Why is there no built-in compass app on iPads?

This is a user-to-user forum. No one here can answer "why" Apple did or did not do something.

I can make a guess about the compass app, though. Not all iPads have GPS (only the cellular ones do) so I assume that played a part in that decision.

You can let Apple know your thoughts on the matter here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Meanwhile, there are lots of calculator, weather and (probably) compass apps available in the App Store.

truerock wrote:

So, I am asking for educated speculation on why Apple doesn't put the Compass app on iPads. Obviously, iPads have a compass because the Map app uses it.

From the terms of use:

Stay on topic. Apple Support Communities is here to help people use Apple products and technologies more effectively. Unless otherwise noted, do not post Submissions about non-technical topics, including:

Speculation or rumors about unannounced products.

Discussion of Apple policies or procedures or Apple’s moderation of the Site.

Yes, I probably speculated a bit when I mentioned the GPS. The Hosts will probably let that go. However, much more than that would probably result in a post being removed.

Expanding upon comments already made, unlike iPhone, iOS/iPadOS for iPad has never included a native calculator, compass, Health or Weather App.

There are some good Ad-free examples of Calculator Apps obtainable from the App Store - and some very good paid examples.

Herewith a single sample of each from my personal favourites:

Free: Sci:Pro Calculator

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/sci-pro-calculator/id684978583

Paid: PCalc

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/pcalc/id284666222

Compass Apps are aplenty in the App Store.

As for Weather, if running iPadOS, you do have access to a native Weather Widget that can be installed on any Home Screen - or your Today View. There are also many Apps available in the App Store - but one of the best that offers a significant degree of free functionality is Windy:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/windy-com/id1161387262

They are different devices and Apple has a different ideas about how they expect them to be used. Originally, the iPad didn't have a camera, in part because Apple didn't expect that people would want to be holding up a huge device to take a picture. Turns out people do and Apple did add a camera (I don't think I ever used a camera on any iPad I've owned).

Over time, the devices have diverged a lot. They now have separate operating systems. Apple would have to rewrite the iOS apps for iPadOS in order for them to really look right and perform properly with the iPads hardware. Meanwhile, similar apps are available in the App Store. It has pretty obviously always been the case that Apple offers basic apps and leaves the market open for apps with more options. And why wouldn't they? They make money off of them.

For things like calculator and weather, there are plenty of apps for iPads. You can also ask Siri for the weather and type in calculations in the search bar. I've never looked for a compass app as, well, I have a compass. If things get to the point where I need a compass, I don't want one that requires power. Apple has also never made the Wallet app available for iPad and there is, of course, no way to replicate that functionality with a third-party app. What other apps are you unable to find third-party options for?

truerock wrote:

Idris,

Thank you... very helpful insights.

I guess when I first turned on my new iPad, the first thing that struck me was there was no "Phone" app. I know the issue has been beat to death thousands of time on the internet. My wife makes most of her phone calls at home on her iPad - so, I was surprised to not find the Apple "Phone" app on my new iPad. The Phone apps I'm looking at are poorly written and mostly just trying to sell internet-phone plans. I'll probably just live without a Phone app and use FaceTime and Contacts like my wife. Annoying - but, that is what 99.9% of Apples customers do - apparently.

On the iPad, you use the FaceTime app to make and receive calls.

I guess the next most annoying thing - maybe the most annoying - is the lack of connectivity to Apple Watch, Apple Health app and the Apple Fitness app. Also, I use a sleep app called AutoSleep and I still haven't figured out it's replacement. Obviously it's a matter of setting down my iPad finding my iPhone and using my iPhone for a while and then going back to my iPad. The whole back-and-forth is an annoying thing I didn't know I was going to deal with before I bought my new iPad. I plan to buy a new Apple Watch series 8 with cell-phone (actually... receive it as a present for Christmas) this year. I'm going to study how Apple Watch 8 interfaces with iPad and figure that out I currently have an Apple Watch-series-0 - so, I'm ignoring the lack of Apple Watch connectivity for now.

An iPad is not a replacement for an iPhone just like a computer is not a replacement for an iPhone.

've had my new iPad-9 for only a week and I'm still working through things. I'm feeling that i would pay something like $50 to get clean (no advertisements) replicas of the iPhone apps for my iPad:

Phone

Not possible.

Compass

Don't know as I only use analog compasses.

Calculator

There are lots.

Weather

Probably even more of these than calculator apps.

I'd like to get replicas of these Apple apps:

Health

Fitness

Watch

Wallet

but, I don't know... Watch and iPad is perhaps a bridge too far.

No, none of these are possible at this time. Apple has chosen not to extent the iPad in that direction and it's not possible for third party apps to do so.

So, again... I've only been using my iPad for a few hours. It will be interesting what I feel about this by Christmas. I purchased the iPad 9 because it was so inexpensive it was almost disposable. I was kind of thinking that the future I've been waiting for is coming soon. We have HomePods but we have been holding off on Air-Pods, Apple-TV, etc. thinking that the "Matter" connectivity standard, Thunderbolt 4, etc will be established soon and a large investment in Apple tech might be timely within the next year or so. It is not trivial getting the hang of how all of the Apple tech connects and interfaces (in my opinion).

Technology keeps on changing. Nothing stands still for very long.