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

GrinNBarrett wrote:

You should truly just quit trying to defend Apple.

The MAC PRO NO longer supports 256GB of RAM======DISALLOW.

Profitable---?? They did it for years. They just tried to get cute and clever with engineering to the detriment of their power users: RAM, GPU, CPU, features like SPDIF, and much more, not to mention a complete lack of upgrades. This is why so many power users had to leave MacPro and start using Windows computers.

I don’t know what you call a “power user” but in the world of genomic biology, medicine, drug development and health sciences, OS X (and Linux) are widely preferred over anything from Microsoft.

GrinNBarrett wrote:

You should truly just quit trying to defend Apple.

The MAC PRO NO longer supports 256GB of RAM======DISALLOW.

Profitable---?? They did it for years. They just tried to get cute and clever with engineering to the detriment of their power users: RAM, GPU, CPU, features like SPDIF, and much more, not to mention a complete lack of upgrades. This is why so many power users had to leave MacPro and start using Windows computers.

We get that Apple doesn't make the device you want. Buy something that meets your needs.

Can't sell it. I didn't buy it. It's a company device used for field service. But try copying over lines off of a spread sheet for 50 pieces of equipment into a work order (one for each equipment) and see how much more productive a mouse could be. Apple thinks they are the ultimate wisdom for everything. Not... Is there any third party software or apps that allow a bluetooth device to work?

If your company provided a device that does not meet your needs, you need to request that they reconsider their decision. As noted in this thread, an iPad will not support a mouse. Apple has made that decision whether you agree with it or not. Since mouse support is important to you, then you need to get a device that does that.

So are you willing to explain how you paired and used a mouse prevously with iOS itself and any/all iOS apps? I’m curious since we have lots of posters who have never been able to do that with any release of iOS. That’s what this thread is about after all - pairing and using a mouse with iOS itself and ios native apps.

The citrix mouse for use in Remote Desktop sessions is a well know, and very specific exception. if it’s not working correctly with iOS 11.4.1 then you should contact Citrix about that as perhaps they need to release an update.

If the mouse is not working with Citrix or other similar Apps then contact the App developers specifically.

Since the iPad has no mouse pointer and no support for a mouse there's no expectation of any update to maintain usability of one in any 3rd party apps.

If the mouse is no longer recognized by the Apps, then their developers need to figure out what changed with the new update and fix their apps accordingly.

Apple has no way of knowing what an update will do to third party apps and peripherals they don't explicitly support or have any knowledge of.

I'm waiting... I use remote Azure and AWS instances all the time, and I need a mouse to work with Windows. iPad Pro with LTE would be the perfect tablet to use anywhere if they would just allow me to use a mouse. The functionality is built in to iOS, it's a philosophy thing for them, not a functionality issue. Sad, I guess I have to get a Surface.

Yeah, I would be happy with some sort of input device support. Even a TouchPad or Mighty Mouse exclusive. Would certainly improve productivity for myself. I guess this is the separation Apple defines between iPad’s and Mac’s. You want the pointing device buy a Mac. You want more portability buy a iPad. I use a BT keyboard with my iPad and the only thing holding it back as a notebook replacement is the lack of mouse support.

Mouse/trackpad/trackball isn't going to happen any time soon.

AND, as long as Apple is still producing MacBook/MacBook Pros, they are not going to cannibalise their sales by offering that additonal input device support on iPads.

That is probably why iPads do not have any USB ports for connectivity to other USB devices, as well.

Apple doesn’t want to cannibalise sales of full-blown laptops.

So, I wouldn’t hold my breath for this mice support to “magically” surface for iPads.

Once again, the alternative tablet devices are out there and available that offer all you need and want in a touch screen, tablet device.

Life is too short to work with tools that do not fully meet your needs.

What I need is LTE. If Apple would add LTE to one of their laptops, I would buy it. I don't need a mouse for Apple stuff, I need it for work that I do on AWS/Azure Windows instances and AWS Workspaces. iPad Pro with LTE would be perfect for that, but no mouse = no sale. I hate using Windows, but it looks like a Surface Pro LTE is my only option here (no way I'm getting an Android tablet). I need to purchase an LTE device within the next couple of months and I will wait as long as I can to see if Apple suddenly wakes up and discovers desktop virtualization.

thagdc wrote:

What I need is LTE. If Apple would add LTE to one of their laptops, I would buy it. I don't need a mouse for Apple stuff, I need it for work that I do on AWS/Azure Windows instances and AWS Workspaces. iPad Pro with LTE would be perfect for that, but no mouse = no sale. I hate using Windows, but it looks like a Surface Pro LTE is my only option here (no way I'm getting an Android tablet). I need to purchase an LTE device within the next couple of months and I will wait as long as I can to see if Apple suddenly wakes up and discovers desktop virtualization.

There's a simple solution: A mobile hotspot (e.g. Amazon.com: Netgear Unite 4G LTE Mobile WiFi Hotspot - (AT&T) Black: Cell Phones & Accessories). They are small, light, and free if you sign up for additional service on your phone plan with most carriers. They don't use any laptop power. They have a huge advantage over a computer with a cellular modem - you can use one with multiple devices at the same time, not just one laptop. And as technology improves you can replace the mobile hotspot instead of the whole computer. About 10 years ago a lot of laptops came with built in cellular wireless, but they were a flop. LTE will be replaced in the next couple of years with 5G (I've been able to test it a few times: 50Gbps -100 Gbps). If you get a wireless hotspot now you will be able to replace just it in a year or two. I'll bet you plan to keep your laptop for more than 2 years. I have the one I linked to. It costs $20 a month and shares my phone's data plan.

IdrisSeabright wrote:

Apple has a long and storied history for doing what it thinks best, not what customers say they want. It seems to, over all, work for them.

My favorite story about Apple doing what it wants is the advent of the mouse. Especially apropo in this thread. In 1982-83 Apple held a number of focus groups to assess the acceptance of various computer input devices. Mouses, touch screens, screen pens (developed originally by Xerox PARC, along with the mouse), pen-like pointing devices, etc. Almost all of the participants totally panned the mouse, saying no one would ever use it. Apple went ahead and used it anyway.

Remember when Apple dropped the diskette drive? Industry pundits said it would be the end of Apple.

No, that's not a solution. I work in a business and a building where mobile hotspots are not allowed, and tethering is not allowed either. I am, however, allowed to use devices that have built-in LTE.

No, that's not a solution. I work in a business and a building where mobile hotspots are not allowed, and tethering is not allowed either. I am, however, allowed to use devices that have built-in LTE.

You are in a very rare environment. Everywhere that I've consulted (over 100 companies in the past 20 years) that has banned cell phones has also banned any device that can connect to the outside world without going through their network. Including laptops with built-in cellular. The whole point of such a restriction is to allow monitoring of all data entering and leaving the facility. A laptop with cellular capability would violate that restriction the same way a mobile hotspot would. If your facility hasn't banned it that's only because they don't know about it.