“Apple’s iPads have plenty of computing power, but they’ve always lacked one key feature that would make them legitimate laptop replacements.,” Phillip Tracy writes for LAPTOP. “Fortunately, that shortcoming could soon be a thing of the past.”
“According to developer and leaker Steve Troughton-Smith (reported by BGR), mouse and trackpad support could be arriving on iPads with the forthcoming launch of iOS 13,” Tracy writes. “That claim followed a bombshell statement by MacStories editor-in-chief Federico Viticci, who, citing multiple unnamed sources, sparked the rumor on his Connected podcast that Apple would bring mouse and trackpad support to iPads in iOS 13.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iPad already are and have long been real laptop replacements for millions upon millions of users, but, sure, this will help prompt other, more-demanding users to seriously consider leaving their MacBooks at home and traveling with their iPads and iPad Pros instead.
SEE ALSO:
Mouse and trackpad support coming to iPad in iOS 13? – April 23, 2019
Could…………….. Ya, we’ll see.
I for one, is/are not too optimistic.
But if they’re too, it will certainly be a step in the right direction.
“Am”, I believe the word you were looking for was “am”.
“I, for one, am not too optimistic.”
Did I miss something? Do iPads have a real file system now?
Until I can file hundreds of files under a CLIENT instead of under eight different programs, the answer is a big NO.
The iPad’s file system is real.
In iOS 12 there is a new app called Folder where you can see how files such as documents are stored including those on cloud services. It will not display system files or media files associated with iTunes, TV, Photos and apps that may store protected content.
You can even create Folders in it to organize your files. The only thing it does not do is access external storage devices. Here’s to hoping that they at least add that capability to the iPad Pro via USB C or wirelessly through a shared drive.
Its just hidden from the user and handicapped to prevent file transfers to/from a central file repository accessible from all apps. What a wonderful file system.
Steve Jobs grew up with Gene Roddenberry and got his ideas from Star Trek, hence his iPads.
MDN should stop posting articles like this. iOS is not, never has been, and never will be a Personal Computer OS. Apple offers that with the Mac. Thin client computers are fine for people willing to deal with all the limitations but they are fundamentally different. Stop pretending iOS is a replacement for the Mac. Even Cook knows deep down it isn’t.
Give it a core, robust user manageable file/folder sys.. (basically the equivalent of the finder)… with a consistent UI across the board, accessible from all apps for all types of files and remove restriction to external drives……..And it will be! Those are the biggest handicaps.
A sales engineer I work with started using iPad Pro 11″ instead of a laptop for his work. Writing docs, presentations emails etc.
It is already pro-enough for several professional’s needs, especially “business” professionals… as in not artists, programmers, creative types. No it won’t ever replace a Mac but its not supposed to. There is a middle ground that suits the pro needs of many people.
Add a properly accessible file system and mouse support and it will be an even better “Pro” device than it is now, for users like my colleague.
“‘As in not artists, creative types “??
I respectfully disagree.. it is actually very well suited for art and creative work ..way more so than typing intensive tasks….as the directness of the interactivity with the pencil and touch and the immediacy of the tablet are way superior to mouse/touchpad and keyboard on a desktop.
Give it a couple more years and i believe even in 3d animation area it will shine. ( not for rendering massive projects … but most everything else )
Its just a different paradigm… I absolutely love it….. (just that damn bogus file sys ..grrrr)
I think @ivid meant that when most people think professional user on an iPad, they think creative stuff. Not ordinary business stuff. I use my iPad Pro 11 daily using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams. It does 90% of what I need it to do but there still some limitations. I’m hoping that with iOS 13 that Microsoft intends to release more features in their O365 apps for that last 10% of the common user.
As a remote worker, I love the iPad Pro because I use it to join online meetings and collaboration sessions while being able to walk around and get way more steps in.
And doesn’t a laptop do it all without the restrictions? And more?
This isn’t as much about mobile devices working with a mouse (or a more integrated file system) as it is about Macs being better able to run iOS.