iPad Mouse Support - The Missing Elephant

[tps3443]

OMG! I am so happy about this! Maybe not perfect yet, but a fantastic start! About time! Thinking about a 12.9 inch Pro now because of this feature.

Plenty of life left in the 2018 iPad pros, so absolutely no reason to not buy one now. We will probably see the next gen pro’s released around June of 2020. So with the price drops on eBay from legit sellers on brand new iPads. And the added cursor with iOS13 most of all! Plus a desktop browser across the board, with a download manager built in, and a better file manager.

The iPad is finally shaping up to be a real computer.

 

[Fairchild]

Almost 2 years after posting this, I’m so glad it’s finally here. Having this option is a huge plus for the iPad. This will make using the iPad docked in the Smart Keyboard so much better without having to reach for the screen as often.

Agreed. The problem with touch is that repetitive touching of the screen when editing text for example is tiring to say the least.

 

[AlliFlowers]

How about now?

Nope. Nothing has changed for my use. But keep in mind I come from a pre-Windows, DOS background so I don't like removing my fingers from the keyboard to use the mouse.

 

[richpjr]

Nope. Nothing has changed for my use. But keep in mind I come from a pre-Windows, DOS background so I don't like removing my fingers from the keyboard to use the mouse.

Do you like removing your fingers from the keyboard to touch the screen? I like shortcuts as much as anyone but there are too many things that require interacting with screen elements and a mouse is far less fatiguing than reaching up to touch the screen.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Nope. Nothing has changed for my use. But keep in mind I come from a pre-Windows, DOS background so I don't like removing my fingers from the keyboard to use the mouse.

No. The whole iPad thing is touch centric. When iPad is docked with Bluetooth keyboard or Keyboard case or smart keyboard, then there are lots of finger movement and lots of arm lifting. Which is sucks

 

[jamface]

Can someone attempt to explain what this has to do with a missing elephant?
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The iPad is finally shaping up to be a real computer.

Nah... doesn’t have a CD burner

 

[Hym tix]

very unfortunate to see no support for mouse on 2nd display. that is the whole point of having mouse support for my use.

... but yeah, I guess that makes sense for an "accessibility" feature.

 

[Feenician]

Can someone attempt to explain what this has to do with a missing elephant?

It's somehow related to the piece of the puzzle in the room I think

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Can someone attempt to explain what this has to do with a missing elephant?

There's the whole elephant/mouse thing. Elephants are allegedly afraid of mice, juxtaposition of little mouse/great big elephant, etc. It shows up a lot in old cartoons.

And, of course, "the elephant in the room" that nobody talks about.

 

[AlliFlowers]

Do you like removing your fingers from the keyboard to touch the screen? I like shortcuts as much as anyone but there are too many things that require interacting with screen elements and a mouse is far less fatiguing than reaching up to touch the screen.

I refuse to use touch screen computers. Not ergonomic. At least with that iPad, your hand(s) start out on the screen.

 

[Apple2GS]

Apple needs to place some designers and developers in a white room, give them a large iPad Pro and have them create a new OS. iOS was designed with a small screen and touch only input. Trying to place mouse support in iOS gives us this odd elephant like creature called "iPad accessibility mouse support".

Throw in complicated multi-tasking gestures with three finger swiping and other oddness is just awkward. Apple should create a new OS from scratch or morph MacOS to run on an iPad Pro.

 

[LeeW]

Almost 2 years after posting this, I’m so glad it’s finally here. Having this option is a huge plus for the iPad. This will make using the iPad docked in the Smart Keyboard so much better without having to reach for the screen as often.

Yes, this was one of my biggest gripes as it has always been an ergonomic nightmare to constantly reach up and touch the screen when using a keyboard.

