iOS and iPadOS 13.4 is now available with iPad trackpad and mouse support, iCloud folder sharing, and more

Apple still has plenty left in store for iOS 13 before moving on to iOS 14 (which we will likely hear about this summer at WWDC). A week after the release of iOS and iPadOS 13.3.1, it began beta-testing iOS 13.4. This point release brings several welcome new features.

Update 03/24/20: Apple has released iOS and iPadOS 13.4. 

What’s new in iOS and iPadOS 13.4

iOS 13.4 and iPadOS 13.4 add significant new features. For iPad users, you’ll get new support for bluetooth keyboards and trackpads, making productivity tasks a lot easier. Developers can now publish apps and in-app purchases as “universal purchases” that work across Mac, iPad, and iPhone. And iCloud folder sharing is finally here.

Mouse and trackpad support

In an unexpected surprise, Apple is adding mouse and trackpad support to all iPads starting with iOS 13.4. The feature was widely expected to be a part of iOS 14 in the fall, but it’s already ready to go. The feature is marketed for the new iPad Pro and it’s Magic Keyboard (which will be available in May), but all existing iPads can pair with the Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2, or third-party bluetooth keyboard and mice.

The hybrid cursor acts as a circular touch assist in some places, but changes situationally to a text-select cursor or pointer. There are iPad-specific gestures for working with things like the dock, control center, and slide-over. It works system-wide with most apps right out of the gate, but there are new tools for developers to build in special mouse-and-trackpad specific features. Apple will release new versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote along with iOS 13.4 with added pointer support.

iCloud folder sharing

Finally, one of the most anticipated features of iOS 13, first promoted at WWDC last summer, is about to be released. With the iOS 13.4, iPadOS 13.4, and macOS 10.15.4 release, users can finally share iCloud folders.

Combined iOS and Mac purchases

Another long-sought-after feature, Apple will finally make it possible for developers to sell iPad and iPhone apps bundled together. The new Xcode 11.4 beta automatically enables “unified purchases” for new Catalyst-based apps, but existing apps can enable the feature, too. 

The change applies to more than just initial purchases, too. In-app purchases can be shared across Mac and iOS versions of an app, if the developer enables unified purchasing.

This change means that Apple is aligning Mac and iOS App Store categories. 

New Memoji stickers

There are nine new types of Memoji stickers.

@reneritchie

New Mail toolbar

The Mail app has a new toolbar, with four common functions: Send to Trash, Move Message, Flag, and Reply. The Reply button opens a panel with a host of common functions like reply, reply all, forward, and archive.

IDG

How to update your iPhone or iPad to 13.4

You’ll eventually get a notification that iOS 13.4 or iPadOS 13.4 is available, but if you don’t want to wait, just do the following:

• Open Settings
• Select General
• Select Software Update

You’ll see the iOS or iPadOS 13.4 update there, with a prompt to install it. If you don’t see it right away, give it a little time—it often takes a little while to become available everywhere in the world.

Release Notes

Apple has provided separate release notes for iOS and iPadOS.

iOS 13.4 full release notes:

Memoji

• Nine new Memoji stickers, including Smiling Face with Hearts, Hands Pressed Together, and Party Face

Files

• iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app
• Controls to limit access only to people you explicitly invite or grant access to anyone with the folder link
• Permissions to choose who can make changes and upload files and who can only view and download files

Mail

• Always-visible controls to delete, move, reply to, or compose a message in conversation view
• Responses to encrypted emails are automatically encrypted when you have configured S/MIME

App Store with Apple Arcade

• Universal Purchase support enables the use of a singular purchase of a participating app across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
• Recently played Arcade games appear in the Arcade tab so you can continue playing on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
• List view for See All Games

CarPlay

• Third-party navigation app support for the CarPlay Dashboard
• In-call information appears on the CarPlay Dashboard

Augmented Reality

• AR Quick Look supports audio playback in USDZ files

Keyboard

• Predictive typing support for Arabic

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:

