Q: Mouse support for iPad pro

It probably never will.  Tim Cook has been adamant in keeping the iPad line completely separate form the MacBook Line.   The iPad is not desinged the same way as a Windows Tablet.

As Tim Cook put it, the Windows tablet does not know what it wants to be, and merging them together means sacrifices to one or the other.

Tim Cook said:

 

"Anything can be forced to converge, but the problem is that products are about tradeoffs, and you begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left doesn't please anyone," Cook said. "You can converge a toaster and a refrigerator, but those things are probably not going be pleasing to the user."

http://www.cnet.com/news/tim-cook-knocks-idea-of-macbook-ipad-combo-device/

and

Tim Cook said:

 

“It’s trying to be a tablet and a notebook and it really succeeds at being neither. It’s sort of deluded.”

http://time.com/4108200/apple-tim-cook-microsoft-book/

Don't expect an OSx running iPad any time soon.

The iPad is not and will likely never be a laptop. So no mouse, and no OSx.

And for what its worth, I'm using a Windows computer with a touch screen.  You know how often I use the touch screen on it?  Almost never.  Merging a Tablet to a computer is not the way to go. Because you'll inevitably end up using only one side of it. So if I'm only using the computer side of it, why do I need to pay for the touch screen?

Same goes the other way, If I'm only using the tablet touch interface, OSx is not handy for that. At the end of the day, if you need a mouse, get a laptop, not an iPad.

I take exception to what your saying here. The iPad pro had the chance to be the first true everything devise. I use a iPad 2 running a Magic Mouse &keyboard, it has turned out to be the best configuration I have seen yet. I use it as intended, as a browser on my Apple TV ( mirroring my screen) , as a mini workstation/computer (this is where OSx would be nice). So I think Apple could have had it all without deluding anything but sales of Mac books. This is why I believe Apple doesn't want a mouse running on a iPad. My iPad is jail broken, it has to be to run the mouse. And you and Tim Cooks response to this is, if you don't like it get a laptop is rather arrogant.

iOS would not have to be changed to run a mouse, yes the devise would have to be jail broken. Jail breaking doesn't change iOS, it simply changes the security settings to allow what Apple won't. letting you decide what apps make sense for you, how you want your devise to feel,look,run. You and many others may say     "If you don't like it get a Mac book or Microsoft devise"  well for me it just makes sense to have a iPad that can be almost everything.

Headymoe. wrote:

 

iOS would not have to be changed to run a mouse, yes the devise would have to be jail broken. Jail breaking doesn't change iOS, it simply changes the security settings to allow what Apple won't.`

iOS would have to be changed to support a mouse as it doesn't have mouse support written into it. I think perhaps you don't quite understand jailbreaking. Yes, it removes  the security features that make iOS much more secure than Androids. But just jailbreaking the device would miraculously give you mouse support. You'd have to add a tweak that would change iOS.

I understand you think that the iPad could have been some sort of "everything device". Everything accounting to whom? What you may consider necessary in an "everything device" might be different from someone else's. And some of us don't want an "everything device" as we find them filled with features other people want that are useless to us. And, Apple's vision of what it ought to be is apparently not the same as yours.

Headymoe. wrote:

 

I take exception to what your saying here. The iPad pro had the chance to be the first true everything devise.

The question you fail to ask though, is: Why, why should it be an "everything" device?

I don't want a device that does everything half way. I want a device that does what it does well. And at that the iPad succeeds.

Apple is a company, and needs to think about costs and sales. Adding mouse support correctly would not only impact sales of their Laptop lines, which is a major concern, but would cost money not recouped from the limited number of people you would be gaining by adding mouse support.  Most people buying iPads already do not need a mouse. The limited number of people wanting a mouse will not cover the costs of redesigning the interface for it. Jailbreaking may let you add mouse support, but does so again half way. It does not cover all the finger gestures the touch screen was designed for, and the Os is expecting. So you end up being limited to what you can do with it.  It may be enough for you, but a company that prides itself on design and interface would probably not leave support half way.

