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iPad Can we talk about the new iPad Air and Magic Keyboard
- Thread starter tomtad
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Maybe look for the old 2018 iPad Pro Smart Keyboard? Though I find that the 2020 Smart Keyboard has better build quality (the sides seem sturdier and less likely to fray), and I don't think Apple is going to fragment the Smart Keyboard lineup by creating a separate line just for the air.
Does the keyboard work as it should with the new Air? If so, focus on something more meaningful than the backside of the cutout.
The 2018 iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard looks the exact same way too. This is nothing new.
Yep, looks just like my 2018 pro. I don't care one bit, and appreciate that Apple is making this expensive accessory with wide compatibility.
A little bit of duct tape will take care of that.
This looks like a case of (pun intended), two departments working in silos. I suspect the team designing iPad accessories were not privy to the specific hardware designs of the Pro and Air.
While it doesn't impede function, it appears Apple is content to settle on a not so elegant solution.
Again, another subtle way they're pushing buyers to aspire to get to a Pro instead.
Doesn’t look that way to me at all. This was an intentional design decision to make this accessory compatible with the 2018 iPad Pro. Apple could have easily not done this - in fact it would have been pretty typical for them to. I’m doubly surprised that they have also made it compatible with the new Air. Again, not something they would have been likely to do in recent history.
Even the Smart Keyboard these day only comes with the large cutout.
Mine is like this and frankly it never bothered me.
To be fair, the Apple of old also released a universal 30-pin dock with multiple plastic inserts.
This was my exact thought when I saw this too. It’s a bit ridiculous but I also don’t like the huge cutout. For me I was on the fence of getting a keyboard anyways. This cemented that for me. That and the price tag!
I'm usually very picky about things like this, but I think this move makes sense here and looks fine.
Also, contrary to some of the sentiment here, Apple has frequently worked to ensure compatibility across devices: look how long it kept the original dock connector, how long it has stuck with lightening, the fact that six generations of watches all use compatible bands, etc. I mean, I'm still using a 2010 iMac as a very good second display via Target Disk Mode. Apple's record on this sort of thing isn't perfect, but they in my view have done better than most companies at making old products compatible with new ones.
Also, contrary to some of the sentiment here, Apple has frequently worked to ensure compatibility across devices: look how long it kept the original dock connector, how long it has stuck with lightening, the fact that six generations of watches all use compatible bands, etc. I mean, I'm still using a 2010 iMac as a very good second display via Target Disk Mode. Apple's record on this sort of thing isn't perfect, but they in my view have done better than most companies at making old products compatible with new ones.
Exactly. 100% agree here. What Apple did with the Magic Keyboard was something they’re usually reluctant to do—they made it backwards compatible with the previous generation devices. This is not typical. With hot new accessories like this, they usually try to turn them into a selling point for the new devices. In this case they probably looked at it more like it would be easier to sell more Magic Keyboards if they would retro-fit to the 2018 models, and it would be incredibly cost effective to just have the one design/sku.
Apple regularly does this with iPhones; any cases Apple releases for the SE will be backwards compatible with the 7 and 8. Similarly throughout the iPhone history, cases released for S models work with the previous year's phone. Thats why Apple made the Air's body the same size as the Pro.
Not quite the same situation with iPad though. I still remember when they went from iPad 2 to iPad 3 with retina and reversed the polarity on the magnets so your old Smart Cover wouldn't work. They also changed the chassis thickness JUST slightly enough so that accessories like back covers wouldn't fit correctly. They have done this kind of stuff a lot with iPad, where with iPhone it seems like they try to keep things compatible for a while.
Not saying they do this on purpose necessarily. I wouldn't be surprised if the tech inside the device necessitates these changes. I'm just saying it seems to happen more often with iPad. I was actually shocked that they made the Magic Keyboard compatible with the 2018 Pros, but in hindsight, it's not a surprise. Apple knew the redesigned Air was coming. They care more about the Magic Keyboard fitting that device than they do about it fitting the 2018 Pros.