Rumors are circulating that Apple may be working on a larger iPad that could continue to blur the lines between tablets and MacBooks. Yes, Apple is said to be considering a larger iPad, up to 16 inches, which could rival the largest MacBook Pro.

For Apple, which has made its living making things smaller, it seems odd that it would want to supersize the iPad. However, it seems that bigger is considered better in the high-tech sector, as the smartphone and iPhone 12 mini are reportedly not selling very well.

But while the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2021 is certainly closer than ever to the MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Pro M1, we are not convinced that a larger iPad will bridge the gap between slates and laptops.

Tom's Guide praises the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air 2020, which dock with the Magic Keyboard to provide a simulated laptop experience. Also, the iPad hardware has been great for many years and easily outclasses its Android rivals.

The iPadOS is also a great tablet operating system. Almost all apps run comfortably (Android tablets still have issues in this regard) and feel smooth even on a 60Hz refresh rate display. However, while I like to use my iPad mini for small productive tasks, like hacking out notes or writing out opinion pieces from the comfort of my couch, iOS is not an OS for work.

As Mark Spoonauer of Tom's Guide discovered, there are at least five reasons why the iPad Pro 2020 is not a laptop replacement, and the top of the list is software-related. iPadOS, while an improvement, what you get with macOS and a robust user experience that is not one-to-one. Sure, there is a Files app, but it is not the equivalent of the Finder.

I would be happy if the iPad Pro with the Apple M1 chip could dual boot macOS and iPadOS. However, the limitations of the iPadOS sandbox and lack of a true windowing interface prevent it from becoming a true workhorse platform.

Apple could make a future iPad the same size as our best TVs, but it still wouldn't be a MacBook replacement without the software to handle its tasks.

Together with the Magic Keyboard, the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro is heavier than the MacBook Air. And its more top-heavy than the MacBook, which has the bulk of its weight at the bottom of the laptop.

I don't see this being solved by making future iPads much larger, unless the Magic Keyboard becomes heavy enough to keep the iPad from tipping over when used in laptop form. Bigger is always better, but rarely heavier. So even with Apple's engineering acumen, it is not clear that they will succeed in making, say, a 16-inch iPad usable as a slim, portable, laptop-like machine.

But what design challenge should Apple take on? Apple could take an approach similar to Microsoft's Surface Book. A new Magic Keyboard Pro with a more powerful processor, graphics accelerator, and larger battery could compete with the weight of a larger tablet display. However, this seems out of character for Apple. A big iPad with a big display is one thing, but a giant laptop/tablet hybrid is another. [The iPad may be closer to a MacBook, but it's still a separate machine. Apple has been adamant about keeping the iPadOS and macOS ecosystems separate. So it would seem rather odd to create an iPad as large as the MacBook.

So, even though Apple doesn't seem to want it, I would feel better about a touchscreen on a MacBook Air or Pro, or even a 2-in-1 MacBook with a 360-degree hinge, turning it into a tablet-like form. With the addition of Apple Pencil support, it would be a device with the power and flexibility to appeal to more digital artists and other creative professionals -- people who are still getting used to the iPadOS difference.

Now that Apple silicon-based Macs support iOS apps, my dream touchscreen MacBook makes even more sense. Yet Apple, in a seemingly logical move, has given no indication that such a device is in development.

Of course, the concept of a larger iPad may never materialize. The source of this rumor is Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, a fairly reliable source, who points out that a larger iPad may never happen. I rather hope it doesn't happen and that Apple will use its R&D capabilities to come up with something new. Perhaps they will accelerate the development of the Apple Car, or perhaps they will make the long-rumored Apple Glass a reality.