During the WWDC 2019 keynote this morning Apple announced a dedicated OS for the iPad.
Aptly named iPadOS, it comes with a bunch of fancy new features including extreme multitasking functionality, desktop browsing and, well, a lot of fingering talk.
One glaringly absent announcement was mouse support – something that iPad users have frothing over since forever.
As it turns out, it totally will have it.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/06/ipados-a-first-look-at-apples-vision-for-the-future-of-its-tablets/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/hznxvvzjx0v8wz7g0o8w.png” title=”iPadOS: A First Look At Apple’s Vision For The Future Of Its Tablets” excerpt=”Apple has been trying to market the iPad as a budget solution for people who want an Apple laptop, but the iPad has never really held up to that promise. Sure it’s a great device that’s fast enough for general tasks like web browsing, light enough to take anywhere, and long-lasting enough to support you through a few hours of movies sans plug. Yet inevitably we reach for a “real” computer when the work is demanding enough. Apple clearly wants that to change, if today’s news is anything to go by.”]
Rather than regular support, a mouse will be usable with an iPad as an assistive touch feature.
The good word has been spread on Twitter by developer Steve Troughton-Smith.
Hello mouse support on iOS 13! It’s an AssistiveTouch feature, and works with USB mice. @viticci nailed this pic.twitter.com/nj6xGAKSg0
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) June 3, 2019
It will also be available on iPhone, iPod Touch and Magic Trackpad.
Mouse support for the iPad will apparently be located in the Accessibility section of its Settings.
While it’s great that mouse support will be available at all, it’s a shame that it isn’t being treated as a peripheral hardware accessory.
After all, the keynote made it clear than ever that Apple is pushing for iPad Pros to be potential laptop and PC replacements.
I tell you what’s nice to use with those things? Mice.
Considering that Apple made a big deal out of USB sticks being usable now, surely this can’t be that much of a stretch.
Regardless, at least mouse support will finally be landing on iPad. We’re extremely here for it.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/06/everything-apple-announced-in-its-wwdc-2019-keynote/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/wwdc-2019-410×231.jpg” title=”Everything Apple Announced During Its WWDC 2019 Keynote” excerpt=”Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference has kicked off for another year! We’re suckers for 3am punishment, so we’ll be bringing you everything that was announced live as it happens.”]