I think the arrogant one here is the one that thinks their needs supersede all others and because they want a mouse, a company who has studied the market and decided not to include one for whatever reasons should bend over without regards to costs or revenue at all.

Why do we need to stop at a mouse, why can't the iPad make toast also?  Seriously. I'm sure handful of people would buy an iPad if it made toast.

If you think Mr. Kook is being arrogant, then when you are  the head of one of the most important computer manufacturing companies in the world, you can make the choices you want.

Until then, I'm pretty sure he can make whatever decisions he wants to about the company he runs.

Its not arrogance to accept that things cannot do everything, Otherwise, why do we need computers, Tvs, stereos, tablets,and phones. why not just one device that can do it all? 

Again you all seem to be missing our point, But by adding a keyboard and mouse to a iPad, we should be looked on like we're questioning the Apple credo. It doesn't change anything about how the iPad was intended to be used, it simply is another dimension to an already great devise. As for your last comment about why we have computers, tvs, phones, stereos, and tablets. I think Apple and everyone else is headed in that direction anyway, total sytem integration. Having  mobile, home,travel devises that do it all. I do have an iPhone, ipad, Apple TV,and a Mac. I just don't think I or anyone else needs a to buy a Macbook just to have a mouse and operating system.

Headymoe. wrote:

 

Again you all seem to be missing our point, But by adding a keyboard and mouse to a iPad, we should be looked on like we're questioning the Apple credo.

There is no "credo" as Apple is a for-profit corporation, not a religion (I acknowledge that there are some "religions" that blur that distinction). You're certainly entitled to your wants and desires in life. But, you also need to accept that not everyone will agree with you and or is obligated to provide you with what you want. In this case, it's Apple which doesn't agree with you. Oh, well. That's life.

Hey I'm just stating my opinion, and you seem to be stating the obvious. So let's leave it at that!

Headymoe. wrote:

 

you seem to be stating the obvious.

If it were, I wouldn't have to state it.

It is possible to use certain Bluetooth 4.0 Mice on unjailbroken devices on apps hat support it. The Citrix X1 mouse was the firt to support this, but only to Citrix connections. The excellent Swiftpoint GT travel mouse can also pair to iOS,,,,, and has a working Microsoft Remote Desktop app. Jump desktop for iOS which can connect VNC (Any platfrom) and Windows Remote Desktop currently has support for both X1 and Swiftpoint GT mouse in Beta. I'm running the beta on iPad Air2 and it's the missing link that finally allows me to travel lightly with only iPad + Bluetooth keyboard + Mouse.

Your justification conflates can't with won't. Yes, it's a company, profits matter, and they have a lot of inventory left to unload. However, there's no reason the Pro couldn't support a mouse, keyboard, stylus, bluetooth headset and speakers, all at once. None. The A9 chip is fully capable, the OS is capable, absolutely nothing stops it except Apple. There are many other basic computer functions that iPads and iPhones could perform, which would greatly enhance the ecosystem. The concept of a touchscreen laptop is hardly revolutionary, and it's embarrassing that Apple didn't get there first. Clearly, maintaining their overlapping, multi-generational product lines' sales volume is more important than innovation.

Wanting what is obvious, what is achievable, and what is conceivable is hardly arrogant. It's not even imaginative; just a perfectly reasonable request by a paying customer. Markets are based on demand. Consumers have the right to expect more, especially when the technology they pay so much for is purposefully restrictive.

<Edited by Host>

The aggressive people trolling you are exactly what gives the company's customer base such a bad reputation. It makes me want to stop using the products, just to remove any potential association. There will be real competition within a few years that meets our reasonable expectation for true multitasking devices. When companies like Xiaomi start selling advanced products internationally, it will force others to accelerate as well. They can only hold it back so long.

I saw this thread because I'm shocked that the iPad Pro doesn't natively support a mouse or trackpad. The developmental laziness and infantilization that is ingrained in iOS has gone on since its introduction, but I'd expect something dubbed 'Pro' to remedy that.

