Apple in macOS Catalina introduced a new Sidecar feature that lets the iPad be used as a secondary display for a Mac, something that third-party companies have been doing for some time with products like Duet Display and Luna Display.

With ‌Sidecar‌ now available for the ‌iPad‌, Duet has adapted and introduced new functionality that's not available with ‌Sidecar‌ - namely using an additional Mac or PC as a secondary display.

duetdisplay
As of today, Duet Air, the software that turns the ‌iPad‌ into a secondary display for a Mac, also works with a second Mac or PC.

That means if you have an extra MacBook or PC, you can use Duet Air to turn it into a wireless second display or a mirrored display for your main Mac. This is functionality that's not available with Apple's ‌Sidecar‌ implementation.

Duet Air also allows iOS devices, Macs, or PCs to remote desktop into other devices from anywhere in the world, and Duet says that the update works with "minimal latency."

Over the course of the next year, Duet has pledged to continue improving its algorithms and customizability, and there are a long list of new features in the works that will make Duet Air more compelling in 2020.

Top Rated Comments

rahulda1 Avatar
66 months ago
We appreciate the kind words!

Luckily, we worked hard to add support for Windows (half of iPad users), Android (most mobile users), and desktop to desktop. We also support over a hundred million iPads & Macs even Apple does not, but we are finding a lot of people choosing us even on new hardware where Sidecar exists.

We are focused on professional customers that use the product every day, and they often prefer the additional features & customization we offer.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonplackett Avatar
66 months ago
I wish these guys lots of luck. It’s not easy pivoting to something new like that after Apple basically tries to put you out of business. These seem like genuinely useful new features.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rahulda1 Avatar
66 months ago

Hey man,

if you’re responsible for Duet, I just wanted to stop a minute and tell you guys you do great work. Even whenever a company as big as Apple tried to offer a similar feature, you found a way to improve Duet and it’s feature set. Being a developer of original products in this era can be quite PITA, but you guys constantly bring your A game. Keep up the good work, stay golden, and keep bringing great new features.
I did create Duet but am now just a small part of the amazing team that delivers those features and is responsible for the current success. Thanks for the support and kind words...can't wait to show you what we will deliver next year.


Does this mean I can use an older iMac as a display powered by my newer MacBook pro?
Yes it does...even if you have a PC :)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hinleyw12 Avatar
66 months ago

We appreciate the kind words!

Luckily, we worked hard to add support for Windows (half of iPad users), Android (most mobile users), and desktop to desktop. We also support over a hundred million iPads & Macs even Apple does not, but we are finding a lot of people choosing us even on new hardware where Sidecar exists.

We are focused on professional customers that use the product every day, and they often prefer the additional features & customization we offer.
Hey man,

if you’re responsible for Duet, I just wanted to stop a minute and tell you guys you do great work. Even whenever a company as big as Apple tried to offer a similar feature, you found a way to improve Duet and it’s feature set. Being a developer of original products in this era can be quite PITA, but you guys constantly bring your A game. Keep up the good work, stay golden, and keep bringing great new features.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rahulda1 Avatar
66 months ago

Mmmm.. I have been able do this for years with 5KPlayer (free) or AirServer (one time fee of 7.99 to 19.99 depending on license).
Both work great, no need to pay for a subscription forever.
Neither of these support remote desktop, are as cross-platform compatible, or are very fast (AirPlay is notoriously buggy and slow) among other features. I also think the main purpose is using your Mac as a mirrored display for your iOS device? Not sure why you keep writing this in the comments of every press article about Duet.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Amazing Iceman Avatar
66 months ago

Neither of these support remote desktop, are as cross-platform compatible, or are very fast (AirPlay is notoriously buggy and slow) among other features. I also think the main purpose is using your Mac as a mirrored display for your iOS device? Not sure why you keep writing this in the comments of every press article about Duet.
You are correct... I have edited my comment.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Monday December 16, 2024 8:55 am PST by
Apple released iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. Apple has added a handful of new non-AI related feature controls as...
iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Drops Plans for iPhone Hardware Subscription Service

Wednesday December 18, 2024 11:39 am PST by
Apple is no longer planning to launch a hardware subscription service that would let customers "subscribe" to get a new iPhone each year, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman first shared rumors about Apple's work on a hardware subscription service back in 2022, and at the time, he said that Apple wanted to develop a simple system that would allow customers to pay a monthly fee to gain...
blackmagic vision pro

Blackmagic Debuts $30K 3D Camera for Capturing Video for Vision Pro

Monday December 16, 2024 4:17 pm PST by
Blackmagic today announced that its URSA Cine Immersive camera is now available for pre-order, with deliveries set to start late in the first quarter of 2025. Blackmagic says that this is the world's first commercial camera system designed to capture 3D content for the Vision Pro. The URSA Cine Immersive camera was first introduced in June, but it has not been available for purchase until...
mac pro creativity

Apple Launched the Controversial 'Trashcan' Mac Pro 11 Years Ago Today

Thursday December 19, 2024 7:00 pm PST by
Apple launched the controversial "trashcan" Mac Pro eleven years ago today, introducing one of its most criticized designs that persisted through a period of widespread discontentment with the Mac lineup. The redesign took the Mac Pro in an entirely new direction, spearheaded by a polished aluminum cylindrical design that became unofficially dubbed the "trashcan" in the Mac community. All of ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2 Redux

Top 5 Apple Products to Look Forward to in 2025

Friday December 20, 2024 2:22 pm PST by
It's looking like 2025 is going to be an important year for Apple, with the company planning to revamp the iPhone, push further into smart home products, and improve Apple Intelligence. There are tons of new products rumored for 2025, including new iPhones, M4 Macs, a smart home command center, and much more. We've highlighted the top five Apple products that will have the biggest impact in...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

New Apple TV Rumored to Launch Next Year With These Features

Tuesday December 17, 2024 9:02 am PST by
The current Apple TV 4K was released more than two years ago, so the streaming device is becoming due for a hardware upgrade soon. Fortunately, it was recently rumored that a new Apple TV will launch at some point next year. Below, we recap rumors about the next-generation Apple TV. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last week reported that Apple has been working on its own combined Wi-Fi and...
iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Rumored to Stick With 'Triangular' Camera Design

Wednesday December 18, 2024 2:36 am PST by
Contrary to recent reports, the iPhone 17 Pro will not feature a horizontal camera layout, according to the leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post on Weibo, the leaker said that a source has confirmed that while the appearance of the back of the iPhone 17 Pro has indeed changed, the layout of the three cameras is "still triangular," rather than the "horizontal bar spread on the...
elevation lab airtag battery

Your AirTag's Battery Will Last for Up to 10 Years With Elevation Lab's New TimeCapsule Enclosure

Wednesday December 18, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Elevation Lab today announced the launch of TimeCapsule, an innovative and simple solution for increasing the battery life of Apple's AirTag. Priced at $20, TimeCapsule is an AirTag enclosure that houses two AA batteries that offer 14x more battery capacity than the CR2032 battery that the AirTag runs on. It works by attaching the AirTag's upper housing to the built-in custom contact in the...