iPad Pro iPad Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil are underpriced (Teardown Pictures Video)

[nzxred]

After viewing the teardown video, I am convinced that the prices of the iPad Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil are remarkably reasonable.

The exquisite internal craftsmanship, robust materials, and meticulous attention to detail significantly surpass those of comparable products from other brands, including the iPad Pro itself.

The time required to disassemble one Magic Keyboard is equivalent to that needed to disassemble five iPad Pros.


I was thoroughly impressed by the teardown. In retrospect, considering the pricing of similar products from other brands, Apple's pricing appears exceptionally fair, to the point where it seems they could even charge more.


Ps Additionally, even the color of the internal cables aligns with the early Retro Apple logo.

Apology: The Youtube Video link is in different languages, just use build in auto translation function under YouTube menu.

Link Magic Keyboard 2024 & Apple Pencil Pro Teardown

 

[Abazigal]

I am not sure what to vote here. In a sense, both the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil offer a unique user experience that I can't really find anywhere else, so it's hard for me to decide what a fair price for them ought to be, only what I am willing to pay.

For the Apple Pencil, I am okay with the price, but then again, it's something I use heavily every day as part of my job, so it practically pays for itself.

I do find the Magic Keyboard pretty expensive, and it has its limitations (like not being able to fold back on itself) but at the same time, I don't think there is another integrated keyboard where I can just attach and detach via magnets, and which I can easily pair without the need for bluetooth. Honestly, I am not really using my Magic Keyboard all that much at the moment, but experience tells me I would be using a wireless keyboard + mouse combo even less (just too cumbersome to set up, and I can't use it on my lap). I am also not a fan of the Logitech keyboard folio, and I generally don't like cases in general. It's really the convenience here that sold me.

I also suspect the magic keyboard is priced the way it is because Apple know it's a low volume product, and so priced it higher to better cover the R&D costs.

At the end of the day though, I have come to accept that Apple products have, and never will be, cheap but they pay for themselves in the form of improved productivity and fewer problems overall.

 

[Digitalguy]

underpriced? no. Competitors who charge the same just copied Apple's pricing. Samsung ultra keyboard is clearly inferior. Microsoft's one I don't know, the wireless funtionality can be worth it, but the base keyboard at 139 is definitely more fairly price that the magic keyboard. I think the M4 one is a fair price given the improvement. The old one slightly overpriced but still worth it in my opinion (writing from it)

 

[JPack]

How does a teardown tell you the cost and bill of materials?

In general, the longer a teardown takes, the easier the manufacturability. This means more glue and fewer modular components and reusable fasteners used.

Here's something I consider well designed. Very well laid out. Everything is modular. The bottom cover is held together using a few screws and magnets.

 

[FrozenDarkness]

Magic keyboard is overpriced. It just doesnt have real competition because of its thorough integration.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

In the end I had to get it too. I like how easily it removes from the whole thing if desired. If I want, I can keep the MKB in a totally separate spare case and still have only my iPad alone if I want that easy naked access.

For the 11” especially, the stability afforded by the MKB is second to none, and I literally am okay with paying $300 for a stand with multiple viewing angles, that just so happens to have a world-class keyboard and trackpad attached.

But I like to treat myself. YMMV.

Folio doesn’t hold up in bed.
I wanted something to support my iPad in landscape while I’m lying down.

 

[iF34R]

I wouldn't think $199 for the keyboard and $99 for the pencil were overpriced.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

I wouldn't think $199 for the keyboard and $99 for the pencil were overpriced.

The pencil is $119 at the Apple eduction store. That’s only $20 over what you think is not overpriced.

The keyboard feels overpriced at $300 with tax, but… there’s also nothing quite like it. I wanted to skip it, but I just can’t. It’s too functional and glorious.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I wouldn't think $199 for the keyboard and $99 for the pencil were overpriced.

The 11" keyboard is $299 and the 13" is $349. Given the base price of each iPad, I consider the price of the keyboard to be high.

 

[iF34R]

The 11" keyboard is $299 and the 13" is $349. Given the base price of each iPad, I consider the price of the keyboard to be high.

That's kinda what I was hinting at. The current prices are high.

 

[toobravetosave]

in what universe is a $300 keyboard like this a fair price?

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

in what universe is a $300 keyboard like this a fair price?

In this universe where the lowest common denominator of educational progress is getting ever lower, causing us to slide backwards in common sense policies like maintaining a stable supply chain, but instead we ⛓️‍💥 because violence/dominance.

The price accurately reflects how difficult it is to do everything in this geopolitical landscape.

I wish I was joking.

And I really am against bean counting Timmy but the MKB is not one of the items he’s marking up.

 

[MrMacintoshIII]

How does a teardown tell you the cost and bill of materials?

In general, the longer a teardown takes, the easier the manufacturability. This means more glue and fewer modular components and reusable fasteners used.

Here's something I consider well designed. Very well laid out. Everything is modular. The bottom cover is held together using a few screws and magnets.

What a joke, the video you linked shows Microsoft doing a carbon-copy of Apple design language on the entire exterior. I can’t take the company seriously from that point on and couldn’t finish the video. Who cares if Microsoft has high repairability scores if they can’t even invent their own style??

