iPad and iPhone both just received important software updates, with iPadOS 13.4 and iOS 13.4 bringing a range of new features. Apple’s tablets now enjoy robust mouse/trackpad support. iPhones and iPads both gain iCloud Drive folder sharing.
The 2020 iPad Pro announced Wednesday launches next week with iPadOS 13.4, and many recent tablets are getting upgrades, too. iPadOS 13.4 makes significant improvements to iPad mouse functionality, and also brings progress on external keyboard support.
iOS 13.4 for iPhone is also expected to launch next week. Both versions include iCloud Drive folder sharing and other changes.
UPDATE: Developers who don’t want to wait for the next iOS and iPadOS updates can download the “golden master” versions now by joining Apple’s beta program.
Better mouse support on iPad could be the “perfect disruption” to PC gaming, one analyst believes.
Apple has already added the ability to control iPhone and iPad with a mouse in its latest software updates. Future enhancements could help it become a more compelling notebook computer replacement.
But will Apple ever give us full mouse support in iPadOS?
After the release of iOS 13.1 beta 2, iOS 13 is probably good enough for you to install and use. I’ve been running the new iPadOS on an old test iPad since the very first version, and it has been glitchy all the way. But as of the latest developer beta, almost all of the problems have been ironed out.
So, is the iOS 13 beta really stable enough to install?
After spending time playing with the iPadOS 13 developer beta and iOS 13 beta , it’s clear there are tons of nice changes coming to Apple’s mobile platforms this fall.
Cupertino highlighted the biggest ones at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. However, there’s a bunch of smaller stuff they didn’t tell us about. While there are hundreds of “under the hood” changes, these are the best iOS 13 features Apple didn’t announce.
Apple significantly improved mouse support in the latest iPadOS 13 beta for developers. Most notably, the cursor size and color became controllable. And scrolling is much smoother.
These and other changes are very good news to those who intend to regularly employ a mouse when using this tablet with a keyboard.
Apple will finally bring mouse support to iPad (and iPhone) when it rolls out major software updates this fall — and that’s awesome. Finally, you will gain full control over your device without needing to lift a finger.
But I think Apple takes the wrong attitude when it comes to mouse support on iOS.
Its current approach could hold back development of the feature later on, and could negatively impact people who really need it. It also goes against Apple’s mission to make the iPad a laptop replacement.
You might think it would be pretty simple for Apple to add mouse support to its mobile operating systems. But that’s not so. The company reportedly spent years developing its newest accessibility feature.
Apple is also keen to stress that mouse support in iOS 13 and iPadOS is for certain users — those who cannot easily use touch. It was not added to replace touch for the average iPhone and iPad user.
