Using an external pointing device can help make the iPad a better
device. Jason Snell reports
E
arlier this year, Brydge, the company that makes
my favourite add-on keyboard for the iPad,
announced a new iPad Pro accessory that includes
both a keyboard and a trackpad. Adding external
pointing devices to the iPad wasn’t possible until iOS
13 added support for Bluetooth mice as a part of the
Assistive Touch suite of accessibility features.
While some will consider the mere possibility of
adding a mouse or trackpad to an iPad to be sacrilege, I
prefer to see it as an additional option that can improve
the iPad’s flexibility in certain circumstances. However,
Apple’s support for external pointing devices is very
Why the iPad needs to
embrace mice and trackpads
UsinganexternalpointingdevicecanhelpmaketheiPadabetter
device.Jason Snell reports
E
arlierthisyear,Brydge,thecompanythatmakes
myfavouriteadd-onkeyboardfortheiPad,
announcedanewiPadProaccessorythatincludes
bothakeyboardandatrackpad.Addingexternal
pointingdevicestotheiPadwasn’tpossibleuntiliOS
13 addedsupportforBluetoothmiceasapartofthe
AssistiveTouchsuiteofaccessibilityfeatures.
Whilesomewillconsiderthemerepossibilityof
addingamouseortrackpadtoaniPadtobesacrilege,I
prefertoseeitasanadditionaloptionthatcanimprove
theiPad’sflexibilityincertaincircumstances.However,
Apple’ssupportforexternalpointingdevicesisvery
Why the iPad needs to
embrace mice and trackpads
