Apple adds mouse support to the iPad with iPadOS 13

WWDC 2019: Everything Apple announced and what really matters to business
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Apple didn’t spend any time during the WWDC keynote detailing an important feature that’s coming to the iPad when iPadOS 13 is released this fall: mouse support. More specifically, USB mouse support.

There had been rumors leading up to WWDC that the iPad would gain support for a tool that is a staple of any computer. The iPad isn’t a computer, but Apple has spent years positioning the iPad as a complete computer replacement for many. Arguably, for some the iPad is a more than capable computer. For others, requiring any selecting or scrolling to be done through the touch screen has been an area of frustration.

It appears that iPadOS 13 will include support for a USB mouse and trackpad as an accessibility feature. Developer Steve Stroughton-Smith has posted a video of the feature in action on Twitter.

According to Troughton-Smith, mouse support is an AssistiveTouch feature and also works when a Magic Trackpad is connected to the iPad.

In the short video, there’s a circular cursor that moves across the screen, acting as a finger would when touching the screen. It’s unclear how multi-touch gestures would work with a mouse pointer. Apple will release iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 through its public beta program in July, with an official release expected this fall.

Article source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-adds-mouse-support-to-the-ipad-with-ipados-13/#ftag=RSSbaffb68