iPADthat Apple likely never intended us to use the Magic
Mouse 2 with the iPad in the first place. As much as I
hate to admit it, the Switch Control back door might
have been something that slipped under Apple’s radar.
So instead our only options are either to use another
company’s mouse or to pair our iPads with an 11-year-
old Apple mouse. And it’s not like the Magic Mouse
is all that useful on the iPad anyway, regardless of
generation. Apple didn’t bother to include support for
the Magic Mouse’s touch-based scroll gesture on the
iPad, so unless you’re using a mouse with an actual
scroll wheel, you’re stuck clicking on the screen and
pulling down, much as you would if you were using your
finger (but far more awkwardly). Apple’s mouse might
look elegant, but it’s about the most inelegant means
of interacting with its tablet.
And that’s a real shame. Users have embraced mouse
support on the iPad in a big way, and you don’t have to
dig far in order to find people showing off how they’ve
made their iPads work (sort of) like a laptop or desktop
computer. The Magic Mouse 2 itself easily fits in your
pocket – probably better than any other mouse – so it
complements the portability we should associate with
the iPad. In a logical world, it should be the perfect
mouse for Apple’s tablet. As it is, we have an expensive
reminder that Apple would really prefer that you not
use a mouse with your iPad, thank you very much.
Mouse support for the iPad might have been one of
the features that most excited users, but it’s important
to remember that Apple always considered it an
Accessibility option rather than a key feature. Apple
didn’t say a word about it during its big iPad speechiPAD
thatApplelikelyneverintendedustousetheMagic
Mouse 2 withtheiPadinthefirstplace.AsmuchasI
hatetoadmitit,theSwitchControlbackdoormight
havebeensomethingthatslippedunderApple’sradar.
Soinsteadouronlyoptionsareeithertouseanother
company’smouseortopairouriPadswithan11-year-
oldApplemouse.Andit’snotliketheMagicMouse
isallthatusefulontheiPadanyway,regardlessof
generation.Appledidn’tbothertoincludesupportfor
theMagicMouse’stouch-basedscrollgestureonthe
iPad,sounlessyou’reusingamousewithanactual
scrollwheel,you’restuckclickingonthescreenand
pullingdown,muchasyouwouldifyouwereusingyour
finger(butfarmoreawkwardly).Apple’smousemight
lookelegant,butit’saboutthemostinelegantmeans
of interactingwithitstablet.
Andthat’sarealshame.Usershaveembracedmouse
supportontheiPadinabigway,andyoudon’thaveto
digfarinordertofindpeopleshowingoffhowthey’ve
madetheiriPadswork(sortof)likealaptopordesktop
computer.TheMagicMouse 2 itselfeasilyfitsinyour
pocket–probablybetterthananyothermouse–soit
complementstheportabilityweshouldassociatewith
theiPad.Inalogicalworld,itshouldbetheperfect
mouseforApple’stablet.Asitis,wehaveanexpensive
reminderthatApplewouldreallypreferthatyounot
useamousewithyouriPad,thankyouverymuch.
MousesupportfortheiPadmighthavebeenoneof
thefeaturesthatmostexcitedusers,butit’simportant
torememberthatApplealwaysconsidereditan
Accessibilityoptionratherthanakeyfeature.Apple
didn’tsayawordaboutitduringitsbigiPadspeech