Images of Apple Wireless Keyboard With Backlight Keys and Power Button Appear in Online Store [Updated]

[576316]

It could just be a simple reprint. A power button instead of an eject button makes much more sense seeing as Apple only sell 1 Mac with a disk drive. Maybe they didn't want to leave the F5 and F6 keys blank anymore so they stuck the backlight buttons on them in case you use your wireless keyboard with your MacBook open and wanted to use your keyboard to adjust the MacBook's keyboard lights. Adding backlighting to the wireless keyboard seems like a pretty big upgrade for a peripheral and will probably mean the battery life is terrible.

I've had my wireless keyboard and Trackpad since Boxing Day, I've changed the batteries in the Trackpad twice yet the keyboard is still reporting 100% battery life. I know that's to do with the way the keyboard uses an 'on-off' switch but Trackpads require constant power, but they don't need to make the battery life of the keyboard as bad as that of the Trackpad.

Also, a price reduction would be nice. £59 for a wireless keyboard is a little over-priced and no doubt they'll see backlighting as a reason to raise that to £79.

 

[rhysmorgan]

It is not an easy implementation.

What makes Touch ID so secure on the iPhone is the Secure Element, something not present on Macbooks.

Yeah, I know. But, theoretically, they could have put a Secure Element into the new Retina MacBook too, so it could accommodate TouchID.

 

[chicagohoops]

To go with the new Apple TV box due this summer? Would be nice to turn activate from the couch as well as see the keyboard in a dark living room...

 

[GoCubsGo]

Just the way the key is on many international keyboards. Not a redesign.

I came here to write exactly that.

I've longed for a backlit keyboard for some time. I just wish they would finally release one with an actual number pad.

 

[Icaras]

Shut up and take my money!

 

[MJedi]

It worked great for me for about 6 months. Then it unpaired, so i paired it again and it worked for another month. Now it will not pair at all

I haven't had any trouble with it either in since I got it in 2013. Have you contacted Logitech Support? The keyboard comes with a 3-year warranty.

On-topic: I do hope Apple releases a wireless version of the keyboard with numeric keys. Although, since I've been using keyboards without them, I've gotten used to being without it.

 

[sentiblue]

My speculation is that the new Macbook and future mac products will carry a low power bluetooth device that, once has been paired by the operating system while online, can remain online even after the operating system is shutdown....

The device runs on so little energy that the battery (if on a laptop) can run for years without draining... and being still paired, it can receive poweron signal from the keyboard...

 

[Yr Blues]

1. Black keys make illumination stand out better, hence the MacBooks.

2. The direction keys have not been updated to match the new MacBook.

3. Will illumination be supported by more batteries or a wired option? I like wires. No fear of running out of juice during important work.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

How about adding a number pad back to the bluetooth keyboard. Too much to ask?

 

[giggles]

It looks so small. Is it hard to press?

The fact that it spans TWO rows is HUGE.
It's a pinky heaven.

Also, it's not that narrow "by design", only on laptop keyboards and recent apple desktop keyboards (for the sake of standardizing the layout between mobile and desktop macs).

Usually it's fatter than that.

 

[Freyqq]

you may want to re-read the article...

Article is vague whether they added backlight to the keyboard or just backlight keys. Seems kinda weird if they added backlight keys just so you can alter the backlight on your laptop's keyboard. Logitech managed to make a bluetooth keyboard with backlit keys, so Apple could do it too.

 

[BWhaler]

I hope we also see a haptic magic trackpad too. Along with a killer new display for laptops.

As odd as it seems, I'm really hoping for an series of accessories refresh from Apple this year.

 

[Nautilus007]

Its weird the images are still on their site and the description has not been updated.. maybe these are just shortcut keys for laptops like the new macbook...

 

[fixmymac]

Merged

Is it simply not a merging of the current Mac keyboard and the version that was available for older iPads plus backlighting?

The backlighting does not require discussion. It is what it is.

I think the power button will be;

iOS - Sleep/Wake
OSX - Brings up the Sleep/Wake/Shut Down dialog box.

So, still have to power on a Mac with the usual button.

