Update: Looks like it might kind of work with the new iPad after all.
The iPad Pro keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is a whopping $350. It’s a great accessory, but it’s horribly overpriced. But that’s offset slightly by the fact that you can use the keyboard across generations, right? The same Smart Connector has been on the back of the iPad Pro for three generations now, surely it was a good investment, right?
Well, no.
Turns out, Apple made the new iPad Pro just a little too large for the old Magic Keyboard. Apple didn’t just release a new color for the Magic Keyboard, they actually released a brand new keyboard to accommodate their thicker iPad Pro.
Thicker 12.9-inch iPad Pro
Buyers of the $299 Magic Keyboard for the 11-inch iPad Pro and iPad Air don’t have anything to worry about here. The new 11-inch iPad Pro is the same thickness as the last one. The problem comes into play with the inexplicably $50 more expensive $349 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard.
The new 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 0.5mm thicker than the previous model. Just half of a millimeter. Apple has confirmed that tiny difference is enough to make the new iPad Pro incompatible with the old Magic Keyboard.
According to an Apple spokesperson who responded to Cult of Mac’s request:
“The Magic Keyboard of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro has been updated to fit the new dimensions of the new 12.9-inch model. The new iPad Pro 12.9 has a new Magic Keyboard 12.9 to fit the new dimensions.”
The change in thickness seems to be to accommodate the new mini-LED screen on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This screen is brighter and has better contrast than Apple’s 11-inch iPad Pro, but the difference in thickness may make it unappealing to people on the fence about which size to go with.
Early adopters may be disappointed to find their $350 accessory won’t last past one or two generations. They may also be dismayed to know it’s now e-waste. It would be nice if Apple offered a recycling for their keyboards and other accessories, but, for now, they only offer it for their devices and chargers.
Sources:
- Ed Hardy, Cult of Mac
- Neil Hughes, AppleInsider