46 MACWORLD MARCH 2020
iOSCENTRAL iPAD NEEDS TO EMBRACE MICE AND TRACKPADSBrydge is also releasing an iPadOS Trackpad for the iPad (go.macworld.com/itpd).
accessory that would blow away the
third-party accessory makers in terms of
quality—but the software needs an
upgrade to make it happen.
Finally, improving pointing-device
support could potentially open the door
for an entirely new category of device (go.
macworld.com/ncat) in the iOS family. An
iOS-based laptop would offer a rich app
ecosystem, a familiar touchscreen
interface, and presumably spectacular
battery life. Some people prefer the shape
of a laptop, but don’t need the features of
a Mac or PC. For them, an iOS laptop
could be a great product—and it would be
even better if it included a trackpad in
addition to a touchscreen.
When I’m working away from my iMac
Pro, I’m using an iPad Pro. I love its power
and flexibility. It can be a laptop when I
need it to be, and a tablet when I don’t.
The more flexible the iPad platform is, the
better. I hope Apple sees that and does
something about it in iPadOS 14. ■think. One of my friends uses a mouse
with his iPad all the time because of his
repetitive-strain injuries. In many ways, the
iPad is an ergonomic miracle because at
its core it’s just a screen—the user decides
how they want to use it. The more
flexibility it can offer, the better.
Looking more broadly at the iPad
product line, Apple has done a great job in
the last couple of years at bringing features
previously available only on the iPad Pro to
the rest of the iPad line. There’s Apple Pencil
support across the line and Smart Keyboard
support on the iPad and iPad Air. But the
iPad Pro still needs ways to differentiate itself
from the non-pro iPad models.
Improving support for pointing devices
will help companies like Brydge push the
boundaries of iPad accessories, yes—but
Apple could also benefit. Imagine a next-
generation Smart Keyboard that includes
cursor control, via a trackpad or other
touch-sensitive surface. I’m confident that
Apple could make a pro-level iPad