Sidecar - Has anyone got it working?

[jackluke]

Probably today, I'd expect GM release of at least iOS, maybe catalina too, else beta.

I was reading at some rumors that iOS 13.0 (final release) is planned to be released on September 23rd.

I think Catalina 10.15.0 should be released some days after.

 

[EugW]

I was reading some rumors that iOS 13.0 (final release) is planned to be released on September 23rd.

The 13.0 GM would come today most likely, and then the official release probably on Monday, Sept. 16. The new iPhones would come Sept. 20.

Where did you see the Sept. 23 date?

 

[jackluke]

The 13.0 GM would come today most likely, and then the official release probably on Monday, Sept. 16. The new iPhones would come Sept. 20.

Where did you see the Sept. 23 date?

There was a document floating around, which clearly stated something about releasing iOS 13 even after Sept. 23 .

Often the "golden master build" matches with "final release build", so probably GM should be released next week.

 

[EugW]

There was a document floating around, which clearly stated something about releasing iOS 13 even after Sept. 23 .

Often the "golden master build" matches with "final release build", so probably GM should be released next week.

There was a bogus PDF floating around, claiming to be an internal release document. That has since been debunked.

Anyhow, as mentioned, typically the GM comes out the day of the event, and the official release is about a week later.

 

[jackluke]

There was a bogus PDF floating around, claiming to be an internal release document. That has since been debunked.

Anyhow, as mentioned, typically the GM comes out the day of the event, and the official release is about a week later.

That floating document reports between the lines that GM should be iOS 13.0 build 17A5572a , it makes enough sense since it was the last iOS 13.0 beta 8 released from them, then they jumped to 13.1 beta 1-2 .

 

[EugW]

That floating document reports between the lines that GM should be iOS 13.0 build 17A5572a , it makes enough sense since it was the last iOS 13.0 beta 8 released from them, then they jumped to 13.1 beta 1-2 .

Yes, the GM should be that build (or slightly later), but as mentioned that document is completely bogus. A lot of the information in there made sense, but that's because they scavenged it all from existing information and existing rumours. IOW, it was a completely faked document that copied the build number that we already knew for 13.0 beta 8 and then they paired their educated guess of the release date along with that build number.

 

[jackluke]

Yes, the GM should be that build (or slightly later), but as mentioned that document is completely bogus. A lot of the information in there made sense, but that's because they scavenged it all from existing information and existing rumours. IOW, it was a completely faked document that copied the build number that we already knew for 13.0 beta 8 and then they paired their educated guess of the release date along with that build number.

Don't know, to me document content and layout look genuine, moreover you can't verify the digital signature because the pages are probably scanned or reconverted.

 

[EugW]

Don't know, to me document content and layout look genuine, moreover you can't verify the digital signature because the pages are probably scanned.

The leakers already admitted it was fake.

 

[jackluke]

Well, "iOS 13.1 beta 3" and "Catalina beta 8" just released, I'll do two different tests for Sidecar:

1) Using "iPadOS 13.1 beta 3" with a previous "Catalina beta 7"
2) Using "iPadOS 13.1 beta 3" with the current "Catalina beta 8" (checking also if the SidecarCore binary has changed)

I'll edit this post for the answers

edit:

1) Doesn't work, system message "Sidecar requires a newer version of macOS" (hence Catalina beta 8 is required)
2) SidecarCore unix binary has been changed from latest one (Catalina Beta 6-7) 258 Kb, now on beta 8 is 269 Kb , so I'll make a new patched file

Patched again for iPad Air 2 and mini 4 ! And now the virtualised TouchBar is working fine !

I'll upload the patched file here: Sidecar new patch for Catalina beta 8

Note: as before, it works only wired through a lightning-usb cable plugged and this time you have to add these steps:

- plug the iPadOS device, then open the device from Finder and click "Trust", after from iPadOS device tap "Allow", and you'll able to use Sidecar again!

edit2:

Just tested! My new patched file works also with iPadOS device with 13.1 beta 2

 

[ipottersmith]

Well, "iOS 13.1 beta 3" and "Catalina beta 8" just released, I'll do two different tests for Sidecar:

1) Using "iPadOS 13.1 beta 3" with a previous "Catalina beta 7"
2) Using "iPadOS 13.1 beta 3" with the current "Catalina beta 8" (checking also if the SidecarCore binary has changed)

I'll edit this post for the answers

edit:

1) Doesn't work, system message "Sidecar requires a newer version of macOS" (hence Catalina beta 8 is required)
2) SidecarCore unix binary has been changed from latest one (Catalina Beta 6-7) 258 Kb, now on beta 8 is 269 Kb , so I'll make a new patched file

Patched again for iPad Air 2 and mini 4 ! And now the virtualised TouchBar is working fine !

