Duet Display for iPad gains better Apple Pencil support, improved picture quality
Mike Wuerthele
The developers of the Duet Display app that allows the use of an iPad as an second screen for a Mac have released an update to the Pro in-app subscription, allowing for better color quality, better pressure curve customization, and more.
Users who have subscribed to service can now change the way that macOS receives and translates pressure curves, allowing for tailoring of how the Apple Pencil responds to the user. Additionally, to provide a faster drawing experience, Duet has implemented a "line preview" feature to predict where the Pencil is before macOS or Windows knows where it is.
Advanced gestures have been implemented in the new version, making drawing and using the iPad as a primary interface better for the user. Supplementing that, the virtual Touch Bar feature has been improved, with enhanced speed and stability.
Rendering quality and speed for pro users under the Pixel Perfect setting has been improved, delivering a higher quality display in less time according to the developers.
AppleInsider examined the core Duet Display app in December 2016, and found the $19.99 app "preposterously fast" in regular use, with nearly transparent extension of the macOS desktop after initial installation.
Duet Pro 2.0 is a $19.99 yearly in-app purchase, allowing for use of an iPad as a graphics tablet replacement, the ability for the Apple Pencil to be more than a simple pointer as in the core app, and implements palm rejection as well.
Duet Display and the Duet Pro 2.0 in-app purchase require iOS 8.0 or greater on the iPad, and macOS Sierra 10.12.2 or later.
Charles Martin
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9 Comments
This should be a regular feature of Mac-OS and iOS. You should be able to use any Apple device as a spare display screen or user interface for every other Apple device. That's the idea behind the Remote app, which lets an iPhone or iPad control AppleTV.
The word "subscription" makes this an automatic "no". I had known about this app before, but had forgotten about it back then for the same reason.
How does this compare with Astropad?
Still can't use this. If I install Duet on my iMac, AirPlay to other external screens and Apple TV is broken. This is a known issue that will never be fixed, according to their support. Too bad.