But Apple could do a little better. iPadOS 13
revealed an Apple that’s willing to include features like
mouse support that would have seemed unthinkable in
iPads only a couple of years before. Apple should keep
the ball rolling now that it’s set it in motion.
Here are a few suggestions for how Apple could go
about that. I don’t want Apple to sacrifice the iPad’s
identity as a device with more versatility than, say, a
Microsoft Surface, so you won’t catch me saying that
Apple should just let us boot macOS on its tablet.
If Apple takes these steps, though, I’d be willing to
consider ditching my MacBook for good.- Better mouse support
You can finally use a mouse with the iPad, and
– surprise – the world hasn’t ended. Now it’s time
to make it better. Apple could start by letting you
change the pointer to look more like the arrow-shaped
pointer you find on the Mac. As it is, Apple promotes
mouse support on the iPad as an Accessibility feature
called AssistiveTouch, so instead of a true pointer you
have to deal with a big circle that’s meant to mimic
a fingerprint. Considering that you can be far more
precise with an Apple Pencil with the same interface,
though, there’s no reason why Apple can’t make the
iPad’s pointer design smaller and more familiar.
Apple could also introduce support for more buttons
on mice and the ability to use the scroll gesture on the
Magic Mouse 2. It’d also be nice to have a way to easily
turn off the AssistiveTouch menu when you’re done
using the mouse. Some users make their own Shortcuts
that show up in the home page’s widget section, but
ButApplecoulddoalittlebetter.iPadOS 13
revealedanApplethat’swillingtoincludefeatureslike
mousesupportthatwouldhaveseemedunthinkablein
iPadsonlyacoupleofyearsbefore.Appleshouldkeep
theballrollingnowthatit’ssetitinmotion.
HereareafewsuggestionsforhowApplecouldgo
aboutthat.Idon’twantAppletosacrificetheiPad’s
identityasadevicewithmoreversatilitythan,say,a
MicrosoftSurface,soyouwon’tcatchmesayingthat
AppleshouldjustletusbootmacOSonitstablet.
IfAppletakesthesesteps,though,I’dbewillingto
considerditchingmyMacBookforgood.
1.Bettermousesupport
YoucanfinallyuseamousewiththeiPad,and
- surprise–theworldhasn’tended.Nowit’stime
tomakeitbetter.Applecouldstartbylettingyou
changethepointertolookmorelikethearrow-shaped
pointeryoufindontheMac.Asitis,Applepromotes
mousesupportontheiPadasanAccessibilityfeature
calledAssistiveTouch,soinsteadofatruepointeryou
haveto dealwithabigcirclethat’smeanttomimic
afingerprint.Consideringthatyoucanbefarmore
precisewithanApplePencilwiththesameinterface,
though,there’snoreasonwhyApplecan’tmakethe
iPad’spointerdesignsmallerand morefamiliar.
Applecouldalsointroducesupportformorebuttons
onmiceandtheabilitytousethescrollgestureonthe
MagicMouse2.It’dalsobenicetohaveawaytoeasily
turnofftheAssistiveTouchmenuwhenyou’redone
usingthemouse.SomeusersmaketheirownShortcuts
thatshowupinthehomepage’swidgetsection,but