iPad & iPhone User - UK (2020-01)

OPINION

recognize when you’ve got an actual pointing device

attached and just behave like a normal web browser.

In iPadOS 13, external pointing device support has

to be awkwardly toggled on and off every time you want

to connect a device. The iPad should be able to sense

when a device is connected and use it automatically,

just like it works on a Mac.

So that’s a place to start with pointing device

support on iPadOS 14: Automatic recognition of

devices, support for text editing, support for trackpad

gestures, and support for Safari desktop browsing.

That’s the start of a good wish list. Here’s the

question, though: will Apple ever implement any of

these improvements, or does it consider the current

implementation one that’s good enough?

The benefits of pointing devices

The iPad is always going to be a touch-first tablet

device. As it should be. But over the years Apple has

expanded the input methods that are available for iPads

to include the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil. If

it embraces pointing devices a bit more, there are a lot

of potential benefits for Apple and the iPad platform

in general. First off, let’s go back to where this feature

comes from: Accessibility. Providing more ways for

users to use the iPad makes the iPad more usable. Every

body is different. Supporting a rich iPad experience with

external pointing devices could make the difference

between someone being able to use an iPad and not

being able to use one.

Let’s not forget, too, that accessibility reaches

different people in different ways – and more of them

OPINION

recognizewhenyou’vegotanactualpointingdevice

attachedandjustbehavelikeanormalwebbrowser.

IniPadOS13,externalpointingdevicesupporthas

tobeawkwardlytoggledonandoffeverytimeyouwant

toconnectadevice.TheiPadshouldbeabletosense

whenadeviceisconnectedanduseitautomatically,

justlikeitworksonaMac.

Sothat’saplacetostartwithpointingdevice

supportoniPadOS14:Automaticrecognitionof

devices,supportfortextediting,supportfortrackpad

gestures,andsupportforSafaridesktopbrowsing.

That’sthestartofagoodwishlist.Here’sthe

question,though:willAppleeverimplementanyof

theseimprovements,ordoesitconsiderthecurrent

implementationonethat’sgoodenough?

Thebenefitsof pointingdevices

TheiPadisalwaysgoingtobeatouch-firsttablet

device.Asitshouldbe.ButovertheyearsApplehas

expandedtheinputmethodsthatareavailableforiPads

toincludetheSmartKeyboardandtheApplePencil.If

itembracespointingdevicesabitmore,therearealot

ofpotentialbenefitsforAppleandtheiPadplatform

ingeneral.Firstoff,let’sgobacktowherethisfeature

comesfrom:Accessibility.Providingmorewaysfor

userstousetheiPadmakestheiPadmoreusable.Every

bodyisdifferent.SupportingarichiPadexperiencewith

externalpointingdevicescouldmakethedifference

betweensomeonebeingabletouseaniPadandnot

beingabletouseone.

Let’snotforget,too,thataccessibilityreaches

differentpeopleindifferentways–andmoreofthem