I'll upload the patched file here: Sidecar new patch for Catalina beta 8

Note: as before, it works only wired through a lightning-usb cable plugged and this time you have to add these steps:

- plug the iPadOS device, then open the device from Finder and click "Trust", after from iPadOS device tap "Allow", and you'll able to use Sidecar again!

edit2:

Just tested! My new patched file works also with iPadOS device with 13.1 beta 2

For some reason it won't let me copy the file... it just gives me a circle with a slash icon over my cursor. Do you have any idea why that might be happening? Thanks for the patch, by the way!

 

[jackluke]

For some reason it won't let me copy the file... it just gives me a circle with a slash icon over my cursor. Do you have any idea why that might be happening? Thanks for the patch, by the way!

Just reboot in macOS Recovery holding CMD+R after power-on

Then open a "recovery Terminal" and type: csrutil disable ; reboot

Rebooting again in Catalina (normal mode) open Terminal and type: sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder

and now you can replace that file.

After done, if you have necessity, reboot back to the macOS Recovery and type: csrutil enable ; reboot

 

[iMac-Oldschool]

Tried sidecar again today with iOS version 13.1 (17A5831c), Catalina beta version 8 (19A558d) and the latest patch from Jackluke.
With a USB connection, the iMAC desktop appeared on the iPAD, but the only usable functions were the pop-up keyboard and Disconnect.
Via Bluetooth, the iMAC desktop flashed up for a second or two, but the connect was then dropped with the attached error message on the iMAC.
On MACs without hardware HEVC encoding support, Sidecar is not going anywhere.

 

[jackluke]

Tried sidecar again today with iOS version 13.1 (17A5831c), Catalina beta version 8 (19A558d) and the latest patch from Jackluke.
With a USB connection, the iMAC desktop appeared on the iPAD, but the only usable functions were the pop-up keyboard and Disconnect.
Via Bluetooth, the iMAC desktop flashed up for a second or two, but the connect was then dropped with the attached error message on the iMAC.
On MACs without hardware HEVC encoding support, Sidecar is not going anywhere.

Via Bluetooth (aka wireless) can't get it to work, same error as you posted, not sure which iMac and iPadOS device model you are using, but on iPad Air 2 either the Sidebar and Touchbar are responsive.

To show the Touchbar you should for example open Safari (or any other app that accepts any input from keyboard or keys-shortcuts) from the iMac and then you'll notice that you can touch them on the "iPadOS Sidecarred" acting as if your mac has a real touchbar.

About controlling the iMac through the iPadOS, you need an iPad with native support to the official apple ipencil, otherwise no inputs from "fingers mouse".

Probably not much related but I remind that an apple "Touchbar" is only available on Macbook laptops, not on Mac desktops.

edit:

Just figured out how to make Sidebar/TouchBar to work when it is not detected at first connection, when you mirrored the Mac screen to iPadOS, just from Mac Finder menu top-right (typically an iPad blue icon) select mirror as "Separate Display", then you will able to use the entire Sidebar, right after from Finder menu re-select mirror as "built-in Display" and you will able to use the entire TouchBar in almost every app.

 

[ipottersmith]

Just reboot in macOS Recovery holding CMD+R after power-on

Then open a "recovery Terminal" and type: csrutil disable ; reboot

Rebooting again in Catalina (normal mode) open Terminal and type: sudo mount -uw / ; killall Finder

and now you can replace that file.

After done, if you have necessity, reboot back to the macOS Recovery and type: csrutil enable ; reboot

Thank you so much! I’ll give this a shot tonight.

 

[iMac-Oldschool]

Via Bluetooth (aka wireless) can't get it to work, same error as you posted, not sure which iMac and iPadOS device model you are using, but on iPad Air 2 either the Sidebar and Touchbar are responsive.

To show the Touchbar you should for example open Safari (or any other app that accepts any input from keyboard or keys-shortcuts) from the iMac and then you'll notice that you can touch them on the "iPadOS Sidecarred" acting as if your mac has a real touchbar.

About controlling the iMac through the iPadOS, you need an iPad with native support to the official apple ipencil, otherwise no inputs from "fingers mouse".

Probably not much related but I remind that an apple "Touchbar" is only available on Macbook laptops, not on Mac desktops.

edit:

Just figured out how to make Sidebar/TouchBar to work when it is not detected at first connection, when you mirrored the Mac screen to iPadOS, just from Mac Finder menu top-right (typically an iPad blue icon) select mirror as "Separate Display", then you will able to use the entire Sidebar, right after from Finder menu re-select mirror as "built-in Display" and you will able to use the entire TouchBar in almost every app.