Just thought you should know that others agree with you. Most just don't bother with these forums.  

xrating wrote:

 

The aggressive people trolling you are exactly what gives the company's customer base such a bad reputation.

Disagreeing strongly but with civility about ideas is what adults do. Calling people names when they disagree with you is what children do.

xrating wrote:

 

Your justification conflates can't with won't. Yes, it's a company, profits matter, and they have a lot of inventory left to unload. However, there's no reason the Pro couldn't support a mouse, keyboard, stylus, bluetooth headset and speakers, all at once. None. The A9 chip is fully capable, the OS is capable, absolutely nothing stops it except Apple.

Correct. nobody is saying the iPad cannot drive a mouse. We are simply saying Apple has chosen not to include support for one. There are many many reasons behind such a decision as has already been explained.  People can want a mouse on an iPad all they want, the reality is Tim Cook has said, that that is not what the iPad was designed for, and will never have it. So what more do you want.

There literally dozens of alternatives out there that do have a mouse.  But people simply want to shoehorn it on a device that was not designed with one in mind. And has clearly been established will not have one.

I think the major point is yes, incorporating a mouse onto the iPad would effectively displace most of the Laptop lineup.  you may think that is unimportant, but again, Apple is a company that needs to think about profits first. And also think about what the consumer may require overall. If a consumer requires a mouse, they are not left dangling. There are lots of options out there.  MacBook Air, has a mouse, is very very lightweight, and and is better suited for the tasks people want to perform that require a  mouse.

xrating wrote:

 

The concept of a touchscreen laptop is hardly revolutionary, and it's embarrassing that Apple didn't get there first.

How is it embarrassing to realize, that the concept of  Touchscreen Laptop may sound great in theory, but in practice its pretty much as useful as a Car the can drive on water,  It ends up not doing  either one well.

I have a touchscreen Dell for work.  I hardly ever use the touchscreen. Its mostly wasted. The touchscreen features are not too bad, but for a desktop OS, a mouse is still a better option.

This works the same way on the other side.

Apple recognized that having a touchscreen and a mouse means inevitably that one or the other input option would be left unused or would not work as well as intended. Once you have complete mouse support, you will likely have less use for the touchscreen. That means wasted cost and hardware, that may not be used. Why add a feature that is not going to be used.  Its not arrogant to want a feature, its arrogant to think that you know better than a multinational corporation  that thrives on giving users the best experience possible. And has analyzed this scenario 55 ways from sunday. Again I would give a little credit that they have found the mouse not be a viable option on an iPad at the end of  the day for any number of reasons.  Instead of immediately thinking, they have no idea what they are doing, and mouse support is what people need.

xrating wrote:

 

. Markets are based on demand.

 

Correct, and you seem to think there is enough demand for a  mouse on an iPad to warrant its inclusion. I'd like to see actual numbers for that. Because so far the number of people wanting a mouse, does not reflect even 1% of the iPad using population.

xrating wrote:

 

Consumers have the right to expect more, especially when the technology they pay so much for is purposefully restrictive.

 

Consumers also have the right to go elsewhere if a product being offered does not meet their expectations. Consumer's do not have the right to dictate what a company does with their products. They may influence there decisions, but at the end of they day, if the company died because it chose not to listen to their customers its on them. However, Apple seems to be doing fine.  55 million iPads sold just last year, that's without mouse support. I doubt mouse support will increase that by any significant amount.

I agree with the idea that the Ipad should have support for a mouse. I work for a company that gives me an Ipad as my main device. I use a virtual desktop app with it to do most of my day to day duties. I can tell you that using a Ipad with a windows desktop is a royal pain, but that's what I have to use. I truly believe that if Apple wants to gain bushiness customers then they should get with it and gain the support that people are asking for. Arguing about why they do what they do is pointless. This is a main reason that most of the development staff refuses to use the ipad anymore and most of us are starting to migrate to surface pro's even though we like the ipad for ease of use in most things. And I know your going to say that it was never meant to do that so you should move, well I work at a fortune 50 company, so is it really our loss? Apple should consider this if they intend to be relevant to buusiness.