Illustrator for the iPad

Question

I have been an illustrator user since version four. I have also used a number of other graphics packages for both the desktop and tablets and illustrator, for the desktop is outstanding, and in my opinion, the best vector graphics, application available, however, I must say that illustrator for the iPad is the most underwhelming, under performing and all-around, disappointing applications. I'm saddened to think that this is the best that Adobe can do on the iPad. Maybe the Adobe engineers responsible for illustrator on the iPad should investigate Vectornator or affinity designer just to name a couple. Affinity designer does an excellent job of incorporating raster-based effects with the vector-based graphics, similar to illustrator's use raster effects.
It's not my intention to be overly negative toward Adobe in general, or illustrator In particular. I'm a loyal subscriber and user of Adobe applications, but they have failed miserably with the iPad and illustrator. Especially considering how long the iPad has been available as a viable alternative to the desktop.
I welcome other opinions on this topic

Bobby Henderson · Answer

The iPad version of Illustrator isn't equal to its desktop cousin, but I don't think the app is inferior to the iPad versions of Affinity Designer or Vectornator. Those two applications are good as basic, low cost applications. But they're missing too many features to be productive in a professional environment.

One complaint I have about Affinity Designer and Vectornator: still no support for Variable Fonts. Most of the commercial fonts I buy these days include Variable versions or only come in Variable format. Generally it's a pain adding fonts to iPadOS. Illustrator has easy access to a great deal of fonts via the Adobe Fonts service. At least I know the synced Adobe Fonts will be maintained when I beam an iPad AI document to a Windows PC running Illustrator.

If I'm creating something in Affinity Designer and intend to export it to other applications I have to be careful how I go about doing so. I've opened exported files in other applications only to find vector objects with all the fills turned into rasterized images held inside clipping masks.

Affinity Designer is less resource hungry than Illustrator. Some of that is due to "short cuts" the application takes under the hood to render things like gradients and transparency effects.

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