They seem to "redesign" the iPad keyboard every year. It's a joke how much they rip people off for.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Announces Redesigned Magic Keyboard for iPad Air
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I’m interested in trying one out at the store. The older Magic Keyboard I’m using now for the 13” Air is a very different experience from the 11” M4 Magic Keyboard and I kind of like the keys better on the 13” Air (even if it’s an older keyboard and $350 … which I coughed up back in January).
White only and no keyboard backlight kind of kills ever picking one up. The old keyboard works just fine.
White only and no keyboard backlight kind of kills ever picking one up. The old keyboard works just fine.
Yeah, I’m surprised backlighting is not here
Depending on where you plan to use this backlighting could be more useful than the function row keys
I think too
I have the older keyboard and thus would be a downgrade in my opinion. You can easily get by without the function row keys. Not perfect but easily doable
How much does this keyboard weigh?
I'm still using my 2018 iPad Pro 11" because it supports the discontinued Smart Keyboard Folio, which weighs only 308 grams. All Apple's more recent keyboard models weigh almost twice as much (580 grams for the magic keyboard!), making the whole thing almost as heavy as a laptop.
I'm still using my 2018 iPad Pro 11" because it supports the discontinued Smart Keyboard Folio, which weighs only 308 grams. All Apple's more recent keyboard models weigh almost twice as much (580 grams for the magic keyboard!), making the whole thing almost as heavy as a laptop.
So glad I got a Smart Keyboard Folio for both my wife and daughter’s an iPad Air M2 last year.
It’s much cheaper, more practical, more stable on your lap (or table). These keyboard prices are insane, and they don’t even have backlit keys, which is the only feature missing on the good old Keyboard Folios.
It’s much cheaper, more practical, more stable on your lap (or table). These keyboard prices are insane, and they don’t even have backlit keys, which is the only feature missing on the good old Keyboard Folios.
I personally find the trackpad useful, since it's more convenient than reaching out to the screen. Although either way, I refuse to buy any of these cases, since they are way overpriced.
At least it's compatible with all M chip iPad Airs and even the A14 iPad Air?
But this whole iPad accessories ecosystem is so confusing and all over the place. It breaks compatibility on a regular basis on both Pencil and keyboard side.
For the keyboard I sometimes get it. Sure, the M4 iPad Pro is physically thinner and whatnot and as the keyboard + trackpad combo is a case (or "folio") at the same time. But this new folio couldn't have been compatible with the iPad Pro M1/M2? Just make the camera cutout a little bigger. The base iPad has an entirely different keyboard folio.
Pencil, same thing. For some reason Apple didn't think of the idea that a landscape-oriented webcam is a good idea, so they put the charging coil of the Pencil 2 in a very inconvenient place. Now you need the Pencil Pro on devices with a landscape webcam and the Pencil 2 on older devices with a portrait webcam. There is no cross-compatibility at all here. Oh, and the base iPad, even the new one, guess what: it doesn't have a charging coil at all, so you better get the weird-to-use USB-C Pencil or the even-weirder-to-use Pencil 1 with Lightning and a USB-C adapter. Just iterate ONE Pencil design with new features every now and then, but make them compatible with older iPads and make newer iPads compatible with older Pencils.
I get that Apple bets on users simply purchasing new accessories with their device, I just think it's confusing and at least for me personally, it holds me back from upgrading, it doesn't make me want to upgrade more.
But this whole iPad accessories ecosystem is so confusing and all over the place. It breaks compatibility on a regular basis on both Pencil and keyboard side.
For the keyboard I sometimes get it. Sure, the M4 iPad Pro is physically thinner and whatnot and as the keyboard + trackpad combo is a case (or "folio") at the same time. But this new folio couldn't have been compatible with the iPad Pro M1/M2? Just make the camera cutout a little bigger. The base iPad has an entirely different keyboard folio.
Pencil, same thing. For some reason Apple didn't think of the idea that a landscape-oriented webcam is a good idea, so they put the charging coil of the Pencil 2 in a very inconvenient place. Now you need the Pencil Pro on devices with a landscape webcam and the Pencil 2 on older devices with a portrait webcam. There is no cross-compatibility at all here. Oh, and the base iPad, even the new one, guess what: it doesn't have a charging coil at all, so you better get the weird-to-use USB-C Pencil or the even-weirder-to-use Pencil 1 with Lightning and a USB-C adapter. Just iterate ONE Pencil design with new features every now and then, but make them compatible with older iPads and make newer iPads compatible with older Pencils.
I get that Apple bets on users simply purchasing new accessories with their device, I just think it's confusing and at least for me personally, it holds me back from upgrading, it doesn't make me want to upgrade more.
I’m sitting in the dark with my 11” M2 Air + Magic keyboard on my lap and the backlighting is much more valuable than function keys. But at that price, it should be both.
it really doesn’t. I just checked on Apple’s website and there is no mention of backlighting. They really took it away, as hard as it is to believe .
Magic Keyboard for iPad Air 11-inch (M3) - US English
Magic Keyboard delivers a great typing and trackpad experience for your iPad, along with front and back protection. Buy now at apple.com.
www.apple.com
Yeah I agree, I mean I can get by without it on some of my devices. But on my iPad sometimes I might be someplace with inadequate lighting as it’s a mobile device and I’m away from desk. So in those cases the backlight it super useful.
After all these years you’d have thought they would have found a way to keep it and keep manufacturing costs down. I just wonder what the profit is on these accessories. And it seems they prioritized profit over user experience.
I want the Apple Smart Keyboard Folio back for all new iPad models. I won't upgrade until Apple releases it. Magic Keyboard is heavy, thick, and beats the purpose of having an iPad for reading. Apple could come up with an even lighter, stronger Smart Keyboard Folio if they put the research into it. Not sure who convinced Apple that we wanted to transform our iPads into laptops. I'd just buy a Macbook for that which is what I have.
Can I use my old keyboard case with backlit keys with a new iPad Air?
I can’t fathom why Apple downgraded this “upgrade” to the Air keyboard from 4 years ago?
I can’t fathom why Apple downgraded this “upgrade” to the Air keyboard from 4 years ago?
To be fair, the Magic Keyboard's need to have a certain weight to stop the iPad from toppling over backwards with you tap the screen.
I think the pricing is designed to price discriminate between people buying an iPad as just an iPad and those wanting a "laptop light".
In other words, keep the iPad itself relatively cheap to sell more units. Charge a high price to turn the iPad into a laptop substitute, such that it's not that much less than a low-end Apple laptop.
(This doesn't mean I agree with the pricing . . . but it doesn't "baffle" me, just annoys me).