Apple unveiled iPadOS 14 during WWDC 2020 alongside iOS 14, macOS Big Sur, tvOS 14, and watchOS 7. During the keynote, Apple spent little time explaining new iPadOS 14 features. Now, more iPadOS 14 features are getting revealed through Apple’s website. One of those new features includes support for keyboard and mouse in games.

Apple introduced support for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gaming controllers to iOS, iPadOS, and macOS last fall. Now, Apple is bringing full support for keyboard, mouse, and trackpads in games with iPadOS 14. Although, I doubt how much help would trackpads be while playing games. Nevertheless, full support for keyboards and mouse in games on iPad could transform gaming experience on Apple’s tablet.

This feature is mentioned on Apple’s website, and the company has set up a session for developers on June 25, where they could learn how to integrate keyboard, mouse, trackpad, and gaming controller inside their games. Apple will also teach developers how to incorporate these features into existing games, transplant games from other platforms, and come up with new experiences.

Will this new feature turn iPads into professional gaming setups in the future, especially since Apple’s tablets like iPad Pros have potent processors and GPUs? This will bring iPads on par with tablets running Android and Windows. However, iPads already have better games than Android tablets, which means people who like to play games on the move can look at iPads as a great option.

With iPadOS 13.4, Apple brought full support for keyboard, mouse, and trackpad inside apps and the complete UI. And Apple didn’t just dump keyboard and mouse experience from macOS into iPadOS. The company made improvements for things like how on-screen items are highlighted and how the cursor changes its shape based on neighboring UI elements.

Our Take

Although keyboard and mouse won’t improve the gaming experience on every gaming title, it would be great for FPS (first-person shooter) games like Call Of Duty Mobile, Fortnite, and PUBG Mobile.

iPads and iPad Minis could transform into great on-the-go gaming devices and compete with Nintendo Switch, which has been selling like hotcakes. In comparison, the Nintendo Switch has a worse screen, weaker processor, and shorter battery life. Plus, Apple easily has among the best developer support in the industry, so it can easily bring more immersive gaming titles to iPads in the future and beat Nintendo Switch.