• Adds status bar indicator to display when VPN has disconnected on iPhone models with all-screen displays
• Fixes an issue in Camera where the viewfinder may appear as a black screen after launch
• Addresses an issue where Photos may appear to use excess storage
• Resolves an issue in Photos that may prevent sharing an image to Messages if iMessage is disabled
• Fixes an issue in Mail where messages may appear out of order
• Addresses an issue in Mail where the conversation list may display empty rows
• Resolves an issue where Mail may crash when tapping the Share button in Quick Look
• Fixes an issue in Settings where cellular data may incorrectly display as off
• Addresses an issue in Safari where webpages may not be inverted when both Dark Mode and Smart Invert are active
• Resolves an issue where text copied from web content may appear invisible when pasted when Dark Mode is active
• Fixes an issue in Safari where a CAPTCHA tile may display incorrectly
• Addresses an issue where Reminders may not issue new notifications for an overdue recurring reminder until it is marked as completed
• Resolves an issue where Reminders may send notifications for completed reminders
• Fixes an issue where iCloud Drive appears to be available in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote even when not signed in
• Addresses an issue in Apple Music where music videos may not stream in high quality
• Resolves an issue where CarPlay may lose its connection in certain vehicles
• Fixes an issue in CarPlay where the view in Maps may move away briefly from the current area
• Addresses an issue in the Home app where tapping an activity notification from a security camera may open a different recording
• Resolves an issue where Shortcuts may not appear when tapping on the Share menu from a screenshot
• Improves the Burmese keyboard so punctuation symbols are now accessible from numbers and symbols

iPadOS 13.4 full release notes:

iPadOS 13.4 introduces support for mouse and trackpad with iPad for greater precision and navigating the system with Multi-Touch gestures, and adds iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app and new Memoji stickers. This update also contains bug fixes and improvements.

Mouse and Trackpad Support

• All-new cursor design highlights app icons on the Home Screen and Dock and buttons and controls in apps
• Magic Keyboard for iPad support on iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation or later) and iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation or later)
• Magic Mouse, Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad, Magic Trackpad 2, and third-party Bluetooth and USB mouse support
• Multi-Touch gestures on Magic Keyboard for iPad and Magic Trackpad 2 enable you to scroll, swipe between app spaces, go Home, access App Switcher, zoom in or out, tap to click, secondary click (right-click), and swipe between pages
• Multi-Touch gestures on Magic Mouse 2 enable you to scroll, secondary click (right-click), and swipe between pages

Files

• iCloud Drive folder sharing from the Files app
• Controls to limit access only to people you explicitly invite or grant access to anyone with the folder link
• Permissions to choose who can make changes and upload files and who can only view and download files

Memoji

• Nine new Memoji stickers, including Smiling Face with Hearts, Hands Pressed Together, and Party Face

Mail

• Always-visible controls to delete, move, reply to, or compose a message in conversation view
• Responses to encrypted emails are automatically encrypted when you have configured S/MIME

App Store with Apple Arcade

• Universal Purchase support enables the use of a singular purchase of a participating app across iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
• Recently played Arcade games appear in the Arcade tab so you can continue playing on iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
• List view for See All Games

Augmented Reality

• AR Quick Look supports audio playback in USDZ files

Keyboard

• Live Conversion for Zhuyin automatically transforms Zhuyin into the correct characters without pressing the space bar to convert text or select candidates
• Live Conversion for Japanese automatically transforms Hiragana into the correct characters without pressing the space bar to convert text or select candidates
• Predictive typing support for Arabic
• Swiss German keyboard layout supported on iPad Pro 12.9-inch
• On-screen keyboard layout for iPad Pro 12.9-inch now matches Smart Keyboard

This update also includes bug fixes and other improvements. This update:

• Fixes an issue in Camera where the viewfinder may appear as a black screen after launch
• Addresses an issue where Photos may appear to use excess storage
• Resolves an issue in Photos that may prevent sharing an image to Messages if iMessage is disabled
• Fixes an issue in Mail where messages may appear out of order
• Addresses an issue in Mail where the conversation list may display empty rows
• Resolves an issue where Mail may crash when tapping the Share button in Quick Look
• Fixes an issue in Settings where cellular data may incorrectly display as off
• Addresses an issue in Safari where webpages may not be inverted when both Dark Mode and Smart Invert are active
• Resolves an issue where text copied from web content in a third-party app may appear invisible when pasted if Dark Mode is active
• Fixes an issue in Safari where a CAPTCHA tile may display incorrectly
• Addresses an issue where Reminders may not issue new notifications for an overdue recurring reminder until it is marked as completed
• Resolves an issue where Reminders may send notifications for completed reminders
• Fixes an issue where iCloud Drive appears to be available in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote even when not signed in
• Addresses an issue in Apple Music where music videos may not stream in high quality
• Addresses an issue in the Home app where tapping an activity notification from a security camera may open a different recording
• Resolves an issue where Shortcuts may not appear when tapping on the Share menu from a screenshot
• Improves the Burmese keyboard so punctuation symbols are now accessible from numbers and symbols