iPad Pro and mp3s on the file system

[Kingcoherent]

I use my iPad for more or less anything not work related. I've even used it to DJ at some fairly large festivals/venue (it was a very useful backup when my laptop died at burning man).

Unfortunately, my main music computer is on an older version of MacOS (I can't upgrade as I have some older studio outboard kit that newer versions of MacOS don't support). This makes syncing new music to my iPad difficult.

Why can I not just copy/download mp3s to the file system of the iPad and then import them into the music app of the iPad (and why can Native Instruments TraktorDJ or similar apps not read files direct from the file system)?

I understand in the old days of iPods that Apple wanted to avoid pirated music making their way to iPods (although I doubt they succeeded in any way). But the iPad is pitched as a pro computer, a replacement for a Macbook even. It's absurd that we still cannot buy music from a specialist shop (Boomkat, Juno etc), download it onto the iPad and directly copy it to the music library.

Is this likely to change?

 

[bricktop_at]

Is this likely to change?

I don’t think so….

But VLC supports playing stuff from the file system if I recall that correctly

 

[Kingcoherent]

Oh cool, at least the means that NI _should_ be able to enhance TraktorDJ at some point in the future. Not perfect by a long stretch.

Kind of frustrating that I (currently) don't have any way to get music that I write onto my own iPad music library. Just have to keep saving for a new Macbook!

 

[sparksd]

Is this likely to change?

Doubtful. It is an absurd limitation. Alternative music apps include MusicStreamer and Flacbox.

 

[contacos]

You should be able to do that with the Documents 5 app but you would have to use a different Music App.

 

[bowens]

Music won't let you import from iCloud Drive. Neither will books. I've moved to a different book player for this reason. I keep all of my audiobooks in a folder on my iCloud Drive then import them into the player when I'm ready for them.

 

[Kingcoherent]

Doubtful. It is an absurd limitation. Alternative music apps include MusicStreamer and Flacbox.

Lack of native Flac support is another bête noire of mine. Thanks for the recommendations.