iFixit Provides Look Inside iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Trackpad

[GuruZac]

For the price of a BMW M3 you can get a Ford F-150 King Ranch!
OR
For the price of an iPad Pro plus this keyboard you'll have:

A MacBook that you can't detach the screen off of
A MacBook that you can't draw on
A MacBook that has an OS that's VERY different from the iPhone you already know and love
A MacBook that is heavier when on the go because you have to bring the keyboard AND the trackpad EVERY TIME
A MacBook that doesn't have the Apple Arcade touch-based games you want to play
A MacBook that has a ton of power or features you will NEVER put to use
A Macbook on which you cannot do any of this:

I think the reverse is true. The majority do not NEED a MacBook. Steve agreed, which is why the iPad exists.

Lately I found myself asking: What EXACTLY do I need a MacBook for that I cannot do on an iPad now?

I have been asking myself the same thing. My first iPad Pro was the 10.5 that I bought the Summer of 2017. I honestly believe it was the best tool I had to get from undergrad to medical school. I had a reputation for going overboard with my drawings and notes using Notability. I still have and use my 10.5, but I bought a 2018 12.9 for the extra screen real estate, and now with the Magic Keyboard, other than mandatory for exams, I don’t think I’ll use my MacBook Pro for much of anything. I only wish my iPad Pro was a 2020 for the extra RAM. Hoping the 4GB gets me through the next few years of medical school.

 

[AnthonyHarris]

No, or at least not yet. Most apps that use standard controls offered through UIKit already support pointer input out of the box with zero work from the developer. If an app uses custom controls or is, for example, a game, it’ll take more work for those specific elements.

They may, at some point, implement an App Store guideline dictating that apps must support both touch and pointer input where possible, though, with possible partial exclusions for things like games. Once that happens, if you don’t support it to Apple’s liking, they’ll reject your app/update until you do.

Of course, if users expect but don’t receive trackpad support for specific elements, you’re far more likely to get complaints in App Store reviews first if it’s not adopted promptly.

Thank you for that information. I was genuinely curious.

I don't think I'll be getting a response from the other poster, as their account seems to have been suspended.

 

[harriska2]

I felt the same way until I tried it out. I don't use it often but there are some tasks/setups where trackpad support is great. Same with the pencil. 80% of the time it is stuck to the side of my iPad but that other 20% of the time I couldn't give it up. The cost/benefit isn't quite the same with the new keyboard—although I do like the design—but overall Apple won me over with their implementation.

Same here. I probably use the pencil less than 1% of the time. But when I use it I absolutely love it and it is certainly a justified cost. 99% of the time my 4 1/2 year old $100 pencil is on a charging station. Love my pencil.

 

[Airforcekid]

I'm an app developer and I'm stuck having to support this feature that I believe users don't need. Maybe try your comment again.

Don't put it into your app then and let your customer base decide if they think they need it. No way ill continue to use any RDP tools that dont support this.
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Except, it's more work for app developers who use custom UI controls to support trackpad. I don't believe my users should be using trackpad in my apps, but Apple wants developers to support it anyways.
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Ok?

Apple developer guidelines tell developers to support both multitouch and pointers. that's more work for the developer. Try telling any indie developer that doesn't make nearly as much $$$ as Apple to spend more time developing unnecessary features and see how they feel.
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or just carry the laptop?

the iPad can be better than the MacBook in certain ways (like Apple Pencil for drawing apps). trying to mimic the MacBook doesn't make sense as a user can just carry that instead.

Carrying an extra 3-4 pounds for 20-30 minutes of my days work makes zero sense when Apple literally just gave me a solution to have a pointer in Linux and Windows when I randomly to to access them. Plus the pain of switching workstreams from one device to the next etc.

 

[farewelwilliams]

What kind of apps have you developed and which part of them, specifically, do you think won't benefit or can't possibly be improved by cursor/trackpad support?

Also. Because I don't develop apps and have no idea what the policy is, does Apple actually forcefully require you to redevelop your applications in order to support the trackpad/cursor, or do you get to decide? If its the former, I can see your issue.

I have developed games, a variety of apps for clients as part of my full time job, and a few utility apps on the side. None of them benefit from a trackpad.

From Apple

The iPadOS pointing system gives people an additional way to interact with apps and content — it doesn’t replace touch. Some people may continue to use touch only, while others may prefer to use the pointer or a combination of both. Let people choose how to interact with your app, and avoid condensing your interface or making changes that require them to use the pointer.

Apple generally makes these new features optional then enforce in the future (basically giving time for devs to implement)
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Respectfully, I disagree. I think the implementation is better than Mac, and it makes the iPad much better for excel or database use. Which I wasn't doing much of on my iPad but now I can. So it doesn't open up NEW areas (in general computing) but it does improve the iPad's weaknesses in certain key tasks.

Mac has a larger trackpad and I can work in excel faster on a Mac than I do with iPad+trackpad. iPad trackpad shouldn’t exist.
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Don't put it into your app then and let your customer base decide if they think they need it. No way ill continue to use any RDP tools that dont support this.

It will be a requirement in the future.

Carrying an extra 3-4 pounds for 20-30 minutes of my days work makes zero sense when Apple literally just gave me a solution to have a pointer in Linux and Windows when I randomly to to access them. Plus the pain of switching workstreams from one device to the next etc.

iPad Pro 12.9 with magic keyboard is heavier than a MacBook Air 13...