iPadOS 13.4 delivers trackpad & mouse support

by W. Andrew Powell
Apple iPad Pro

Apple released a major update for iPad yesterday, and it delivers laptop-like functionality across the most recent iPad tablets. iPadOS 13.4 not only includes updates to Mail, Files, Memojis, and Siri, but also support for trackpads, mouse, and full keyboard control.

Timed with the release of the new iPad Pro, iPadOS 13.4 was released yesterday for all iPad Pro models, iPad Air 2 and later, the 5th generation iPad and later, as well as iPad mini 4 and later.

At the top of the list of features, iPadOS now offers support for the gorgeous new Smart Keyboard, and includes support for the Magic Trackpad 2, as well as the Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2.

Pairing the iPad with a mouse, for instance, will show a dot on the screen as your cursor, making it possible to left- or right-click on text, icons, or other elements on the screen. With a folding keyboard to support the iPad, it’s an experience that feels a lot like a laptop, and makes it very easy to do a lot more, from text or photo editing, to even just interacting with an app or game.

With trackpad support, the iPad now offers multi-touch gestures (for the Magic Keyboard or Trackpad 2), including scroll, swipe between app spaces, zoom, tap for click, right-click, and more.

For a lot of users, this update alone could make it a lot easier to use your iPad for work. With many people now working from home, that’s a big update, and makes it a lot easier to get work done compared to your average tablet keyboard.

Even with last year’s iPad 10.2, it’s now a lot easier to get work done.

iPadOS 13.4 also provides full keyboard access, which is a setting under Accessibility, with more than 50 shortcuts that can be customized for your keyboard.

Within Files, the update also includes iCloud Drive folder sharing, so you can share an entire folder with other users in iCloud.

And there are a number of other smaller updates, from nine new Memoji stickers, a revised toolbar for the Mail app, and keyboard shortcuts for the Photos app.

The new iPad Pro and the Smart Keyboard are available now from Apple.com.

The new iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard
The new iPad Pro with Smart Keyboard

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