Gurman: New Magic Keyboard for iPad to Feature Aluminum Top Case

[flexwithmarius]

I know companies like to give customers options, but what exactly is the point of this?

It just screams “do something existing technology can do” but at a much higher price point. And iPadOS clearly can’t stack up to macOS.

Is this for businesspeople to put on their desk in front of them while they have a meeting so they look more legit? Just get a regular Mac.

I feel like this is a way to avoid buying an “old school” laptop while looking trendy and paying for the privilege of it. But that’s just me.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

They have lost their way with iPad. They should stop trying to make it into a bad laptop.

 

[fw85]

I know companies like to give customers options, but what exactly is the point of this?

It just screams “do something existing technology can do” but at a much higher price point. And iPadOS clearly can’t stack up to macOS.

Is this for businesspeople to put on their desk in front of them while they have a meeting so they look more legit? Just get a regular Mac.

I feel like this is a way to avoid buying an “old school” laptop while looking trendy and paying for the privilege of it. But that’s just me.

Do you lug around a 13" laptop everywhere? Because an 11" iPad is easily equipped as EDC.

Can you then, within the span of 3 seconds, transform said laptop to a portrait mode reader, or a convenient internet surfer, or a pen and paper-like notepad? And then pop it back onto a physical keyboard to get a laptop-like tool for longer typing?

The Mac does not hold a candle to the versatility of an iPad.

Is the iPad software limited? Sure, but it's still more than enough for 90% of personal computing use cases in its current form, and the UI is excellent as far as touch-first systems go.

For the rest, just have a Win/Mac computer sitting at home, which you can remote into whenever the need arises. Then you still just take the iPad on the go with all bases covered.

 

[satchmo]

I know companies like to give customers options, but what exactly is the point of this?

It just screams “do something existing technology can do” but at a much higher price point. And iPadOS clearly can’t stack up to macOS.

Is this for businesspeople to put on their desk in front of them while they have a meeting so they look more legit? Just get a regular Mac.

I feel like this is a way to avoid buying an “old school” laptop while looking trendy and paying for the privilege of it. But that’s just me.

It’s for creative types to sketch something out with the Apple Pencil and then type out an email on the Magic Keyboard.

Or at that’s what Apple wants you to believe happens in real life.

 

[RLRabb]

A Revamped Magic Keyboard 🎹 with a larger trackpad. Does it meet your needs?

View attachment 2254517

Love that wallpaper. Can you share?

 

[newyorksole]

So Apple has found a way to hike prices again.

that’s exactly what I read lol.

Apple is funny. it probably doesn’t cost much at all to switch to this new design, but it will be beautiful, polished and so NEW that people will be like “oh the $50 extra makes sense!”

 

[heretiq]

A Revamped Magic Keyboard 🎹 with a larger trackpad. Does it meet your needs?

View attachment 2254517

Nope! What Gurman describes seems like one more iPad “enhancement” that further blurs the difference between the iPad and the MacBook. iPad enhancements should differentiate the iPad and MacBook — not muddle them.

I really hope Gurman’s reporting is dead wrong as this suggests that Apple has either lost its way — or is in the process of upending its own narrative and justification for why the iPad deserves to exist (it’s a best-in-class Tablet).

Now, a lighter, “keyboard-less” Magic Keyboard-inspired case and stand would be a welcome iPad “enhancement.”

 

[cdarlington1]

I use one with my 11 inch iPad Pro and I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread. I may go with a bigger iPad Pro next year and will need a new keyboard for it so this sounds great.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

I think iPads provide an example of what happens when users disregard what a device was actually designed and optimized for, then expect and insist that it behave the way they would have designed it.

Please enlighten folks then as to the purpose of an iPad because Apple is sending some very mixed signals these days.

 

[flexwithmarius]

It’s for creative types to sketch something out with the Apple Pencil and then type out an email on the Magic Keyboard.

Or at that’s what Apple wants you to believe happens in real life.

Yeah, their pretty ads don’t match real life usage.

 

[flexwithmarius]

Do you lug around a 13" laptop everywhere? Because an 11" iPad is easily equipped as EDC.

