Apple Rumored to Add USB Mouse Support to iPad Pro as Accessibility Feature

[sracer]

Mouse input could fix a whole bunch of issues for a lot of people. There are things I could do right now with mouse input that I can't do properly now. And then there are other things I could do right now that I can do with touch but which would be a lot less annoying with mouse input.

Thank you for carrying the torch (explaining the value of mouse/trackpad support for iPads). I've done my share, but there are people who simply won't see the value of it until Apple does it. These very same people were against the idea of Apple producing a keyboard cover... until they did it... THEN it was a great thing. Same with the Apple Pencil.

If they release mouse support, as usual it won't be for existing devices anyway.
So... just a new feature to drive people to buy new iPads.

Speaking for myself, I'd be fine with that. I'd be ok with it being restricted to iPad Pros. Until Apple provides support for mice in iOS, I'll refrain from buying anything but the entry level iPads.

 

[Paul6s]

So if I have the 2015 iPad Pro am I S.O.L?

 

[EugW]

So if I have the 2015 iPad Pro am I S.O.L?

1. We don't know if this is for real yet.
2. If it is real, we don't know if it will be restricted to USB or not.
3. If it is real and is restricted to USB (which seems stupid), we don't know if it would be restricted USB-C iPads, or if other iPads could support it with the Lightning to USB dongle. Your 2015 does support that dongle though.

Personally, I believe that IF we get mouse/trackpad support, it will include Bluetooth devices.

 

[rowspaxe]

He didn't say otherwise. He said "people", not all people. And, he's 100% correct.

my comment:
"Possibly. but I think many people would be more productive if they carried a tablet and a laptop, esp designers"
Thanks for your non sequitur reponse

 

[Paul6s]

1. We don't know if this is for real yet.
2. If it is real, we don't know if it will be restricted to USB or not.
3. If it is real and is restricted to USB (which seems stupid), we don't know if it would be restricted USB-C iPads, or if other iPads could support it with the Lightning to USB dongle. Your 2015 does support that dongle though.

Personally, I believe that IF we get mouse/trackpad support, it will include Bluetooth devices.

I hope that I can get that feature. I love the iPad Pro and all but I really miss the mouse feature.

 

[BvizioN]

I have an Apple Pencil. It's pretty much useless as a mouse substitute.

Yeah, I have an Apple pencil too. Does pretty much what a computer mouse invented around 60 years ago does, and much much more. But that is just me. I realize that different people have different abilities to adapt to new things.

 

[rowspaxe]

Yeah, I have an Apple pencil too. Does pretty much what a computer mouse invented around 60 years ago does, and much much more. But that is just me. I realize that different people have different abilities to adapt to new things.

A mouse/trackpad functions in an abstracted 2 dimensional plane. A pencil works in direct three dimensional space.
They do not do the "same thing". No one ever got "gorilla arm" using a mouse

 

[dcopelandia]

Love the picture of HP mouse instead of an Apple mouse ROFL

 

[Macalway]

No, having USB mouse support when you have bluetooth would be beyond stupid.

That would come later once it's accepted. There must be contention in the ranks, and we should take what we can get....for now

 

[jeremiah256]

Mouseketeers FTW if true.

I've been using two portable solutions, the 2015 iPad Pro 9.7" and a 2015 MacBook. I'd really love to go down to one device and a mouse/trackpad enabled iPad Pro would be almost perfect.

 

[mjbadagliacco]

On the latest episode of the Connected podcast on Relay FM, MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci suggested that USB mouse support could eventually be coming to the iPad Pro as an accessibility feature.

"What I heard is without adapters, you will be able to use any USB mouse on your iPad, but as an accessibility device," said Viticci. "The iPad Pro has a USB-C port, so just plug in a USB mouse and if you have physical impairments, if you have any other kinds of motor impairments, just use a USB mouse in accessibility mode."

It has long been possible to use a compatible adaptive accessory like a joystick or trackball with Apple's accessibility feature AssistiveTouch to control an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, but USB mouse support would seemingly eliminate the need for any specialized hardware or adapters.

Viticci cautions this is something he "heard months ago" and he isn't sure "if it'll happen," but as noted by iDownloadBlog, well-known developer Steve Troughton-Smith tweeted that "as far as I'm aware, that is indeed in the works."

​

As noted by Viticci, this wouldn't be the first time Apple enables a feature "under the catch-all umbrella of accessibility." Any user would presumably be able to toggle on USB mouse support in the Settings app, with Troughton-Smith adding that "I feel like every pro user will turn that on, day one."

In a follow-up tweet, Troughton-Smith speculated that iOS could perhaps have "a small circle or dot" for a cursor rather than a traditional pointer, but the exact implementation of mouse support if any remains to be seen.