I’m serious. Imagine you’re the up and comer for a good few decades, everybody ragging on you, until one day it flips, and now the raggers are desperately trying to copy your style?

It’s unforgivable in a human and it’s unforgivable in a company. If that kind of behavior doesn’t bother you, I’d not want to suffer the kind of friends you keep close.

Enjoy your Surface Pro, if you even have one.

And don’t bother with the typical “there’s only so many ways a tablet can look!” bs, it’s tired, and illogical. Be better.

 

[toobravetosave]

In this universe where the lowest common denominator of educational progress is getting ever lower, causing us to slide backwards in common sense policies like maintaining a stable supply chain, but instead we ⛓️‍💥 because violence/dominance.

The price accurately reflects how difficult it is to do everything in this geopolitical landscape.

I wish I was joking.

And I really am against bean counting Timmy but the MKB is not one of the items he’s marking up.

every item is marked up and until someone shows me otherwise i don’t see why we shouldn’t just default to apple’s historical profit margins somewhere around 30-40%

 

[profcutter]

I posted a pic on another thread about the state of my Magic Keyboard. Quality materials? The thing is covered in cheap vinyl. No, they’re highly overpriced, and I hesitate to get a new one because: gen 4 keyboards only work with gen 4 iPads, I’d have to get another if I upgraded. Gen 5-6 keyboards only work with gen 5-6 iPads and don’t quite close properly on a gen 4 like mine. Gen 7 or whatever the new one is called is totally incompatible. I don’t want to buy another one used because, well for lack of a better term, “ewwww.”

 

[cjsuk]

I'll be honest, this is all cheap. I worked on a defence project back in 1998 and one of the cast/machined case components cost $1850 on its own for something about the same size as an iPad. This held a board that cost $25k.

 

[JPack]

Think about it. Apple can sell a complete 10.9-inch iPad for $329. That includes display, processor, speakers, cameras, and heck, they even include a power adapter and cable.

In what world is a $300 keyboard not overpriced?

 

[Kiimora]

Everything you purchase from 🍎 is overpriced 🤨, and the MKB is no exception. In their world, the concept of ‘underpriced’ simply does not exist.

 

[sk1985]

I think it's fairly priced. I got one nearly free since I bought my iPad with an educational discount and got a $100s. Totally worth it. With my M1 it came in really handy signing mortgage docs and it's sometimes fun to just de-stress playing around in procreate.

 

[aurora_sect]

Their accessories are generally very overpriced IMO. This is a common strategy: mark up accessories because once you have the product they're made for you have fewer alternatives and you're ripe for the squeezing. Sometimes I suck it up and pony up, sometimes I don't. To me, MKB is particularly egregiously overpriced and I've never bought one. I'd probably feel differently if I were all in on iPad as a laptop replacement. Pencil Pro, otoh I love and in part because it is nominally much less expensive, it doesn't feel too terribly overpriced.

 

[Royksöpp]

There is no reason for them to construct these product like this. The Magic Keyboard should have been made out of the matte plastic that they use on the underside of the current Mac Magic Keyboard and trackpad. The soft silicone cuts the longevity of the product short, especially the black version. The Apple Pencil should have been built like a real pen that unscrews at the middle or at the top. Thankfully there aren’t as many Pencils floating around as AirPods, but they are just as wasteful once they die. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but I still have these thoughts at the back of my mind.

 

[alecgold]

As much as I like the Magic Keyboard, it is vastly overpriced. If Chinese can make decent Bluetooth keyboards for $20, Apple can make and sell it under a $100.

Take the extreme example: the folio case. $80 for a piece of cardboard with vinyl covering and a few tiny magnets that glued and heat sealed, produced in large quantities?!

Or just look at the other end: what is some gross margin? 45%!! Most companies have about 5-10%.

 

[alecgold]

There is no reason for them to construct these product like this. The Magic Keyboard should have been made out of the matte plastic that they use on the underside of the current Mac Magic Keyboard and trackpad. The soft silicone cuts the longevity of the product short, especially the black version. The Apple Pencil should have been built like a real pen that unscrews at the middle or at the top. Thankfully there aren’t as many Pencils floating around as AirPods, but they are just as wasteful once they die. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but I still have these thoughts at the back of my mind.

My pencil lasted almost 6 years? Not bad, I would say, most ballpoints don’t last as long and when accumulated over 6 years it might be more waste, seeing the absurd amount I write with it.

 

[Aka757]

There is no way the Magic Keyboard is underpriced at $300 minimum. It's one of my favorite accessories and I use it every day; it transforms the iPad into a legitimate work machine for many. That being said, my guess is that their margins on the Magic Keyboard are pretty nice. I highly doubt the bill of materials + any labor / R&D allocation comes out to anywhere near that much.

 

[rdgr.eu]

Perhaps stupid question: The aluminum surface on the right side of the trackpad sounds completely hollow when I tap on it with my fingernail, while the surface on the left side sounds solid. Is it the same for you? (11' Version)