Apple is about to make your iPad more useful than ever
DriverKit allows iPad developers to easily connect Thunderbolt and USB accessories
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Applehas revealed a new expansion that it hopes will makeiPaddevices open to more accessories than ever.
DriverKit, one of the many updates coming toiPadOS 16, will let manufacturers and developers create drivers specifically for iPads for the first time, and even build multi-platform drivers.
The tool has been available since 2019 on macOS Catalina, allowing third-party USB and Thunderbolt accessories to be connected to macOS devices, but is now coming to the iPad as well.
DriverKit for iPad
In avideoannouncing the launch, Apple said that DriverKit would bring a lot more flexibility and choice for developers and end-users alike, keeping exactly the same macOS experience for iPad users.
“DriverKit brought a new way to extend the system that is more reliable and secure, running in userspace,” Apple’s Souvik Banerjee noted.
Banerjee added that the launch was especially targeted at professional iPad users who often have to rely on external hardware that wasn’t compatible with their device.
DriverKit API in iPadOS 16 will support USB, PCI, and audio devices, and if a developer has already created a driver with DriverKit on Mac, it can now be ported directly over to iPad with no changes required.
Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!
iPadOS 16 is a brilliant update… but only if you’ve got the latest iPads>10 things you might have missed from WWDC 2022>The iPhone is becoming a super-webcam for Macs
The news, which Banerjee noted is made possible “due to the power of the M1 chip” within some iPad models, means that users will be able to connect Thunderbolt audio interfaces such as microphones orheadsetson the iPad for the first time.
Each driver will only work when the linked external device is connected, and any new drivers must be enabled manually in the iPad Settings app after being installed, where they can also be toggled on or off by the user at any time.
Once an app has been developed and submitted to the App Store, Apple will make sure only users with the correct drivers can download and use them in order to ensure there are no compatibility issues.
All iPads with M1 hardware will support DriverKit, which is available now.
Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK’s leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he’s not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.
This new malware utilizes a rare programming language to evade traditional detection methods
Google puts Nvidia on high alert as it showcases Trillium, its rival AI chip, while promising to bring H200 Tensor Core GPUs within days
Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time