Can you then, within the span of 3 seconds, transform said laptop to a portrait mode reader, or a convenient internet surfer, or a pen and paper-like notepad? And then pop it back onto a physical keyboard to get a laptop-like tool for longer typing?

The Mac does not hold a candle to the versatility of an iPad.

Is the iPad software limited? Sure, but it's still more than enough for 90% of personal computing use cases in its current form, and the UI is excellent as far as touch-first systems go.

For the rest, just have a Win/Mac computer sitting at home, which you can remote into whenever the need arises. Then you still just take the iPad on the go with all bases covered.

I guess for average use it’s fine. But anything requiring multiple input sources and screens, nope. I need more screen real estate and controls when I’m editing video or making music. Neither of which can be done over remote desktop since it doesn’t handle precise movement well. Just not my use case, oh well.

 

[nerdAFK]

"We see a great opportunity to massively increase the price!"

- Your Dear Apple Marketing Department, who is de facto running this "tech" company.

 

[The_Martini_Cat]

The existing Magic Keyboard is the best I’ve ever used. And I’ve used a ****load of keyboards. If this one is not at least as good I’m switching to ???? 🍸😹🍸🐈

 

[svish]

Should be an improved keyboard but disappointing to hear about price hike

 

[omenatarhuri]

Say what you will but I'm ready for a iMacPad Pro. Fuse them, Tim Apple, one thing to rule them all.

 

[teh_hunterer]

That’s because you want to do stuff the “traditional OS way”, embrace a new workflow and it will be as productive as when you are on a computer.

That's a big claim. Some people's work requires running traditional software, or having lots of different systems that don't talk to each other open at once in easily managed windows, with full access to the filesystem. Some workflows just require that no matter what you think.

I tried to make the iPad my main computer for a few years, quite successfully in some ways, but even I'll admit that while you can keep theorising that the iPad could replace a computer if people just approached things differently, the reality is we all have jobs, we all have to work, and if we want to get paid we have to be productive. Eventually the rubber has to hit the road with serious work, and for some people the iPad falls apart at that stage.

If that doesn't apply to your personal circumstances, that's wonderful for you, but you shouldn't assume your personal circumstances apply to everyone else.

 

[teh_hunterer]

Do you lug around a 13" laptop everywhere? Because an 11" iPad is easily equipped as EDC.

At 2.4lbs the 11" iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard is only barely lighter than a 13" MacBook Air at 2.7lbs, with a screen 2" smaller.

Can you then, within the span of 3 seconds, transform said laptop to a portrait mode reader, or a convenient internet surfer, or a pen and paper-like notepad? And then pop it back onto a physical keyboard to get a laptop-like tool for longer typing?

The Mac does not hold a candle to the versatility of an iPad.

The versatility of the iPad hardware comes at a weight penalty - a 12" MacBook from 2015 with a bigger screen weighs 2lbs, .4lbs less than the iPad+keyboard combo. It's even more lighter compared to the iPad+keyboard than the iPad+keyboard is compared to a MacBook Air. I could very well ask you, do you lug around an iPad+Magic Keyboard combo everywhere?

 

[dfcacc]

I am excited for fancy new ipads but good lord they are expensive.

I hate saying it but the Magic Keyboard is nice and made the ipad much more useful for me. The ipad+magic keyboard combo is silly expensive and I also have a MacBook air but they do slightly different things.

I like that iPadOS is different than MacOS.
I mainly use my ipad as a big iphone with a keyboard for chat/email/web browsing stuff.
iPad is like a Swiss Army knife or jack of all trades master of none with the touch screen plus keyboard/trackpad. It doesn’t do anything better than other devices except the pencil drawing thing but it does a little bit of everything and it’s kinda nice to have.

 

[yabeweb]

That's a big claim. Some people's work requires running traditional software, or having lots of different systems that don't talk to each other open at once in easily managed windows, with full access to the filesystem. Some workflows just require that no matter what you think.

I tried to make the iPad my main computer for a few years, quite successfully in some ways, but even I'll admit that while you can keep theorising that the iPad could replace a computer if people just approached things differently, the reality is we all have jobs, we all have to work, and if we want to get paid we have to be productive. Eventually the rubber has to hit the road with serious work, and for some people the iPad falls apart at that stage.

