The thorny issue of the iOS-ification of OS X and vice versa

I just installed OS X Yosemite and the iOS-ification of OS X is apparent in this version. Of course, through the invention of hand off, you can now pick up from something your were working on in iOS and begin working on it in OS X. Unfortunately, because my Macbook Pro is Mid–2010, I cannot use hand off due to not having Bluetooth 4.0. But it appears that I can use the rest of the continuity package in Yosemite, specifically those relating to the use of my phone’s calling and text functions on Mac.
I was happy to see that SMS text messages are now listed in the messages app of my Mac. But where OS X Yosemite is really similar to iOS is the design. The buttons have a very similar with a flat design. The similarities between iOS and OS X apps are particularly apparent when comparing the iTunes app in OS X to iOS.
Another way that Apple seems to be trying to bridge the gap between OS X and iOS is iCloud Drive. iCloud Drive took overnight to load and I am not impressed with the speed of syncing. Maybe it's just because this is the first weekend after Yosemite’s release and a lot of people are syncing at the same time, overloading Apple servers. But Apple seems to have missed the boat on this one. Third party developers like Dropbox saw a need for this syncing capability and filled it years ago. As long as Dropbox and Google Drive continue to meet my needs, I doubt that i’ll begin using iCloud drive very much. The need for iCloud drive will also appear to decrease over time now that Apple is finally permitting the use of extensions in iOS 8. As third party apps are given greater access to interact with each other, syncing between apps using iCloud and third party cloud apps will become less necessary to individual workflows. 
As Graham Spencer stated in his article on MacStories, the biggest problem in working with iCloud Drive on OS X and iOS is the lack of Finder on iOS and Apple’s aversion to adding folders to iOS. This really goes to the heart of the matter. Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 has made the operating system for PC and tablet one and the same. My understanding is that from a design aspect this has proved problematic. Because I don’t have a PC or Surface, I wouldn’t know. But this is going to continue to be the thorniest problem for Apple.
Apple’s latest release of the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 shows that the development of the iPad is basically floundering. These updates are evoluntionary, not revolutionary, which wouldn’t be a problem except for the fact that iPhones sell like hotcakes year after year and iPads don’t. Adding a gold color option and Touch ID doesn’t give anyone a sufficient reason to upgrade, except for people who have too much disposable scratch. I have an iPad mini and even though I’d love to buy an iPad Air, these updates are not compelling to me. Don’t get me wrong, I love touch ID on my iPhone 6, but that feature alone wouldn’t get me to open my wallet. 
Until Apple really finds a way to boost iPad’s productivity potential, money will be left on the table. And simply making the iPad bigger is not going to solve the problem. Many have written about rumors of a 12 inch “iPad Pro” that can have multi-tasking and split screen capabilities. Such a productivity-centered device, I think ,would persuade a lot of people to upgrade, especially since many will likely opt out this year. However, Apple’s software team is really going to have to come up with a feature rich device to pull this off. A frustration of mine is when I begin working on something on the Mac and can’t edit my work on the iPad. But this trade off is acceptable to me because I need the portability of the iPad when I’m walking around the courtroom and need to quickly reference documents in a trial.
Simply making OS X and iOS one and the same is probably not the answer, but unless Apple comes up with some great software features with the “iPad Pro,” I will probably just keep my iPad Mini until it dies and buy a Macbook Air instead. Of course, what I think would solve all my problems would be if Apple would turn the Macbook Air into a hybrid with a detachable keyboard that could go from OS X to iOS when you are using it as a tablet. I’m not a software engineer, so maybe this is asking too much. Of course, even if its possible and it would result in massive sales, the consensus seems to be that there’s no way that Apple is going to do this. In any case, it’ll be another year before we see the next iPad update. Until then, I am looking forward to see if the Macbook Air update in the new year will be a simple refresh or if we might see some major design changes.
In any case, OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 working together seems to be a step in the right direction for Apple.  Hopefully, Apple will keep heading in this direction and get it right for the most part along the way.