Duet Display adds support for virtual Touch Bar on iPads

AppleInsider

Duet Display, an app that turns an iOS device into a secondary display for Mac or Windows systems, has been updated with support for the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar interface -- even on MacBooks that don't have a Touch Bar.

Image Credit: The Verge

Instead Duet Display simply taps into the appropriate code and models a "virtual" Touch Bar on a connected iPad. As with a real Touch Bar, the simulated one adapts to the active Mac app, for example showing a scrub bar and other playback controls for iTunes.

In the case of apps that haven't been updated for the Touch Bar, Duet should show generic commands.

Taking advantage of Duet's Touch Bar feature requires macOS 10.12.2, as well updated Mac and iOS clients. The latter currently costs $9.99, and runs on any device with iOS 8 or later. Pricing will soon go up to $19.99.

Other iPad-related enhancements include iOS keyboard compatibility, and better handling of the Apple Pencil's pressure sensitivity.

slprescott

I'm stretching here, but maybe Apple is exploring a secondary display on all devices:

• Macbook............. Touch Bar
• iPhone................. Curved Edge (2017)
• Watch.................. Band with woven display-pixels (patent article earlier this week)
• iPad..................... The above (3rd party) solution is an example

There's probably no master plan, but it is an interesting coincidence.

dick applebaum

slprescott said:

I'm stretching here, but maybe Apple is exploring a secondary display on all devices:

• Macbook............. Touch Bar
• iPhone................. Curved Edge (2017)
• Watch.................. Band with woven display-pixels (patent article earlier this week)
• iPad..................... The above (3rd party) solution is an example

There's probably no master plan, but it is an interesting coincidence.

Mmm...

I have Duet and am writing this from my 12" iPad Pro KB/Case kb.   Works fine -- Now if the KB/Case kb only had a trackpad & the OS allowed annotation with the Apple Pencil.

dick applebaum

The BT Magic Mouse paired with my iMac works as expected with the iPad Pro as a Duet second screen -- I suspect that if the iPad were attached to a MB running Duet, that the MB's trackpad would also work.

Now, I'm running a local server from Xcode on the iPad -- it is quite nice as a development device when Duet-tethered to the Mac.

dtb200

dick applebaum said:

The BT Magic Mouse paired with my iMac works as expected with the iPad Pro as a Duet second screen -- I suspect that if the iPad were attached to a MB running Duet, that the MB's trackpad would also work.

Now, I'm running a local server from Xcode on the iPad -- it is quite nice as a development device when Duet-tethered to the Mac.

The trackpad does work when pairing via Duet

emoeller

Duet is one of my very favorite iOS apps.   It just works!  I use if daily with my 15" MBP as a second screen (of course the trackpad works with it) and I'm excited about the new Touchbar capabilities.  

ameldrum1

I'm using it also and the Touchbar works surprisingly well. It is a very neat app that works very seamlessly. Super handy to be able to have calendar or email etc open on a 2nd screen.

DonlanMatt

SLPSCOTT in the above comment I think is right about iphone have touch bar. There's patent that show an edge OLED kind of like how the first Curved edge Samsung has in the Note 4 Edge phone. On that Note model the Curve was much larger and in apples patents they have the complete left side of the phone all screen, so voloume/mute switch would be virtual and the rest of the left side would be display or maybe (touch bar). Don't forget Apple like the bring out new tech to rest of the device family in the future most the time as well