iPad Pro What would your ideal Magic Keyboard look like?

[ascender]

There’s obviously been a lot of criticism about the Magic Keyboard so I though it would be interesting to see what people were hoping-for from the Magic Keyboard which Apple have failed to deliver.

I’ve put a few things below based on what I’ve read over the last few days. I do suspect though that your individual view on the product may depend on exactly how you use your iPad at the moment. The way you can put it on/off with the magnets so quickly will clearly appeal to those who don’t mind using it without a case on.

Weight - similar to the Brydge and physics seem to dictate its a necessity, so that its stable. On a desk, that stability does let you use touch without it tipping over. I don’t think the fact the iPad Pro & Magic Keyboard weigh the same as a laptop is an issue given the purpose of the device?

Materials - Concerns over the durability of the outer case as its the same material as the current folios. Would it be better in some sort of metal?

Design - I think the case is a very Apple piece of design, that hinge in particular. But would you have preferred something which could adapt to more use-cases? A kick-stand maybe?

Keyboard - The keys feel very similar to those in the new Air, 16” MBP etc so I think they’ve done a good job. Backlighting is nice. The missing function keys are very disappointing though (adjusting backlighting manually is very convoluted). I’d say there is room for a half-height row of keys above the numeric ones on the 12.9”? Not sure if the full keyboard access in ipadOS 14 will make proper keyboard shortcuts a possibility?

Viewing Angles - Improved over the Smart Keyboard Folio, but not as good as the Brydge? No way to fold it back on itself entirely.

 

[Petrophas]

Weight's not an issue for me.

Material - for the price, I wish it was leather. It would probably face similar durability issues but at least aged leather can look good.

Design - It's unique and Apple didn't want to copy anything else on the market. Unfortunately it just doesn't leave room for Fn keys.

I haven't received mine yet but I think I'm OK with the rest of Apple's decisions. Really the lack of Fn keys is my only real gripe. I hope there is an easy shortcut to pull down control center. That's basically like a touchbar right there with volume, media controls, brightness, etc.

 

[KittyKatta]

I want a keyboard case with an integrated trackpad.. The Magic Keyboard offers that but at the expense of portability and versatility. So all I want is basically an updated Smart Keyboard+ with a trackpad.

Apple isnt trying to make the iPad into a MacBook so why put the trackpad in such a prominent position? By placing it above the keyboard it remains out of the way but is still comfortably within reach when needed (kinda like an IBM nub). And this simple addition retains the Smart Keyboard weight and foldaway design.

BTW. This idea isnt unique since theres already an Apple Patent: Smart Keyboard Folio Touchbar which would be a great solution for restoring the missing top row and acting as a trackpad. But it would probably cost a fortune and all I really want is a cheap barebones Smart Keyboard with Trackpad.

 

[Macintosh101]

Weight's not an issue for me.

Material - for the price, I wish it was leather. It would probably face similar durability issues but at least aged leather can look good.

Design - It's unique and Apple didn't want to copy anything else on the market. Unfortunately it just doesn't leave room for Fn keys.

I haven't received mine yet but I think I'm OK with the rest of Apple's decisions. Really the lack of Fn keys is my only real gripe. I hope there is an easy shortcut to pull down control center. That's basically like a touchbar right there with volume, media controls, brightness, etc.

I totally agree that the material should have been leather, especially for the price

 

[Mr Retina]

The design is amazingly unique, outside of not having room for function keys. Hopefully ipados14 will give us more keyboard customization. I don’t mind the weight, since it needs to have balance, and I’m an 11 inch user. 95% of Laptops have all of their guts in the base, and the screen is just the screen. It’s tricker with the iPad, since the guts are the screen, so there needs to be weight on the base, so it doesn’t just fall over my the slightest movement. Leather would be nice for the materials too.

 

[sparksd]

It would have a row of function keys that would include keyboard brightness, home key, and display off key (all like on my Slim Folio Pro).

 

[ascender]

If this thing had been made out of leather, can you imagine how much it would have cost based on their leather sleeves for MacBooks!?

I’ve seen people mentioning that the top row of keys is too close to the iPad but I don’t see that at all, so maybe its more of an issue on the 11” version?

 

[tbayrgs]

I'm pretty happy with the MK after a day use. Like most, I'd love an extra row of function keys and greater view angle options but understand why those additions are difficult with this design.

