I need to use a mouse with my ipad pro. What gives?

Excellent points. In regard to the posting below, the person is not trying to get you to say anything; they are merely pointing out the truth about the situation.

"Truth" is a very personal thing. It is unbelievably arrogant to claim that one knows the truth and others do not. People who lay claim to truth should be ignored.

By the timeframe you think Apple will change its mind, we'll be onto different style input devices and mice and trackpads will be on their way out.

It took Apple well over 20 years to offer multi button mice.

Apple has shunned/moved on from old technologies time and time again and never gone back!

The iPad/iPad will never see a mouse

We may see iPads with much more stylus features and touch screen, touch keyboard gestures, that make using the onscreen keyboards much easier and more intuitive to use, before Apple will add mice or trackpad support to the iPad.

External hardware, Bluetooth keyboards and keyboard covers and cases are still a crutch!

Those will, eventually, disappear, too!

"What is it you're hoping to get us to say or do with all these quotes?" Did you happen to note that my comment was a direct reply to that of MichelPM, who offered a few tepid statements about why the iPad would never serve as a PC/laptop? Did you also read the text attributed to Tim Cook? 'Nough said.

"I don't get why you feel so compelled to try to prove your point?" Have you read the question/statement written by the OP? This thread was started by someone who would like to see mouse support added to iOS, plain and simple -- a straightforward and reasonable position with which I happen to agree. So one might conclude the bulk of comments herein would focus on how we might make that happen, without sullying the touch experience so prized by you and MichelPM. Your position and that of MichelPM, that iOS mouse support will and should never happen, is welcome input ... the first 2-3 times it is shared. It would be more welcome if it weren't completely baseless -- neither of you has any affiliation with Apple, far as I can tell, you do not appear to otherwise be sharing inside information and if you were any kind of interface/UX expert you a) wouldn't be wasting your valuable time commenting in this forum and b) your comments would be far more erudite than "iOS will never see mouse support because of my personal opinion about paradigm|future|peripherals|clunkiness."

The sheer number of external keyboards and keyboard cases sold for iPad each year should clue you in to the interest in the device as a laptop replacement. The only barrier to mouse support in iOS is the sales and marketing impetus/inertia within Apple, which I fully admit is considerable and, to some degree, understandable.

I get that people would like a mouse option on iPad. The question I'm asking is of what value is this discussion. The OP asked what gives with no mouse support on iPad. The answer was provided there isn't mouse support. There's never been mouse support. We can't and don't speak for Apple. Apple isn't reading these posts and Apple isn't going to change their stance because of this thread. So, posting videos, quotes, etc., trying to prove Apple is trying to sell iPad as a laptop replacement is a complete waste of time.

Believe. It's true. What Apple depends on for feedback:

• https://apple.com/feedback
• Statistics collected from visits to the Genius Bar
• Statistics collected from https://getsupport.apple.com (that's the link at the top of this page)
• To some degree, comments by respected journalists

Apple does not read ASC to sample user opinion; for one thing it's a formidable job; this is the largest and busiest support forum on the Internet. And the content is highly biased; people who are happy, or at least not unhappy, don't bother to post. So the posts of opinions (as opposed to legitimate tech support questions) are for the most part outliers, not mainstream views.

How do I know? Users who reach 8,000 points get direct access to the hosts in a private forum, as well as chances for face-to-face meetings with the forum administrators and managers at "meet-ups" around the world. It is one of many subjects that we discuss.

Unfortunately, even in 2018, Apple still has the mindset that iPad users have no clue about what they really need. So, the arrogant answer of "get a computer" is partially correct. I got a Samsung Android Table, because I needed a Tablet. And, on those occasions that I really need a mouse... Android understands that on some occasions, some users really DO NEED a mouse. I just keep the iPad around for when I'm at a coffee shop and I want to act like I'm better than those lowly Android and PC users.

Imagine being a retired secretary. No BT Mouse, No BT Keyboard (which I can connect fortunately), or no trackpad......no work done. Tablets should not be entirely touch. Using your finger to manipulate through any Word Processing app or other time-consuming task would be very tiresome and would be a waste of time, not to mention. I have several tablets and carry them around, including a portable keyboard and mini mouse. No prob whatsoever. This makes Apple look inferior to other competitors.

This thread is a total waste of time. No one's mind is going to be changed by anything posted here, least of all the decision-makers at Apple. They are convinced that support of a mouse or external trackpad is unnecessary and is contrary to their vision for the iPad, and have shown not the slightest sign of changing their minds in the foreseeable future. Anyone who needs said support should buy another brand of tablet or a 2-in-1. Bye.

Sorry for length, got a bit ahead of myself! In summary, I just don't understand how those who defend Apple by suggesting there's nothing to this mouse support issue and we should all just move along. After nearly a decade of asking for it, perhaps Apple will surprise us soon?

You can let Apple know how you feel here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Thanks Idris.

I've sent Apple several "compelling" messages re: mouse support, but thought I'd hit the forums once again to see how the idea flies as Apple has seemingly doubled down on iPad Pros.

🤞

Why did you waste your time repeating what has been said (over and over and over and over and over and over)^n in this thread, when it will make absolutely no difference at all to anyone's opinion and is just wasted if you are trying to communicate with Apple?

I suspect the people clamoring for it is just the tip of the iceberg.

And I'm absolutely certain you are wrong. 6 years ago there was an issue that got some people riled. Note that this was a time when there were only 1/10 the number of iOS devices in use. And one thread garnered 13 THOUSAND posts and 2.5 MILLION views. And THAT was the tip of the iceberg. When this thread reaches 130,000 posts (the equivalent based on today's user community) then I'll concede that it is the tip of the iceberg.

If you need the use of a mouse or trackpad on an iPad, the iPad is the wrong device for you.

Apple's tablet vision never, ever included mice or trackpad support and I suspect, it may never will.

Look at at a MacBook/Air/Pro or Microsoft Surface/Pro tablets, instead.

Microsoft Surface products offer all manner of user input devices, even a wireless control dial.

So, for nearly 9 years, you have managed to use iPads without the aid of mice or trackpads.

So, what was the point of your rather useless post?

You have obviously got along with iPads without these input devices for all of these years, and, obviously, not felt the need to ditch Apple iPads for some other tablet maker that does support these input devices.

So why bother posting, at all?

Just to stir up the pot more here?

I think you are getting stirred up unnecessarily. I honesty believe the addition of mouse support would be a good addition to the ipad pro and a move in the positive direction.

So tell someone who can do something about it.