Yesterday, Apple refreshed its iPad lineup by unveiling the all-new iPad Pro with a LiDAR scanner. In the same press release, the Cupertino giant shared the release date of iPadOS 13.4 – March 24. While Apple has not explicitly mentioned it, iOS 13.4 should be rolling out on the same day as well.
The noteworthy introduction with iPadOS 13.4 is trackpad support. “iPadOS 13.4 with trackpad support will be available on March 24 as a free software update for all iPad Pro models, iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 4 and later.”, reads the press release.
With iPadOS 13.4, compatible iPads will support Apple’s Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2 and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. Third-party Bluetooth or USB mice are also supported.
Here’s how Apple describes its latest trackpad: “As users move their finger across the trackpad, the pointer elegantly transforms to highlight user interface elements. Multi-Touch gestures on the trackpad make it fast and easy to navigate the entire system without users ever lifting their hand.”
In iPadOS 13.4, the cursor appears as a circle and it highlights elements in the user interface, including text fields and apps on the Home Screen and Dock. It supports fluid gestures so that you can easily switch between apps, activate the Dock and Control Center, and use Slide Over multitasking.
According to Apple, most third-party apps support trackpad mechanism without requiring any change whatsoever. However, the company is providing new APIs so that developers could enhance the implementation in their applications. The Magic Keyboard is priced at $299 for the 11‑inch iPad Pro and $349 for the 12.9‑inch iPad Pro. It will start shipping in May.