I'd be curious to see a design like the Brydge Pro+ but instead of the small hinges in the corners and using bluetooth, have a back panel like that found on the Smart Keyboard Folio (and thus have integrated smart connector support) that is attached to the base with a sturdy, stiff hinge similar to the one at the base of the MK that allows the same pass through charging. I realize this style wouldn't be light (no getting around that until Apple mimics the Surface Pro with an integrated kickstand), but it would allow for a function row, probably a slightly larger trackpad, and greater viewing angles. It would also be made from sturdier materials and more easily removed from the keyboard (vs. the Brydge Pro+).

 

[KittyKatta]

People claim that the limited angle prevents the iPad from toppling backwards. While I understand that reasoning, Laptops/Chromebooks have been allowing a range of motion that folds flat or go all the way to tripod. Are Apple users not to be trusted with that option? Because if “you’re holding it wrong” and it flips over then why couldn’t that just be the users fault?

 

[gsal]

I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately, and the only form factor that could integrate a function row and trackpad would be the Brydge implementation. I wouldn't even consider the hideous back flap found on the Surface Pro line of laptops.

They could've taken the Brydge idea and had a thin metal hinged plate that the iPad magnetically attaches to instead of hinged grips. That would've been the best compromise imo. It probably wouldn't even have to be much thicker than the current design and make it so that most of the weight in the base is at the front to improve stability.

But I still see the benefit of the current design. A lot of people haven't considered that the display in the current implementation of the MK sits closer to the user allowing easier interaction with the touch screen. It also has a smaller footprint should you need to use the iPad in tighter spaces.

For me though, the Smart Keyboard Folio beats all of the form factors currently available and it is something I will be sticking to.
- iPad closer to the user for easier touch screen interaction
- Lightest and thinnest design for optimal portability
- Ability to fold the keyboard back for use in tablet mode

 

[jcshas]

Function and Media keys would be ideal.

 

[tbayrgs]

People claim that the limited angle prevents the iPad from toppling backwards. While I understand that reasoning, Laptops/Chromebooks have been allowing a range of motion that folds flat or go all the way to tripod. Are Apple users not to be trusted with that option? Because if “you’re holding it wrong” and it flips over then why couldn’t that just be the users fault?

The display on a laptop weighs a fraction of what an iPP weights as it doesn’t need to contain all of the internal hardware, so it’s easily held upright by the much heavier laptop base.

 

[konqerror]

People claim that the limited angle prevents the iPad from toppling backwards. While I understand that reasoning, Laptops/Chromebooks have been allowing a range of motion that folds flat or go all the way to tripod. Are Apple users not to be trusted with that option? Because if “you’re holding it wrong” and it flips over then why couldn’t that just be the users fault?

To add, look at the Microsoft Surface and the ThinkPad X1 Tablet. They're so top-heavy, they need the kickstand in the back for even a near-upright angle. The Surface Book tries to fix this by putting a heavy battery into the keyboard.

 

[garnerx]

I really like it - I wanted a new laptop, now I have a new laptop and an ipad.
But what I want now is for there to be a way to turn the backlit keys on and off via the Control Center. Just swipe down from the top right of the screen and toggle the keyboard light on and off. Hope that’s included in a forthcoming update, seems like an obvious thing to me.

 

[Royksöpp]

It should have been plastic or carbon fiber. The silicone material is soft to the touch, but it isn’t durable in the long run. I would have also liked a row of function keys. A mini Touch Bar could have been an option as well. The weight serves a functional purpose as it adds stability and structure so that’s not an issue for me. Overall it’s good for a first gen device.

 

[Cryates]

I really like it - I wanted a new laptop, now I have a new laptop and an ipad.
But what I want now is for there to be a way to turn the backlit keys on and off via the Control Center. Just swipe down from the top right of the screen and toggle the keyboard light on and off. Hope that’s included in a forthcoming update, seems like an obvious thing to me.

While not a perfect solution for it, there is a quicker option to access keyboard lighting.

The Everything Magic Keyboard Thread

Federico Viticci created a shortcut that you can add to your iPad’s home screen to take you directly to the hardware keyboard settings, where backlight brightness can be changed. https://www.icloud.com/shortcuts/04e678a485f348359ad62c9b3ef2579b

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