Apple in iPadOS 13 introduced support for external mice as an Accessibility feature, and in iPadOS 14, Apple is set to expand cursor support to make using a mouse or a trackpad on iPadOS similar to using a mouse or trackpad on the Mac.
Apple is rumored to be working on a Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro that includes a trackpad that will work with the new cursor capabilities, and code found in leaked iOS 14 snippets shared by 9to5Mac provides details on some of the functionality we can expect.
- No Persistent Cursor - When using a trackpad or mouse with an iOS device, the cursor will disappear after a few seconds of not being used, unlike on a Mac where the cursor is always visible. It will reappear after the trackpad or mouse is activated again.
- Multiple Pointers - As on the Mac, you'll see multiple pointers depending on what you're doing. A standard arrow pointer will be visible most of the time, but it will switch to a hand when overing over links.
- Right-Click - Gestures will be supported, such as a tap with two fingers to right click.
- Tap to Click - Tap to Click, a feature present on the Mac's trackpad, will also be available on the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard trackpad.
Code in iOS 14 allegedly contains references to two new Smart Keyboard model identifiers, which suggests that the Smart Keyboard with Trackpad will be available for multiple iPad models. That could perhaps mean the 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models.
While there's no detail on the physical shape of the accessories, the functionality suggests the upcoming Smart Keyboards will feature a standard laptop-like design that includes a keyboard above the trackpad.
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