Apple Delays Universal Control for Mac, iPad to 2022

This week, Apple released updates for iPhone, iPad, and its other hardware platforms. But it also quietly delayed a key iPad and Mac feature that it promised in June to deliver this year.

That feature, called Universal Control, would allow users to control a Mac and/or an iPad at the same time using a single keyboard and mouse/touchpad. “A single keyboard and mouse or trackpad now work seamlessly between your Mac and iPad — they’ll even connect to more than one of the same device,” Apple explains of the non-delayed feature. “Move your cursor from your Mac right to your iPad, type on your Mac, and it shows up on your iPad.”

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That sounds useful, though like many of Apple’s core platform features, it’s also designed to keep users in its own ecosystems by tightening the links between its devices. But now it won’t happen until sometime in 2022: Apple’s site now notes that it will be “available this spring.”

Apple has routinely announced new platform features each June at its WWDC show only to delay them to future updates. Sometimes those delays are just a few months, as was the case with App Privacy Report, Apple Music Voice Plan, and other features it announced this year. Sometimes, the delay is substantial, with promised features not arriving for several months. But Universal Control could be delivered as late as one year after the original announcement, which is unusual.

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Conversation 13 comments

  • digiguy

    Premium Member
    14 December, 2021 - 10:16 am

    <p>Won’t be uptading to Monterey before this feature is available…</p>

    • ianbetteridge

      14 December, 2021 - 10:36 am

      <p>To be honest, although there’s some other good features in Monterey, this is the stand-out one for many people I think. </p>

  • lwetzel

    Premium Member
    14 December, 2021 - 10:40 am

    <p>Mouse-without-borders?</p><p><br></p>

    • digiguy

      Premium Member
      14 December, 2021 - 11:51 am

      <p>it does more than that, this drags files too, and honestly MWB was never very reliable (and I tried it a lot…)</p>

  • ronmcmahon

    Premium Member
    14 December, 2021 - 3:44 pm

    <p>My Logitech MX Ergo trackball already seamlessly moves between my desktop PC and the Mac Mini next to it. The command shortcuts on the scroll wheel and buttons assigned to each system are device aware, so its like I have two mice all neatly combined into a single spot on my desk. The only drawback is that the Logitech keyboards that share this feature are no where near as capable or comfortable as my G710+ It would be great to see Logitech come out with some type of adapter that my keyboard’s USB cables could plug into, giving it capability to function like its other Flow-enabled keyboards.</p>

  • Donte

    14 December, 2021 - 4:27 pm

    <p>They still have the best ecosystem hands down. The integration with my iPhone and Mac is fantastic. Nothing like it in the Windows world.</p>

    • gedisoft

      Premium Member
      18 December, 2021 - 10:34 am

      <p>What did you expect if you make the hardware, software and the ecosystem ! To be honest, I have more appreciation for Windows: you can "mix and mingle" hardware and software from a bunch of different suppliers and It will work (most of the times 😉 without a glitch.</p>

  • JustDavid

    14 December, 2021 - 11:40 pm

    <p>Multiplicity from Stardock? It has Drag &amp; Drop, Copy &amp; Paste</p>

  • nbplopes

    15 December, 2021 - 5:46 am

    <p>I believe in the links between devices. It’s akin to distributed personal computing and when it works is mind blowing and useful. It creates new workflow possibilities.</p><p><br></p><p>Do not think Apple is doing it to keep users in their ecosystem. Its part of a technical vision that originated in Bell Labs and Alan Kay papers. </p><p><br></p><p>It’s just that MS is not doing it properly. MS tries to shove its Cloud in the middle … it’s like having an hammer for all effect while local implementations are less than robust.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • nbplopes

    15 December, 2021 - 5:50 am

    <p>By the way in terms both software and devices don’t think Apple has the best ecosystem. Its just that their implementation is indeed years foreword in robustness. While core macOS features are stable since 10 years ago, iOS is stabilizing … Windows is still boiling … with plenty of inconsistencies in the look and feel.</p>

  • nbplopes

    15 December, 2021 - 5:53 am

    <p>Apple and MS have been using the same kind of hardware for 20 years no by the way … Intel . Only now Apple is moving out ti it’s own chip designs.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      22 December, 2021 - 3:39 pm

      <p>Apple transitioned to Intel CPUs in 2006, not 2001. Not a huge issue, but it was PowerPC 20 years ago.</p><p><br></p><p>RISC to CISC now back to RISC! If only they knew in 2005 what they know now.</p>

  • nbplopes

    15 December, 2021 - 5:55 am

    <p>Windows everywhere is failed tech. Get over it.</p>

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