New Pencil functionality - will this give us the mouse capabilities we have been looking for?

[Booji]

The lack of mouse support has always been limiting for me in using apps such as Excel and PowerPoint. It has really kept the iPad from being my only device. However, I have never expected Apple to introduce mouse support as they really want to keep the iPad a totally mobile device.

With the new Pencil functionality, will this finally give us the capabilities we want?

 

[chabig]

Nope. No mouse for you. iOS doesn't have a pointer driven user interface. It's all touch baby.

 

[LiveWireless]

Nope. No mouse for you. iOS doesn't have a pointer driven user interface. It's all touch baby.

Not exactly, there is the insertion cursor in text fields, and the two finger keyboard cursor position control. They also now have pen input. I'm sure they could manage a mouse pointer easily enough, if they wanted to without breaking everything if the pointer/mouse-click just worked like a pen or touch interface.

 

[chabig]

Sure, they could display a mouse pointer on the screen, but the graphic user interface is not designed for pointer targets. It's designed for fingers. They could do it. I just don't see them doing it, because once they did, lazy developers would create/build/port desktop apps with desktop pointer interfaces.

 

[Booji]

I don't think a visible pointer is necessary as it is redundant since you are on the screen.

However, for example, could the new gesture controls provide the equivalent of right or left click functionality?

 

[sracer]

I don't think a visible pointer is necessary as it is redundant since you are on the screen.

However, for example, could the new gesture controls provide the equivalent of right or left click functionality?

No. Pencil functionality is not a replacement for a mouse.

 

[danmart]

I don't think a visible pointer is necessary as it is redundant since you are on the screen.

That’s only true up to a point. The new Pros can drive a secondary screen (i.e. one with different content) and there is no way to access any controls that might be on it. So it can only host display space, not additional ‘work space’ like a second screen on a PC.

This new ability will push forward the desire to have mouse functionality and make use of the extra potential.