No specific timeframe has been provided for USB mouse support on the iPad, but it could presumably be added as early as iOS 13, which is expected to be unveiled at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The software update should be publicly released in September alongside new iPhones.

Listen to Connected on Relay FM. Viticci's remarks about the potential for USB mouse support on the iPad begin at the 1:08:35 mark.

Article Link: Apple Rumored to Add USB Mouse Support to iPad Pro as Accessibility Feature

[doublepost=1556067018][/doublepost]It is crazy that Apple does not allow for at least the Apple Magic Mouse to be supported! I have been waiting for iPad to have mouse support since, well, since the iPad Air2 came out... CRAZY that it is not an option!

 

[richpjr]

If this is true, and it's clearly a big if, the reaction of all the people who have posted so many times about how mice aren't needed and will never come on an iPad will be priceless. I think some heads may explode!

 

[derekamoss]

Mouse input could fix a whole bunch of issues for a lot of people. There are things I could do right now with mouse input that I can't do properly now. And then there are other things I could do right now that I can do with touch but which would be a lot less annoying with mouse input.

You are right and I used the word enhance when I shouldn't have. Adding Support will enhance the workflow to make it more accommodating and easier but it is not adding any functunality that you didnt already have to the iPad. It's just letting you do the same thing you already can do in a different way. Even if Apple opens iPads up to External USB Hardrives iOS still sucks at being a true productive enviroment.

Since Apple has made the iPad, how many features have they targeted towards just making the Ipad to make it really more productive other than adding a pleathora of emojji in the software updates. The only time Apple has done anything to make the iPad more "productive' is in response to rival companies and mostly the Surface Pro. Two windows on a screen (which should have come a long time ago) only came after Surface started picking up steam. A Stylus, Only after the Surface Started taking off as well. An external keyboard cover, only after EVERYONE who made any type of tablet product was doing it already and just now USB Mouse support and then you have to buy a usb hub to have a usb keyboard and mouse attached at the same time. I am sure apple will come out with one that is very affordable compared to one at walmart after All of these have been a staple of any tablet form factor running windows in the past 7 years.

 

[BvizioN]

A mouse/trackpad functions in an abstracted 2 dimensional plane. A pencil works in direct three dimensional space.
They do not do the "same thing". No one ever got "gorilla arm" using a mouse

Why would anyone get a gorilla arm using a tablet on the way it is intended to be used? Do you get gorilla arm when you write a book or draw on a sheet of paper? I don't know how other people use tablets but I personally have it on my palm, or lap and using the pencil feels completely natural. For the desk experience, I have a desktop, and that has a mouse, and it should because when I am using that, the distance of the monitor is greater than the distance I would have the tablet, therefore touchscreen would not be too practical for me. But mouse on a tablet, in the way I use tablet is a NO NO for me. When it comes to other people...well! It wouldn't surprise me if some people would ask for a mouse on a smartphone also. I have read all sorts, so nothing surprises me anymore.

 

[rowspaxe]

Why would anyone get a gorilla arm using a tablet on the way it is intended to be used? Do you get gorilla arm when you write a book or draw on a sheet of paper? I don't know how other people use tablets but I personally have it on my palm, or lap and using the pencil feels completely natural. For the desk experience, I have a desktop, and that has a mouse, and it should because when I am using that, the distance of the monitor is greater than the distance I would have the tablet, therefore touchscreen would not be too practical for me. But mouse on a tablet, in the way I use tablet is a NO NO for me.

Most people doing productivity tasks with the ipad will be using it with the keyboard cover. Sorry
if this a no no.

 

[jeremiah256]

Why would anyone get a gorilla arm using a tablet on the way it is intended to be used? Do you get gorilla arm when you write a book or draw on a sheet of paper? I don't know how other people use tablets but I personally have it on my palm, or lap and using the pencil feels completely natural. For the desk experience, I have a desktop, and that has a mouse, and it should because when I am using that, the distance of the monitor is greater than the distance I would have the tablet, therefore touchscreen would not be too practical for me. But mouse on a tablet, in the way I use tablet is a NO NO for me. When it comes to other people...well! It wouldn't surprise me if some people would ask for a mouse on a smartphone also. I have read all sorts, so nothing surprises me anymore.

As stated in the article, while you don't have mobility issues, this will allow those that do to use an iPad more easily. Here's a link to a collection of Apple curated videos on their efforts. They're pretty cool. Apple has always led the way in making their products available to all of humanity (for a price).

And speaking of price, not everyone has the disposable income to have separate devices for separate use cases.

