Actually, all platforms have a compiler: a jit JavaScript compiler, ready to run whatever code you want by just typing it in a text file and opening it with your browser. (Incidentally, it's how I started back in 2000, on public computers).
There are also plenty of WebIDEs nowadays that people can use out of the box - we are not in the 90s anymore, when all software had to be "installed" to be readily available.
Yes, and you can't access the vast majority of services the phone offers without a hell of a lot of latency. If you can at all. JS is a joke compared to the capabilities of a c compiler.
If you're advanced enough you feel the need for more, you can get the compiler then - they're still available, just not bundled. JS is more than enough to learn programming and write some useful apps.
> If you're advanced enough you feel the need for more, you can get the compiler then - they're still available, just not bundled.
I don't believe you can acquire a C compiler for the iPad without buying an actual computer. At which point, why get the iPad again?
With just JS, it's a toy. A powerful toy, yes, but it's a small subset of what's possible with a computer, and one that leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth.
There are also plenty of WebIDEs nowadays that people can use out of the box - we are not in the 90s anymore, when all software had to be "installed" to be readily available.