Now that iPadOS 13.4 is widely available to the public, more users have the ability to try out trackpad support for the first time. As we await the release of Apple’s Magic Keyboard in May, this means you can take advantage of trackpad support with almost any standalone trackpad or mouse.
iPadOS support for trackpad works with any Bluetooth mouse or trackpad, though gestures support is limited on certain models. For instance, the Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse 2 can take full advantage of the iPadOS integration, but the Magic Mouse 1 does not support gestures. Nonetheless, this is a great way to try out trackpad support in iPadOS ahead of the release of Apple’s Magic Keyboard + trackpad case in May.
So far, I’ve found trackpad support in iPadOS 13.4 to be incredibly polished. The gestures feel natural, and the cursor design is modern and practical for adapting to the touch-first design of iOS. For example, the ability to easily switch from navigation to text editing is incredibly seamless, and solves one of the major problems I’ve previously had with the iPad.
iPadOS 13.4.5 makes further improvements to the experience, as well. There is additional refinement around trackpad gestures, particularly when accessing Slide Over applications for multitasking. There’s no reason to think Apple won’t continue making improvements ahead of the Magic Keyboard’s release in May.
Of course, there will be a major benefit to the upcoming Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro: a built-in trackpad. This means you’ll always have a trackpad with your iPad Pro, and won’t have to worry about having a standalone trackpad or mouse. The question remains, is that worth the $299/$349 price point of the Magic Keyboard?
Personally, I have every intention of buying the Magic Keyboard when it’s available in May. Just based on the past two weeks with trackpad support in iPadOS 13.4, I really think it has the ability to change how I use my iPad Pro on a day-to-day basis. The price tag stings, but backwards compatibility with the 2018 iPad Pro helps since I don’t plan on upgrading to the 2020 iPad Pro.
The Magic Keyboard isn’t your only option, though. Brydge is selling the Pro+ keyboard with trackpad case for iPad Pro. It’s more affordable than the Magic Keyboard from Apple, and we’ll have more coverage of that in the coming days.
What about you? Do you plan on buying Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro or do you find a standalone trackpad sufficient? Let us know down in the comments.
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