whether dual boot or virtualized) would be great for users, but not for Apple, so it won't happen.

Why isn't it in Apple's interest? We would still be buying Apple hardware to access it.

The profit margins on iPads are higher than MacBooks because it's a less crowded marketplace and Apple can literally name its own prices. The profit margin on the iPad Pro range is likely to be comically large.

For the price of an iPad Pro you can get a great laptop. Yet the bill of materials for the iPad Pro is much less than that of a laptop. No keyboard, no trackpad, smaller screen, smaller battery, less storage. Apple's laughing all the way to the bank!

Because they want you to buy an ipad AND a Mac. And frankly they want to keep you in a walled garden buying services. MacOS just doesn’t sell those services the same as an ipad. I am not naive. I don’t believe apple will give the option. They want to move more people into a locked down system, not the other way around. But I do think if iPads are rooted and jailbroken, it should be feasible to run macOS. Those locked down elements of iPadOS don’t matter so much anymore.