All iPads Desktop iPad Setup - Versatility

[foreteller]

I have the iPad Air 3 256GB hooked up to a 24" HP 1080p monitor with the Digital AV to Lightning adapter, Logitech K380 keyboard and Microsoft 3600 mouse. I was ready to call it a quits on the iPad only lifestyle and was researching Windows notebooks but having finally tried mouse support despite being against the need for it on iOS beyond accessibility, it completed the picture of this versatile, all-in-one now hybrid computing setup.

I loved the unrivalled portability of the iPad form factor and relaxing with it but when it came to these winter nights, sitting in at home with nothing much to do sitting at a comfortable desk and being able to type for long periods and multitask with media on the corner of the screen became an ergonomic disaster that I was beginning to resent. Desktop use was previously impossible with iPad, without being as much of an ergonomic disaster reaching for the screen, and because of that, looking at the screen and not the external monitor.. that's all solved now. It's truly amazing to me. I can unplug it and go anytime, in a moments notice.

Whilst not perfect, I now have the use of a desktop setup, large display and also an ultra portable tablet and, for times when it suits, propping the iPad up and using the keyboard on another desk similar to a laptop..

Some improvements I'd like to see:

- iPad being able to take up the full display
- Windowed mode but ONLY when plugged into an external display AND a mouse and choosing to NOT mirror in the iPads aspect ratio as todays external display experience goes
- Further refined keyboard shortcuts
- Lower latency for Bluetooth mice
- Default right click~long press gesture to make it easier for beginners


This could then rival Samsung DeX, and surpass it with better apps and support, as the only thing DeX has currently is windowed mode and 'proper' full display support. It's all in software. Could iOS 14 bring any of these?

 

[The Samurai]

Great post.

- one should be able to turn natural scrolling off, I hate it on the Mac too and have to adjust it each time I get a new one
- external display support should deffo go 'pro' as you mention
- an advanced printing options would be welcome (do not point me to Printer Pro app)
- file system support isn't fully there, yet.

 

[AutomaticApple]

- one should be able to turn natural scrolling off, I hate it on the Mac too and have to adjust it each time I get a new one

This is by far my biggest gripe.

 

[subjonas]

I don’t see Apple adding things like windowed apps and changing aspect ratio to fill out monitors any time soon. There are certain functions that Apple believes fit the Mac’s identity and go against the iPad’s identity (and vice versa). These seem like some of those things. Pretty sure in your case Apple would rather you buy a Mac mini and sync devices.

 

[The Samurai]

I don’t see Apple adding things like windowed apps and changing aspect ratio to fill out monitors any time soon. There are certain functions that Apple believes fit the Mac’s identity and go against the iPad’s identity (and vice versa). These seem like some of those things. Pretty sure in your case Apple would rather you buy a Mac mini and sync devices.

Why would they add external monitor support when they weren't going to enhance it down the line and same with iOS - why introduce an iPad specific OS when the normal iOS was working fine? It is precisely to make it better and Apple is known for making baby steps (keyboard support, USB storage, half arsed attempt at a mouse etc...)

 

[subjonas]

Why would they add external monitor support when they weren't going to enhance it down the line and same with iOS - why introduce an iPad specific OS when the normal iOS was working fine? It is precisely to make it better and Apple is known for making baby steps (keyboard support, USB storage, half arsed attempt at a mouse etc...)

I think these things were added to fill specific purposes that many people require in order to use the iPad for work and productivity, but Apple reserves the “traditional desktop” experience (eg. full mouse and full external monitor functionality) for the Mac.
So the way I see it, Apple keeps certain functions separate between Mac and iPad—those that are core to their identity—but they also like to REALLY toe the line. IMO, external monitor support wasn’t added to iPads (and iPhones via adapter I believe) with the intention of ever making the iPad a good traditional desktop experience; it was added for certain apps that benefit from a second bigger display, such as presenting slides in Powerpoint or video playback in Luma. Even mirroring the entire iPad screen I believe is for general presentation purposes. When paired with the mouse accessibility function, it can be used to finagle the iPad into a sort of desktop, but this is why it appears to be an incomplete attempt—because it wasn’t really designed for that. I don’t see Apple as a company who half-asses their products. They usually strive for excellence. I think if it seems half-assed, it’s because they weren’t trying to do what we wanted them to do. I don’t think these are baby steps toward a long term far-off goal; I think it’s Apple just fiddling with their theoretical line between Mac and iPad, and pushing the iPad up to it as far as they feel comfortable.

As far as ipadOS, it seems to me just a name change. For years the iPad has been getting new iPad-specific features in iOS. This update seems to just carry on the same tradition, not fundamentally different, so it seems more likely to me that Apple probably just thought it was as good as time as any to change the name. I don’t think it signifies a new direction or acceleration of the iPad. ipadOS is still just iOS with extra features to make use of the bigger screen, as it has always been.