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macOS Catalina's 'Sidecar' Feature for Turning the iPad Into a Second Display Limited to Newer Macs
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I hope I'm wrong, but I'm getting a "this feature has been delayed" feel to this feature. Like it will take another 6-8 months before we see it rolled out kinda thing.
So, as someone who generally works at a desk, with 2x 24" 4K displays (but not doing anything graphics intensive - mostly lots of code, and terminal windows/tabs), I wonder if this would be a suitable "expansion" of the MBP display when I need to work away from the desk. I'm not bothered if it needs to be plugged in to be responsive, and I'd likely not really use the iPad as input - I just want a display I can take with me on the road, that's not crap resolution (as most "portable" displays seem to be).
I think so. You can send a window to the iPad by hovering over the full screen stop light indicator.
Finally, the one thing I’ve wanted most since day 1 of the iPad.
Unfortunately, it comes on an OS that breaks the only Wacoms drivers that work with mice. So we can use an iPad as a graphics tablet for illustration work, but to do it we have to throw out our Wacom Digitizers and programmable mice we use for everything else.
Not that it’s Apple or Microsoft’s responsibility to provide drivers for other companies old hardware, but since Wacom is a derelict company in terms of drivers, has a patent stranglehold on the digitizer market, is ubiquitous among graphics people, and enjoys its biggest adoption rate among Mac users, perhaps Apple could find it within themselves to just have a Utility like the old Joystick Mapper, where you can plug any old USB input device into it, and on an even basic level identify clicks and program them as shortcuts, toggles, menus etc... like a better touch tool for everything else.
Actually, the list of hardware that’s not going to get driver updates because it was only made for a few years, before 64bit, or because the companies are gone, is rather long. Mojave forever I guess..
Unfortunately, it comes on an OS that breaks the only Wacoms drivers that work with mice. So we can use an iPad as a graphics tablet for illustration work, but to do it we have to throw out our Wacom Digitizers and programmable mice we use for everything else.
Not that it’s Apple or Microsoft’s responsibility to provide drivers for other companies old hardware, but since Wacom is a derelict company in terms of drivers, has a patent stranglehold on the digitizer market, is ubiquitous among graphics people, and enjoys its biggest adoption rate among Mac users, perhaps Apple could find it within themselves to just have a Utility like the old Joystick Mapper, where you can plug any old USB input device into it, and on an even basic level identify clicks and program them as shortcuts, toggles, menus etc... like a better touch tool for everything else.
Actually, the list of hardware that’s not going to get driver updates because it was only made for a few years, before 64bit, or because the companies are gone, is rather long. Mojave forever I guess..
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Disappointing that I won't be able to use Sidecar with my late 2013 Mac Pro OR my late 2013 iMac. Only my iPad qualifies, it seems.
Honestly folks can any of you say you’re surprised? It wouldn’t be Apple-like if they didn’t limit a new killer app to recent devices.
My 2016 15” MBP just barely made the cut. But no activation lock since it has the T1 but the T2 does have its issues that the T1 doesn’t.
My 2016 15” MBP just barely made the cut. But no activation lock since it has the T1 but the T2 does have its issues that the T1 doesn’t.
Why exactly does the Side car needs a crap keyboard macbook?
Apple in macOS Catalina introduced a new feature called Sidecar, which is designed to turn an iPad into a second display for a Mac, either extending what's on the screen or mirroring the content.
Apple hasn't yet provided details on which devices will work with Sidecar, but developer Steve Troughton-Smith was able to find some details by digging into macOS Catalina's code.
As it turns out, Sidecar is limited to many of Apple's newer Macs, and the devices listed below will be able to use it.
[*]Late 2015 27" iMac or newer
[*]2017 iMac Pro
[*]Mid 2016 MacBook Pro or newer
[*]Late 2018 Mac mini or newer
[*]Late 2018 MacBook Air or newer
[*]Early 2016 MacBook or newer
[*]2019 Mac Pro
It's not clear if this is a complete list, but Troughton-Smith says a long list of older machines are blacklisted from taking advantage of the feature. Some older Macs that are not greenlit for Sidecar can still use the feature via the Terminal command provided by Troughton-Smith, but there's no complete list on exactly which older Macs the Terminal command works with.
There's no word on whether all iPads will work with Sidecar, or if there will be limitations on that end as well. iPadOS, required for Sidecar, runs on The iPad Air 2 and later, the iPad mini 4 and later, the 5th-generation iPad and later, and all iPad Pro models.
The oldest of these iPads, the iPad mini 4 and the iPad Air 2, use A8 and A8X chips respectively, while the newer models all use more powerful chips.
Update: According to a MacRumors reader who has used the feature, Sidecar works well with the iPad Air 2, which means it should also work with all other iPads that are compatible with iOS 13.
Article Link: macOS Catalina's 'Sidecar' Feature for Turning the iPad Into a Second Display Limited to Newer Macs
Based on previous posts, the reason can be summarised as the MacBook processor on newer Macs support hardware encoding and decoding that will help users see a smooth and great image on the Mac.
For users who have an unsupported Mac, duet or Luna display will be a powerful alternative and both solutions achieve what sidecar is doing and they can potentially do more.
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I'm a little bummed that my Mid-2014 MBP won't get to play, but I still love Astropad, so all is well. I refuse to get a new Mac until they give me something worth upgrading for.
I got Sidecar working on my mid-2012 through a Terminal command. I'll link you the website I found it on.
https://www.imore.com/how-use-sidecar-older-macs
Don't buy a Mac until Apple pulls its head out and decides to provide a keyboard that works.
Ok, I used the terminal command to get sidecar to exist on my mid 2014 Mbp. However, it is not connecting to my iPad. My ipad is a 6, less than a year old, running the iPadOS beta. I have tried signing in/out of icloud, I have tried restarting. I have connected the two w/ Bluetooth, Made sure they were on the same WiFi network, everything I can think of. Still sidecar says ‘no Devices’. What am I missing?
I've verified on the release drops of Catalina and iOS 13.1.2 that Sidecar is not supported for a specific alternative configuration. I attempted to engage Sidecar using the defaults write command to enable an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Mid 2015), wanting to work against a iPad mini 4. AirPlay sees some Apple TVs I have, but not the mini. They are connected via Bluetooth and a common 5 GHz WiFi network.
That’s exactly what they’re doing. If the hardware can support it, there’s no reason to blacklist it other than to attempt to sell more laptops. There is no reason to ignore touches and only allow Apple Pencil to work with it other than to attempt to sell more pencils. Not allowing touch is even worse than the laptop limitations if you ask me. that’s just crazy. Why the hell not allow touch!!! Again, to sell pencils. They took headphone jacks away to sell more accessories and Air Pods. Wouldn’t put it past them to take speakers out next forcing Air Pods.
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But there is.... they want to sell more laptops.