If that doesn't apply to your personal circumstances, that's wonderful for you, but you shouldn't assume your personal circumstances apply to everyone else.

I never said the iPad is for everyone,BUT, if you decide to go the iPad route you will have to adapt your workflow.

That’s all I ment.

 

[yabeweb]

Found an Apppe employee

Not at all, but buying a different tool and pretending to use it like the one it replaced is silly.

you can use an Action cam for still images and you can use a dslr for action videos, but we know the right tool for each usage.

 

[The Game 161]

Hate to imagine the price on this one. I bet 400 odd. When you’re spending that much you might as well just get a laptop if that’s how you want to use your device.

that said bigger trackpad and function keys would be a big improvement on the current MK.

 

[nelloismello]

Give me media/function keys and an ESC key; I’ll be happy.

This. Cook and co are corrupt crooks

 

[subjonas]

This is unnecessary. I can see why the trackpad might grow, but an aluminum keyboard? Who wants a potentially heavier keyboard. This thing is already heavier than a MacBook Air.

I use an iPad Pro 12.9 with Magic Keyboard as my main personal device (and mostly love it), but I can’t imagine it being any heavier than it already is. They should be focusing on making the iPadOS experience better.

It is pretty heavy.
I’m curious how much people actually use their 12.9 detached from their MK. I’ve heard many say it stays attached 95% of the time. At that point, wouldn’t it be better if the iPad was not a slate but a clamshell convertible? It would be a somewhat heavier tablet for the 5% of the time it’s used as one, but for the 95% of the time it would be thinner, better balanced, with more range of viewing angles, and maybe most importantly it would be significantly lighter.

 

[fw85]

I guess for average use it’s fine. But anything requiring multiple input sources and screens, nope. I need more screen real estate and controls when I’m editing video or making music. Neither of which can be done over remote desktop since it doesn’t handle precise movement well. Just not my use case, oh well.

I'm a software engineer, so I'd already categorize that above the average web-surfing use. I deal with the more screen real estate problem by using a single large display that fits everything I need, and the iPad's screen as a sidekick.
I understand it may not be for everyone, but I think you might be underestimating just how good a combination of fiber internet + Jump Desktop is for working in a remote dev environment. The input delay is imperceptible and the connection is very smooth.
Such thin-client/heavy-lifing remote server setup is gaining a lot of popularity in general recently in many fields, where you can rent out remote workstations on Azure or AWS, instead of carrying some hideous underpowered plastic business laptop.

At 2.4lbs the 11" iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard is only barely lighter than a 13" MacBook Air at 2.7lbs, with a screen 2" smaller.



The versatility of the iPad hardware comes at a weight penalty - a 12" MacBook from 2015 with a bigger screen weighs 2lbs, .4lbs less than the iPad+keyboard combo. It's even more lighter compared to the iPad+keyboard than the iPad+keyboard is compared to a MacBook Air. I could very well ask you, do you lug around an iPad+Magic Keyboard combo everywhere?

I already EDC that combo in a sleek sling bag, so yes.
Bigger screen size of a MBA would mean a bigger bag is necessary, and that's not even to mention the versatility of the iPad for the things I mentioned before being gone.

When I'm doing some deep work, it matters little whether the screen is 11" or 13", as both are equally inadequate to fit my needs. I need a large display, and that's what I can hook into an iPad and a MBA just the same, where the device itself becomes a Teams/mail sidekick.
So once again, why would I lug the larger, heavier and less versatile device? Especially when offloading heavy-lifting to a remote server, instead of trying to do it on a lightweight portable device, is actually way more efficient work.

Then at the end of the day, with just an iPad at my side and an external mouse, I can dock it at the office and do proper work, attend conference calls with the excellent 5-mic array, take notes or journal with the Pencil + Paperlike screen cover, read a good book on a bench for a while as I'm crossing a park on the way home and watch my favorite TV show on the couch in the evening or do some web browsing.
And that kind of versatility at the cost of ~1kg of weight in my bag is something I can definitely get behind.

 

[falkon-engine]

My main criticism is a lack of function row keys like volume control and brightness control which the iPad supports. That is a glaring omission for such an expensive accessory. I hope the new version includes that.