All iPads iPad + Monitor Support = Dream Setup (will never happen)

[Scarboose]

I had a love for the 11.6” MacBook Air back in the day. A compact size that you could plug into a monitor for more size when needed! I know Apple will never bring back that small of a MacBook (even though the M1 means they could...) because of the iPad. I am okay with that though, as I love the iPad. The only thing it is missing is better monitor support.

Obviously, we all wish it would work the same as a Mac, but that isn’t realistic. I’ve contemplated this and there is only one way I can imagine iPadOS having true monitor support. I imagine it being like the multiple desktops on the Mac that you can switch to on a single screen. The iPad already has a similar feature being able to swipe to different apps/screens. I imagine monitor support would be pushing one of those apps/screens to the 2nd display. However, it still doesn’t work as this implies you NEED to use a mouse to control the apps on the monitor since it isn’t mirrored.

Again, I think the best we can ever hope for is mirroring. Apple might include a few scaled resolutions to find the right/closest fit for a monitor, but thats it. Is anyone out there more hopeful/optimistic than me? Or have a better idea as to how Apple could implement this?

 

[HerbertDerb]

The fact that they showed us 12.9" working with full-screen scaling in Final cut with Pro XDR-display, indicates (to me) that some changes are coming to the monitor support in iPad Pro's.

Current thunderbolt makes this possible. It's all up to software now and iPadOS might feature some changes.

 

[hovscorpion12]

Per the announcement. the M1 iPad Pro can power the XDR display at full 6K. This would mean that 3rd party apps would be able to update their app to support full screen resolution. Also keep in mind that the M1 iPad Pro does not ship until late May. That means we have one or two more OS updates before June's iPadOS 15 announcement. Apple has added surprise updates in the past. Apple added mouse support late in the game. It is very possible that Apple adds enhanced monitor support before release.

 

[cupcakes2000]

The fact that they showed us 12.9" working with full-screen scaling in Final cut with Pro XDR-display, indicates (to me) that some changes are coming to the monitor support in iPad Pro's.

Current thunderbolt makes this possible. It's all up to software now and iPadOS might feature some changes.

That can and does work already with any app that chooses to implement it. It was LumaFusion they showed, final cut doesn’t yet exist on iPad. Luma fusion already does this with iPads attached to monitors or with AirPlay.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Luma fusion already does this with iPads attached to monitors or with AirPlay.

Is there a delay when using AirPlay?

 

[cupcakes2000]

Is there a delay when using AirPlay?

Not for my usages which is generally affinity photo and Luma

 

[NastyMatt]

I would buy a new IPP if it natively extended to multiple screens, even if that meant a single application per screen. Mirroring is no use nor is a single application extended to me.

 

[hovscorpion12]

? Huh?

 

[ericwn]

The fact that they showed us 12.9" working with full-screen scaling in Final cut with Pro XDR-display, indicates (to me) that some changes are coming to the monitor support in iPad Pro's.

Current thunderbolt makes this possible. It's all up to software now and iPadOS might feature some changes.

I don’t think Thunderbolt was the holdup. My MacBook Pro connects easily to anything via USB-C.

They also didn’t show us Final Cut but some existing non Apple software with its own dedicated support for external monitors- which is already possible but nobody made an effort to build it in.