iPad Pro 2020 will finally offer the mouse support you want

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Apple is apparently beefing up mouse support in iOS 14

iOS 14 mouse support iPad
(Image credit: LaptopMag)

Support for mice on iOS devices like the iPad Pro Pro is about to get a lot more powerful, at least according to hints in the code for iOS 14.

That's what 9to5Mac reports after a source showed the Apple news site some code for the upcoming mobile software update. iOS 14 is expected to ship this fall, with versions for both the iPad and iPhone, and when it does arrive, you'll notice some more sophisticated behavior by the mouse cursor.

Last year's iPadOS 13 update introduced support for connecting your tablet with a Bluetooth mouse, but the feature was pretty basic, requiring you to dig deep into the settings just to turn it on. Once enable, mouse support worked, though Apple didn't really advertise the feature, and we got the impression it wasn't really designed for widespread use.

Based on the code that 9to5Mac saw, that's apparently changing with iOS 14, which will feature beefed up support not just for the iPad, but for iPhones as well. In addition, the code points to more sophisticated powers — for example, different types of pointers will show up on your iOS device's display based on what the cursor is hovering over.

Basically, it seems like you can expect a more Mac-like experience when you connect a mouse to your iPad or tablet in iOS 14, right down to support for gestures like two finger taps to act like right-clicks.

That's not the only input device-related information 9to5Mac gleaned from the iOS 14 source code. The site also spotted two new Smart Keyboard model identifiers in the code, suggesting that new keyboards are on the way for the iPad. That, plus the the support for gestures, suggests that there's a keyboard with trackpad accessory in the iPad's future.

That squares with a report from last month, in which The Information reported that Apple was developing a touchpad-equipped keyboard as an iPad Pro accessory.

Philip Michaels
Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.