The use cases you listed are primarily working with photos and videos. And you're right, the Apple Pencil is a fantastic tool for audio visual work. But for productivity uses, when you have your iPad connected to an Apple Smart Keyboard, a mouse or track pad would increase productivity. Even in your use case, if someone with poor eyesight or not, wanted to use their iPad with a larger display, using a mouse pointer on the larger display is much more efficient than having to continuously look down at the iPad then back to the screen.

 

[iZac]

Maybe they'll put this setting right next to Dark Mode.

 

[EugW]

Yeah, I have an Apple pencil too. Does pretty much what a computer mouse invented around 60 years ago does, and much much more. But that is just me. I realize that different people have different abilities to adapt to new things.

I guess you haven't bothered reading the other posts as to why a stylus can be problematic as a replacement for a mouse, but I'm not surprised. Some people just believe their way must be the only proper way. This is very well illustrated by your subsequent post:

Why would anyone get a gorilla arm using a tablet on the way it is intended to be used? Do you get gorilla arm when you write a book or draw on a sheet of paper? I don't know how other people use tablets but I personally have it on my palm, or lap and using the pencil feels completely natural. For the desk experience, I have a desktop, and that has a mouse, and it should because when I am using that, the distance of the monitor is greater than the distance I would have the tablet, therefore touchscreen would not be too practical for me. But mouse on a tablet, in the way I use tablet is a NO NO for me. When it comes to other people...well! It wouldn't surprise me if some people would ask for a mouse on a smartphone also. I have read all sorts, so nothing surprises me anymore.

---

The use cases you listed are primarily working with photos and videos. And you're right, the Apple Pencil is a fantastic tool for audio visual work. But for productivity uses, when you have your iPad connected to an Apple Smart Keyboard, a mouse or track pad would increase productivity. Even in your use case, if someone with poor eyesight or not, wanted to use their iPad with a larger display, using a mouse pointer on the larger display is much more efficient than having to continuously look down at the iPad then back to the screen.

Also, if you're using an external large display, you can't use touch to interact with elements directly on that display either if the display doesn't support touch.

 

[Mike Reed]

I’m not against the idea of a mouse in iOS necessarily - I probably wouldn’t use it myself but it wouldn’t bother me if it existed for others with different use cases. One concern I do have though is that it shouldn’t lead to apps with UIs that are designed around mouse input with touch as a second class citizen. I feel like in that case many of the arguments against a touch screen MacBook would equally apply, though in a different direction.

Personally I feel like a mouse would be a whole different beast than the keyboard and pencil accessories that exist now. The pencil makes sense to me because it completes the paper metaphor - it enables me to take handwritten notes, draw and paint, and importantly - doodle during long meetings. (I’ve wanted a good stylus for writing/doodling since the first iPad) The keyboard makes sense since I’m faster with physical keys and it clears up screen real estate. The mouse feels counter to the system wide interaction model of iOS. It feels like rather than refining the idea of a tablet it’s more geared toward bringing parity with OSX.

 

[YaBe]

FINALLY!

 

[Mark Holmes]

Yes. Please.

 

[LiveM]

I've never wanted to plug a mouse into my iPad. I HAVE, however, wanted to plug USB storage into my iPad and iPhone.

I'd love to be able to plug in a thumbdrive and see it pop up in the Files app. I'm sure a lot of us feel the same way, and hope Apple finally adds this capability in iOS 13.

The capability is already there, I believe. My understanding is that it just needs the drive makers to make them compatible.
[doublepost=1556087049][/doublepost]

Steve Jobs must be upside down in his grave !

He's rolled so far that he's back the right way now. This is what got him upside down:

 

[Aston441]

When Apple allows you to use a keyboard, mouse and monitor with their phones I'll be willing to spend over $1000 for an iPhone.

Imagine in the future the only computer you need is your phone which you carry around in your pocket. When you get home you dock it (wired/ wirelessly ) and use it like a computer.

I had a moto razr that did that 8 years ago. No one cared.

[doublepost=1556093341][/doublepost]

I hope that I can get that feature. I love the iPad Pro and all but I really miss the mouse feature.

Multitasking... Mouse... Oh wait, has anyone mentioned adding a real filesystem yet? Like what EVERY operating system except iOS has had since the 1950s?

 

[dilbert99]

Hell has frozen over - Apple giving iPad mouse support, how will all the diehard fans spin this one?

Finally the iPad will have a chance of becoming a proper production capable computer rather than just a consumption device.

 

[jmgregory1]

I didn’t read through all the comments here, but an easy answer for giving the iPad mouse / trackpad-like accessibility is to make the space bar on the Folio Keyboard Cover act exactly like the onscreen space bar works on iPhone. I love using this function on my iPhone and it would make working on the iPad that much easier and more productive - as I write this on my 12.9” 2018 iPad Pro and keyboard folio.