When Apple announced macOS Monterey in June there was a lot to get our heads around, but one of the features I was instantly drawn to was Universal Control. I have an iPad on my desk all the time, so how cool would it be to be able to control it using my Mac's mouse and keyboard?
Spoiler: it'd be very cool indeed. It's a shame I haven't been able to try it yet.
Today saw the release of macOS Monterey beta 4 as we career towards the expected fall launch of Apple's next big Mac software release. I've been running the betas for weeks now and so far, so (mostly) good. But while we've been on the rollercoaster that is the Safari story, Universal Control is nowhere to be seen. And that makes me sad.
Apple even teased me earlier today. In a move that almost feels personal at this point, Apple listed the arrival of Universal Control in the macOS Monterey beta 4 release notes — only to remove it shortly afterward. The feature is nowhere to be seen, of course.
So what makes Universal Control so interesting, you ask? It's going to be the best Mac feature ever! I'll let Apple explain.
A single keyboard and mouse or trackpad now work seamlessly between your Mac and iPad — they'll even connect to more than one Mac or iPad. Move your cursor from your Mac to your iPad, type on your Mac and watch the words show up on your iPad, or even drag and drop content from one Mac to another.
Again, as someone who has their iPad next to their Mac's display anyway, this really tickles my fancy. I can't wait to test it out — I just wish Apple would let me.
The continued absence of Universal Control from these beta releases is a concern, of course. Apple has a history of features disappearing during beta programs — and this one never even arrived. There are clearly issues here, so I'm just going to sit with my fingers, toes, arms, and legs crossed in the hope that whatever's borked can be un-borked come the fall.
If I could cross my eyes, I'd do that as well!
