New leak supports rumour the iPad will get mouse support in iPadOS 14

A new leak suggests Apple is indeed adding system-wide mouse and cursor support in iPadOS 14, the iPad-specific version of iOS 14. A report from 9to5Mac claims the update will move mouse support from its current minor inclusion via accessibility settings to a “mainstream” iPad feature.

Adding mouse support to the iPad is controversial, both for Apple internally and amongst fans of the iPad. Apple has resisted putting trackpad or mouse support on the iPad because it believes it is a touch-first device, but since the iPad Pro added a keyboard and the company said it could replace your laptop, more people have bemoaned the lack of a mouse option.

“The changes coming to the software will bring most of the cursor features you recognize from a Mac desktop experience to iOS,” says the reports, a surprising potential leap from Apple given its prior hesitance on the matter. The mouse may disappear after being left idle to encourage touch input and tapping with two fingers to right click is said to be ported from the Mac’s interface.

This rumour backs up a previous report that Apple will announce an iPad Smart Keyboard with a trackpad with its next iPad Pros. But notably the new rumour does not limit mouse support to specific iPad models. Of the iPads Apple currently sells, only the iPad mini lacks Smart Keyboard support, opening up the possibility that even Apple’s cheapest 10.2in iPad could soon gain mouse input.

With the keyboard said to have haptic feedback like MacBook models, 2020 could finally be the year the iPad becomes a viable laptop replacement – though some will still bemoan the lack of an open files system.

If it comes to pass, the change will no doubt trigger some die hard Mac fans who will insist you should just buy a Mac. We’ve signed out of the message boards for this one.