I always find it funny when I see these comments, so many complain that the MBP is not a touch screen, yet when there is a touch screen people want a mouse. I agree though, the mouse is the missing link but still

 

[seadragon]

I always find it funny when I see these comments, so many complain that the MBP is not a touch screen, yet when there is a touch screen people want a mouse. I agree though, the mouse is the missing link but still

Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve tapped my laptop screen a few times out of habit. I want it all. LOL

 

[richpjr]

I always find it funny when I see these comments, so many complain that the MBP is not a touch screen, yet when there is a touch screen people want a mouse. I agree though, the mouse is the missing link but still

A touchscreen MB makes no sense if they don’t change the format to be an all in one like the Surface. If Apple doesn’t like that approach, a touchscreen would be useless.
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I refuse to use touch screen computers. Not ergonomic. At least with that iPad, your hand(s) start out on the screen.

Refusing to use a touchscreen computer has nothing to do with not wanting to take your hands off the keyboard to use a mouse.

 

[Booji]

Finally, this is what I have been waiting for. Plus, full Photoshop and I will upgrade my 10.5 Pro on the next cycle.

 

[AlliFlowers]

A touchscreen MB makes no sense if they don’t change the format to be an all in one like the Surface. If Apple doesn’t like that approach, a touchscreen would be useless.
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Refusing to use a touchscreen computer has nothing to do with not wanting to take your hands off the keyboard to use a mouse.

It's the same thing on an iPad. Keyboard and screen are one, so why would I want to have to go to another item? A mouse is superfluous when using an iPad.

 

[richpjr]

It's the same thing on an iPad. Keyboard and screen are one, so why would I want to have to go to another item? A mouse is superfluous when using an iPad.

Ah, now I see where the disconnect is - I thought you were referring to a physical keyboard, not the on screen keyboard. Clearly two very different things.

 

[trillionaire]

I'm guessing this is also a cannibalism issue. They want you to have all sorts of devices, which is why they market them for different uses. It's not profitable to make an all-in-one device.

 

[richpjr]

It's kind of weird how Apple is now making a public point that mouse support has been "in the works for years". I have heard this several times from different people in Apple and clearly it seems to be some kind of PR move, though I can't tell exactly why. The current implementation is so rudimentary that it could not possibly have taken years to develop.

 

[Cape Dave]

It's kind of weird how Apple is now making a public point that mouse support has been "in the works for years". I have heard this several times from different people in Apple and clearly it seems to be some kind of PR move, though I can't tell exactly why. The current implementation is so rudimentary that it could not possibly have taken years to develop.

Precisely. There is something amiss here for sure!

 

[sparksd]

It's the same thing on an iPad. Keyboard and screen are one, so why would I want to have to go to another item? A mouse is superfluous when using an iPad.

True if using the s/w keyboard but not if you are using a hard keyboard as many users are.

 

[jerryk]

very unfortunate to see no support for mouse on 2nd display. that is the whole point of having mouse support for my use.

... but yeah, I guess that makes sense for an "accessibility" feature.

Today what we have is an early beta build of iPadOS 13, not feature complete.
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It's kind of weird how Apple is now making a public point that mouse support has been "in the works for years". I have heard this several times from different people in Apple and clearly it seems to be some kind of PR move, though I can't tell exactly why. The current implementation is so rudimentary that it could not possibly have taken years to develop.

Maybe some developer wanted it and added it in their spare time.

I worked for one of the largest software companies and we developers would add things and then tell management about it. A lot of the great features in the next keynote given by execs were something that was a developer pet idea. Good companies know this, and give people latitude to spend a good hunk of time on pet projects.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

True if using the s/w keyboard but not if you are using a hard keyboard as many users are.

I do use a physical keyboard with my iPad. I'm a touch typist, so physical feedback of finger positions is vital. I started using PCs before Mac/Windows came along, so I've been using keyboard shortcuts for a very long time. They can be very efficient, because both hands remain on the keyboard. In most cases, it makes little difference whether I remove a hand from the keyboard to grasp a mouse or to touch the screen - my writing comes to a standstill while one hand is occupied elsewhere. However, keyboard shortcuts are not universally more efficient, so mouse/touch will inevitably interrupt my writing from time to time.

