iPad & iPhone User - UK (2020-01)

OPINION

much a first draft. It needs to continue pushing this

feature forward in iPadOS   14   – and in doing so, the

platform could reap some surprising rewards.

Mousing in iPadOS 13

In iOS 13, Apple added support for a cursor – with

caveats. If you attach a mouse to an iPad via USB or

Bluetooth and turn on Assistive Touch, you’ll see a

virtual finger on the screen (it’s a circle with a smaller

circle inside it) that you can move around with the

device. Even at its smallest size, it’s still pretty large

– but so is a fingertip.

Using a mouse with an iPad is a great way to

understand just how smart the operating system is

when it comes to understanding what you want to do

when you tap the screen with your big, fat fingers. As

a Mac user, I expect to need to click precisely the right

pixels on the screen or come away disappointed – but

on my iPad, if I click in the general vicinity it almost

invariably does the right thing.

Unfortunately, the fact the cursor is a virtual finger

is also a drawback. So many iPad interface features are

based on gestures, and it’s less fun to try to emulate

a flick of a finger with a mouse. Using a prototype of

Brydge’s keyboard/trackpad combo, which makes my

iPad feel very much like a MacBook, felt even worse

• because I expected to be able to use all the Magic
  Trackpad gestures I’ve internalized over the years, and
  they’re just not supported. (I’d love to connect a Magic
  Trackpad to an iPad and then swipe from app to app.)
  I’m also disappointed that iPadOS 13 doesn’t
  appropriately support the one cursor that’s been on

OPINION

muchafirstdraft.Itneedstocontinuepushingthis

featureforwardiniPadOS 14 – andindoingso,the

platformcouldreapsomesurprisingrewards.

MousinginiPadOS 13

IniOS13,Appleaddedsupportforacursor–with

caveats.IfyouattachamousetoaniPadviaUSBor

BluetoothandturnonAssistiveTouch,you’llseea

virtualfingeronthescreen(it’sacirclewithasmaller

circleinsideit)thatyoucanmovearoundwiththe

device.Evenatitssmallestsize,it’sstillprettylarge

• butsoisafingertip.
  UsingamousewithaniPadisagreatwayto
  understandjusthowsmarttheoperatingsystemis
  whenitcomestounderstandingwhatyouwanttodo
  whenyoutapthescreenwithyourbig,fatfingers.As
  aMacuser,Iexpecttoneedtoclickpreciselytheright
  pixelsonthescreenorcomeawaydisappointed–but
  onmyiPad,ifIclickinthegeneralvicinityitalmost
  invariablydoestherightthing.
  Unfortunately,thefactthecursorisavirtualfinger
  isalsoadrawback.SomanyiPadinterfacefeaturesare
  basedongestures,andit’slessfuntotrytoemulate
  aflickofafingerwithamouse.Usingaprototypeof
  Brydge’skeyboard/trackpadcombo,whichmakesmy
  iPadfeelverymuchlikeaMacBook,feltevenworse


• becauseIexpectedtobeabletousealltheMagic
  TrackpadgesturesI’veinternalizedovertheyears,and
  they’rejustnotsupported.(I’dlovetoconnectaMagic
  TrackpadtoaniPadandthenswipefromapptoapp.)
  I’malsodisappointedthatiPadOS 13 doesn’t
  appropriatelysupporttheonecursorthat’sbeenon