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

I work in a secured environment, and I am a cloud security engineer. LTE devices are not banned, except in SCIFs (they are not allowed to connect to any internal networks, of course). Tethering and hotspots are 100% banned, and I can instantly lose my job and my clearance if I tried to use them. I cannot do remote desktop (effectively at least) on my iPhone, or on any tablet/laptop that does not allow me to use a mouse. I can get a waiver to use a bluetooth mouse.

I very likely know more about networking security, wireless security, and hotspots than most people, since it is my job.

If the business you work for is more or less, primarily using a Windows based environment, just forget using the iPad and either sell it/keep it and purchase a Microsoft Surface/Surface Pro tablet instead.

I heard good things about Microsoft’s Surface line and have been tempted by their offerings many times

A Microsoft Surface tablet is going to solve a bunch of issues for you.

Good Luck to You!

If Apple thinks that an iPad Pro can replace a laptop then it needs a mouse period. I don’t want to use my finger in editing software programs and other documents. Very inefficient without a mouse.

rainman50 wrote:

If Apple thinks that an iPad Pro can replace a laptop then it needs a mouse period. I don’t want to use my finger in editing software programs and other documents. Very inefficient without a mouse.

Then the iPad may not be the right purchase for you. It works very well for many people for those tasks.

rainman50 wrote:

if They don’t add a mouse then Apple needs to stop saying that it can replace a laptop

Dont tell me to use another type of device. I just want Apple to stop saying that it can replace a laptop.

Why? Apple can say anything it wants about its devices.

You cannot force Apple to stop saying it can replace a laptop, more so when in fact it can for many people just because you think it needs a mouse to fit that description.

If it doesn't for you, then that's fine. But there is no requirement that Apple describe their products as you would like them to.

You can take them to court if you want to about it. Until then Apple is free to say anything they want when describing their product.

If you don't want to buy something else, then that's fine to. Keep using a device that does not fit your specific needs, and continue to complain about it, its not going to change anything.

rainman50 wrote:

Apple needs to stop saying that it can replace a laptop

I just want Apple to stop saying that it can replace a laptop.

That’s not going to happen, either, per Phil0124’s response.

rainman50 wrote:

if They don’t add a mouse then Apple needs to stop saying that it can replace a laptop

Dont tell me to use another type of device. I just want Apple to stop saying that it can replace a laptop.

Just because you feel it can not replace a laptop for you does not mean others feel the complete opposite. I certainly know people who use their iPad Pro and Apple Pencil almost completely in place of their current laptop.

I haven't used a mouse with a laptop for over 20 years, so to say that a device that can't use a mouse can't replace a laptop is laughable. The mouse is one of the worst user interface devices that has ever been invented. In fact, in 1983 Apple held focus groups prior to the launch of the original Macintosh to review useability, and the consumers in these groups universally panned the mouse as a device and said it would never catch on.

And Apple can say whatever they want. They don't have to say what you want them to say.

Never catch on haha. You must have never performed any extensive document editing. You would have sore fingers after a day. You precisely position a moust exactly where you want to do things. Even though using a up/down/forward/backward might work for some. Maybe the way you use it might be ok but if you edit software programs it is disaster not to have a mouse. You are insane to say the that mouse is one of the worst devices. It goes to show what limited work you do with a computer. If I stick with common stuff a mouse is not needed. You ask any programmer and see what responses you get.

No, you are the one who never catches on. Or perhaps you are just a troll.

Yes, I edit software programs ("code") regularly, and I edit documents constantly. I use a computer 10 hours a day. Without a mouse. I have been developing software for over 50 years, since punch card days. A mouse slows down development to a crawl. I use vi for editing code; it doesn't even support a mouse. Neither does nano or emacs, the tools used by REAL developers. Neither does any other quality development tool except Eclipse; I use it with a trackpad, not a mouse, and it also has keyboard shortcuts that are much faster to use than a mouse. When I need a pointing device I use a trackpad. Before that I used a trackball. A mouse is both ergonomically bad and it's bad for your hands, and frequently causes repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

rainman50 wrote:

Never catch on haha. You must have never performed any extensive document editing. You would have sore fingers after a day. You precisely position a moust exactly where you want to do things. Even though using a up/down/forward/backward might work for some. Maybe the way you use it might be ok but if you edit software programs it is disaster not to have a mouse. You are insane to say the that mouse is one of the worst devices. It goes to show what limited work you do with a computer. If I stick with common stuff a mouse is not needed. You ask any programmer and see what responses you get.

Not everyone in the world has the same needs in a device that you do. This isn't some sort of contest over who works harder or needs more "pro" tools. I don't go around complaining that a guitar is not a "real" musical instrument because it doesn't have keys and a sustain pedal. I just go play a piano instead. The iPad meets the needs of lots of people. It doesn't meet yours. It's as simple as that.

Hi,

The answer to the question why ipad does not have the cursor is so simple. Simply during development they forget about the using mouse. There was no thought about external keyboard or replacing it with laptop. Now it will be quite costly for them to change the structure and software. There is no other logic description for this act as “just forgott”.

Hope this explanation helps those who are try to figure why but why. Even though it does not support mouse they are doing grest in the market. Big key is right advertisment technique.

It is really irrelevant and just your guess if they “forgot” during development or simply made a decision not to offer the feature. The fact is that there is no support for a mouse/cursor. As well, per the ToU, we are not allowed to speculate about Apple’s policies or decisions.

iOS and Apple tablet devices were always destined to be touch only devices as far back as Apple’s idea for a tablet device back in the early 1990’s

Apple was never going to have a tablet that used mice or trackpads.

See this YouTube video for Apple’s early tablet concept

Apple's Tablet Vision 1990's - YouTube

Apple didn’t forget anything.

Found this except.

“The invention of the first tablet PC, or personal computer, is credited to three men: Alan Kay, Steve Jobs and Bill Moggridge. Computer specialist Kay created the concept for the tablet PC in the early 1960s, which he called the Dynabook, but need technical expertise to build the product. Technical enthusiast Jobs analyzed Kay’s product in the 1970s, and lent a hand in determining the components needed to build the machine.”

Lawrence Finch wrote:

When I need a pointing device I use a trackpad. Before that I used a trackball.

I hated using a mouse so much when I was using PC's for work, that I was happy to resort to that little rubber button in the center of a PC keyboard instead of using a mouse. As with anything else, I became very proficient using that silly little thing. Trackpads were a gift from the gods as far as I am concerned. 😀

GB