In terms of efficiency, I prefer to highlight text with my mouse (right hand) while executing cut/copy/paste/bold/italic, etc. with left-hand keyboard shortcuts to any kind of mouse/touch-based invocation of those commands. And when I'm doing something other than writing, my computing world becomes mouse-/touch-centric..

As keyboard-centric as I am, I find it far more efficient and precise (on Mac/Windows) to use a mouse or trackpad for highlighting text than to use the keyboard. With decades of mouse experience behind me, I have wished for a mouse when keyboarding on my iPad - it's my natural go-to, and the touch interface method for selecting text seems clunky in comparison - it's harder to place the insertion point exactly where intended, and dragging two grab handles (to make up for that initial imprecision) rather than a single click/drag of the mouse.... In that regard, I'm looking forward to trying out the new approach announced for iPadOS.

Still, as I see it, the "I want a mouse" contingent is asking for a minimum of adaptation when moving from PC to iPad. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but since iPad was designed from the ground up for touchscreen (just as macOS and Windows were designed from the ground up for keyboard-plus-mouse), learning and using the native interface will tend to deliver the best experience - practice makes perfect.

Ultimately, I'm on the side of "get over it." Learn to use a touchscreen like a power user, rather than wish an iPad was exactly like a Mac.

 

[sparksd]

I do use a physical keyboard with my iPad. I'm a touch typist, so physical feedback of finger positions is vital. I started using PCs before Mac/Windows came along, so I've been using keyboard shortcuts for a very long time. They can be very efficient, because both hands remain on the keyboard. In most cases, it makes little difference whether I remove a hand from the keyboard to grasp a mouse or to touch the screen - my writing comes to a standstill while one hand is occupied elsewhere. However, keyboard shortcuts are not universally more efficient, so mouse/touch will inevitably interrupt my writing from time to time.

In terms of efficiency, I prefer to highlight text with my mouse (right hand) while executing cut/copy/paste/bold/italic, etc. with left-hand keyboard shortcuts to any kind of mouse/touch-based invocation of those commands. And when I'm doing something other than writing, my computing world becomes mouse-/touch-centric..

As keyboard-centric as I am, I find it far more efficient and precise (on Mac/Windows) to use a mouse or trackpad for highlighting text than to use the keyboard. With decades of mouse experience behind me, I have wished for a mouse when keyboarding on my iPad - it's my natural go-to, and the touch interface method for selecting text seems clunky in comparison - it's harder to place the insertion point exactly where intended, and dragging two grab handles (to make up for that initial imprecision) rather than a single click/drag of the mouse.... In that regard, I'm looking forward to trying out the new approach announced for iPadOS.

Still, as I see it, the "I want a mouse" contingent is asking for a minimum of adaptation when moving from PC to iPad. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but since iPad was designed from the ground up for touchscreen (just as macOS and Windows were designed from the ground up for keyboard-plus-mouse), learning and using the native interface will tend to deliver the best experience - practice makes perfect.

Ultimately, I'm on the side of "get over it." Learn to use a touchscreen like a power user, rather than wish an iPad was exactly like a Mac.

I'm coming up on 50 years of of computer use (retired s/w professional) and one consequence of those years is the development of essential tremors so I find precise touchscreen use to be near impossible so support of a mouse is something I really look forward to. No getting over it for me.

 

[Macalway]

Frankly, as Apple is now explaining why they included mouse support, I'm a bit disappointed. They continue to belligerently tell you how to use your very expensive iPad, and why you basically should be happy with touch, as it's a touch device primarily, and only handicapped need to use a mouse (or should). And how they understand (understand), how there will be some oddballs who actually don't want to use what they tell us to use, but hey? That's our fans for you!

Not simply: Use both.

The mind boggles, and this is EXACTLY what I thought was going on.

End rant