It might work if running in Mac mode required a reboot (no on the fly switching between iOS and macOS) and a connected KB+mouse, with the touch part of the screen (aside from Pencil usage) turning inert in Mac mode.
Otherwise yes, desktop operating systems are a terrible experience on touch devices.
> It might work if running in Mac mode required a reboot (no on the fly switching between iOS and macOS) and a connected KB+mouse, with the touch part of the screen (aside from Pencil usage) turning inert in Mac mode.
Sounds like strictly worse version of Macbook. Might be useful for occasional work, but I expect people who would use this mode continuously just to switch to Macbook.
The biggest market would be for travelers who essentially want a work/leisure toggle.
It’s not too uncommon for people to carry both an iPad and MacBook for example, but a 12.9” iPad that could reboot into macOS to get some work done and then drop back to iPadOS for watching movies or sketching could replace both without too much sacrifice. There’s tradeoffs, but nothing worse than what you see on PC 2-in-1’s, plus no questionable hinges to fail.
This is what I want, but with an iPhone (with an iPad would be cool, too). Sell me some insanely expensive dock with a USB-C display port output for a monitor (and a few more for peripherals) and when the phone is plugged in, it becomes macOS.
Otherwise yes, desktop operating systems are a terrible experience on touch devices.