The GPL license which blender is licensed under and will always be licensed under is incompatible with the Apple App Store.
So, just create a another version of Blender that runs on IPAD Pro M1s under an App store license. Call it iBlender or something like that. Thereâs no reason it has to be under the same license and I donât believe it would take very long to port it since it already runs on M1 processors and it doesnât need to be free either, Iâm sure it would sell.
Itâs not the name that is the problem, itâs the code, a port would mean re-using existing code, which is has the GPL license attached to it.
So thatâs it? We canât have blender cause of licensing?
@lacilaci well, you can always ask apple to allow install MacOS apps into the M1 iPad Pro (IPad OS), in the end they should be compatible, or nearly compatible, right now, same CPU, same GPU, different âpowerâ 
If they make the newer iPad Pro to work âlikeâ MacOS, you should be able.
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itâs a little but more nuanced than that, you canât have blender on the app store because of licensing, the FSF has an article on the issues from a decade ago. Things have not changed since then.
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Iâm not talking about the App Store, Iâm talking about being able to download and install it in the same way you do it on MacOS
No App Store involved at all.
Like I stated above, they can start a separate project called iBlender or Blender Touch or something and license it under the Apple App store. They could start by porting and optimizing Blender for touch screen devices like iPadOS M1 and other ARM processors later.
So you are suggesting that we simply rewrite every line of blender code and every library it uses, from scratch and without copying or referencing any of the existing code and that all the devs should do so under a license that makes Apple happy? LOL
That is simply impossible.
What could happen though is that Apple might eventually change the terms of use for their IOS store to accommodate GPL, rather than ban it. It wouldnât be a big move as they are compatible with MPL, so we are only talking about accommodating GPLâs âYou may not impose any further restrictions on the exercise of the rights granted or affirmed under this LicenseâŚâ so it probably wouldnât take a massive change if they wanted to do so.
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I wonder though⌠Letâs say apple does somehow fix the app store licensing part. How big of a task is it to port blender to arm? An optional subscription model and one time fee could also be an option.
There are good sculpting software, cad modeller, painting software. But pretty much 0 usable subD/polygon modeling software. So blender would not only be a major DCC on the mobile platform, but also the only one that is a full package that allows for complete asset creation for further rendering or game engine.
I can already do 80-90% work on assets for unreal engine and blender. Blender on mobile could mean I only need to use Desktop for setting up the scene for rendering.
I understand that having the ability to install mac apps on ipad os would somewhat help. But unless there is a touch interface and pencil recognition you can just as well use macbook or pc laptop cause you still need keyboard and mouse.
If you look at shapr3d interaction or nomad sculpt, that is some next level futuristic stuff.
Blenders code is GPL, any derivative you may create that uses blender code as its base has to comply with the GPL, calling it iBlender or Blender Touch does not lift that requirement.
The only way what you are suggesting would work is you start from scratch and not use any blender source code.
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Whatâs the point of discussing a license if you canât run Blender on iPad?
You need to rewrite the whole GHOST part, since Blender uses macOS API, which is not available on iPad. You need to adapt the UI to iPad so that it would at least somehow work, not to mention how terrible it would be.
I canât imagine that a desktop app works on a tablet as well. These are always two different programs with a completely different interface and workflow.
And besides, Blender barely works even on Mac and you want to add support for another system. No matter how wonderful it would be, itâs just not possible in the near future.
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@jenkm barely works on Mac?
Iâm right now using it on my M1 without any problem, and now with 3.1 we also have GPU rendering so⌠not sure why you say so.
Also, you can use Blender on the iPad if you have and M1, since you can extend the screen and use the Apple Pencil and the touch screen, and for sculpt itâs an amazing experience, even being wireless, no trouble at all.
So while I agree that there are tasks that may not be confortable, there are others like Sculpt or Paint that could be astonishing good, and you can experience something similar if you try a Microsoft Surface, but with the M1 the experience is far better since itâs performance is way better.
The iPad Pro is now similar in hardware to an M1 MBA, so IF apple wants, they can enable MacOS app workflow on the iPad, but something tells me that they wonât allow that.
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This would allow you to buy and install apps outside the app store. I would be very surprised they would allow that 
What about on android tablet. Ever since samsung tab s7+, its been great. Krita also already make the android version, how about blender too?
Sure, itâs possible- but similar 'walled gardenâs problems exist on android- but at least side loading is possible. The problem is that you would be hard pressed to find an Android device that even remotely comes close to the performance m1 provides. Blender and krita are not even in the same ballpark when it comes to hardware needs.
Better to buy a surface, as others have suggested, or hope apple puts macOS on the iPad.
Maybe you donât need full mac os. Maybe if they just allow to install and use .dmg-like format as apps. Like provide a tool for devs to build an app installer to be distributed freely or through other platforms. I donât see apple allowing buying and distributing apps outside itâs app store lol.
Even if all of that were possible, running Blender without Python isnât- and Apple isnât about to start letting people execute python scripts on iOS- which is why I suggested macOS. That said, you may as well be waiting for hell to freeze over, because neither is likely to happen.
Like I said, better to buy a Surface
I see, well this situation sucks.
lol no.
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