@jackluke
Thanks for your tips under edit:
Spent a while playing with Sidecar and finally managed to make some sense of the functionality.
However, the 9.7" iPad Pro has less than one quarter of the screen area of the 21.5" iMAC and does not really add very much. Probably makes more sense with a 13" MBP and a larger iPAD.
I'll have another look at Sidecar when the final releases of the two operating systems are available, but for the moment it is not transforming the experience.

 

[subjonas]

@jackluke
Thanks for your tips under edit:
Spent a while playing with Sidecar and finally managed to make some sense of the functionality.
However, the 9.7" iPad Pro has less than one quarter of the screen area of the 21.5" iMAC and does not really add very much. Probably makes more sense with a 13" MBP and a larger iPAD.
I'll have another look at Sidecar when the final releases of the two operating systems are available, but for the moment it is not transforming the experience.

Sidecar also lets you use the Apple Pencil with your Mac, if that’s of any use to you.

 

[Timbe]

So sidecar works with iPad Air 2 when used with an officially supported Mac? I have been trying to follow this thread and there has been discussions how iPad Air 2 is somehow different with sidecar due to its age? No hardware HEVC-decode? Or does this apply only when using sidecar with not officially supported Mac?

 

[brerlappin]

Thanks so much, I appreciate it!

No hardware HEVC encoding support

To put it another way, your 2014 5K iMac takes several times longer encoding HEVC than a 2016 12" MacBook does.

 

[jackluke]

The iOS 13 GM Seed (17A577 very closer to the 13.1 beta build) has been released, but currently on my iPadOS devices I'm already on 13.1 beta 3, does anyone know how to downgrade to the GM Seed ?

Maybe just removing the beta profile, should at least allow to downgrade from 13.1 beta 3 to 13.0 final release ?

 

[jackluke]

So sidecar works with iPad Air 2 when used with an officially supported Mac? I have been trying to follow this thread and there has been discussions how iPad Air 2 is somehow different with sidecar due to its age? No hardware HEVC-decode? Or does this apply only when using sidecar with not officially supported Mac?

From what I understood, Sidecar requirements are:

- An officially supported Catalina Mac with an HEVC encoder/decoder capable GPU (machines produced after 2016)
- An officially iPadOS 13 device (devices with native support to apple pencil typically produced after 2015)

But Sidecar, if applied a framework patch, can also work on:

- An officially supported Catalina Mac (without HEVC) but with an AirPlay Display/Video mirroring GPU (machines produced after 2011)
- iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 (and probably also iPad "non-Air" but capable to run iPadOS 13)

 

[EugW]

From what I understood, Sidecar requirements are:

- An officially supported Catalina Mac with an HEVC encoder/decoder capable GPU (machines produced after 2016)
- An officially iPadOS 13 device (devices produced after 2017)

But Sidecar, if applied a framework patch, can also work on:

- An officially supported Catalina Mac (without HEVC) but with an AirPlay Display/Video mirroring GPU (machines produced after 2011)
- iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4 (and probably also iPad "non-Air" but capable to run iPadOS 13)

iPadOS is officially supported on iPad Air 2, but iPad Air 2 doesn’t appear to be officially supported for Sidecar. This makes sense since iPad Air 2 doesn’t have a hardware HEVC decoder.

However, iPadOS and Sidecar do officially work on iPad 5th gen from 2017, and iPad Pro 1st gen from 2015.

BTW, it works beautifully on my iPad Pro 10.5 with 2017 MacBook, but only via a cable. I can’t seem to get it to work via WiFi.

 

[jackluke]

iPadOS is officially supported on iPad Air 2, but iPad Air 2 doesn’t appear to be officially supported for Sidecar. This makes sense since iPad Air 2 doesn’t have a hardware HEVC decoder.

However, iPadOS and Sidecar do officially work on iPad 5th gen from 2017, and iPad Pro 1st gen from 2015.

BTW, it works beautifully on my iPad Pro 10.5 with 2017 MacBook, but only via a cable. I can’t seem to get it to work via WiFi.

Which system error message you get when try to establish a wireless Sidecar between iPad Pro 10.5 and 2017 Macbook ?

If you get "A miscellaneous error occurred (32002)", then there are good chances that apple apple will fix it for the 10.15.0 final release.

 

[EugW]

Which system error message you get when try to establish a wireless Sidecar between iPad Pro 10.5 and 2017 Macbook ?

Says it timed out. Next time I will get a screengrab.

 

[jackluke]

Says it timed out. Next time I will get a screengrab.

I had the impression that to establish a wireless Sidecar is required a machine and iPadOS device both with Bluetooth 5.0 and 802.11ac Wifi card.

 

[r3sil3]

Latest beta updates on both MacOS and iOS - works for the first time. Then if you disconnect - you have to reboot the Macbook.

At least that's what it's doing for me.