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Your iPad will be more helpful than ever before

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Apple’s DriverKit simplifies the process of connecting iPads to Thunderbolt and USB peripherals.

image credits: apple

iPads will now be more accessible than ever before thanks to a new extension announced by Apple.

iPadOS 16 will have a new feature called DriverKit, which will allow iPad-specific drivers and even multi-platform drivers to be created for the first time.

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Although it’s been available since 2019 on macOS Catalina, this utility will now work on iPads as well. It allows third-party USB and Thunderbolt peripherals to be linked to macOS devices.

DriverKit for iPad

An announcement video by Apple stated that it will allow developers and consumers alike to have greater freedom and control over their devices, while maintaining the same MacOS experience for iPad users.

According to Apple’s Souvik Banerjee, the introduction of DriverKit “provided a new mechanism to expand the system that is more stable and safe, running in userspace.”

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As Banerjee noted, the launch was aimed at professional iPad users who frequently need to utilise additional gear that isn’t compatible with their devices.

As of iPadOS 16, the DriverKit API is available to developers on Macs and iPads alike, making it easier than ever to migrate existing Mac drivers across to the iPad.

Thunderbolt audio interfaces like microphones or headsets may now be connected to the iPad, thanks to “the strength of the M1 processor” included in select iPad models, according to Banerjee.

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Any new drivers that are loaded on the iPad must be activated manually in the iPad Settings app after they are installed, where they may also be turned on or off by the user at any time.

In order to avoid compatibility concerns, Apple will verify that only customers with the necessary drivers may download and use an app once it has been built and submitted to the App Store.

DriverKit is now available for all iPads with M1 hardware.

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