I hope it has the new key design and I HOPE & PRAY there is a version with keypad!

 

[ChrisCW11]

Why? Apple sucks at "wireless"

Apple has a horrible reputation for wireless keyboard/mice that practically need to be plugged in (through a battery charger) because they don't last more than a week.

Part of the problem with Apple's mice/keyboards is the constant need in OS X to verify they are present and what their current battery level is. This constant monitoring depletes the battery life for no real purpose. I don't need a message box to come up in OS X telling me my wireless mouse or keyboard is not connected, I mean not even Microsoft has this kind of stupid nitpicking warning message intended for the purest of idiot.

I can only imagine backlit keys will drain the battery quicker making their wireless keyboard even more useless. I mean if you can't even get a few days out of this new keyboard then what is the point.

I keep mentioning because I am amazed that I have a Microsoft wireless mouse I used EVERY DAY for almost 18 months before I had to change the batteries. The day the batteries died I jiggled the mouse, it did nothing, I then put in another pair of batteries all without some warning message covering my screen that the computer lost contact with the mouse. Perhaps if Apple realized their customers are not complete morons they could make a wireless keyboard/mouse that would last more than a few weeks, or even months, rather draining the battery power with constant monitoring.

And this 2 year old mouse I bought for $19 at Costco has taptic response, the mouse wheel is a piece of metal that vibrates when I flick my finger over it to convincingly simulate a click wheel.

 

[MacRum2011]

If they make a full size wireless keyboard, i'll be in, but the current one, no thanks, i need my number keys, full size arrow keys and the better sized return key. They eject key can say goodbye, although supposed its handy for those with an external drive.

I am surprised that they hadn't changed the keys from white to black, since accessories are the only things that have white.

I'm thinking that the backlit keys would drain battery much quicker, unless you add an extra battery or two.

 

[Nautilus007]

Is it simply not a merging of the current Mac keyboard and the version that was available for older iPads plus backlighting?

The backlighting does not require discussion. It is what it is.

I think the power button will be;

iOS - Sleep/Wake
OSX - Brings up the Sleep/Wake/Shut Down dialog box.

So, still have to power on a Mac with the usual button.

I hope it has the new key design and I HOPE & PRAY there is a version with keypad!

Backlighting does require discussion, whether its for the keyboard itself or for the computer its being used on. The model number for the keyboard seems the same..

 

[SchneiderMan]

An Apple wireless illuminated keyboard would be nice. Or you could just buy the Logitech K811 right now. Because we've all been waiting for years and nothing showed up.

 

[Peace]

I wonder if this could be for the new AppleTV...

That power key is for exactly that.

 

[apophazz]

Please release also a black version. Please please please.

 

[ephemeralreason]

I do wonder what backlighting will do to battery life . . .

 

[Solomani]

The year 2046 might arrive and Apple anti-gravity iCar might exist…. but no engineer in Apple seems capable of figuring out how to create a wireless extended keyboard.

 

[name99]

Apple has a horrible reputation for wireless keyboard/mice that practically need to be plugged in (through a battery charger) because they don't last more than a week.

Part of the problem with Apple's mice/keyboards is the constant need in OS X to verify they are present and what their current battery level is. This constant monitoring depletes the battery life for no real purpose. I don't need a message box to come up in OS X telling me my wireless mouse or keyboard is not connected, I mean not even Microsoft has this kind of stupid nitpicking warning message intended for the purest of idiot.

I can only imagine backlit keys will drain the battery quicker making their wireless keyboard even more useless. I mean if you can't even get a few days out of this new keyboard then what is the point.

I keep mentioning because I am amazed that I have a Microsoft wireless mouse I used EVERY DAY for almost 18 months before I had to change the batteries. The day the batteries died I jiggled the mouse, it did nothing, I then put in another pair of batteries all without some warning message covering my screen that the computer lost contact with the mouse. Perhaps if Apple realized their customers are not complete morons they could make a wireless keyboard/mouse that would last more than a few weeks, or even months, rather draining the battery power with constant monitoring.

And this 2 year old mouse I bought for $19 at Costco has taptic response, the mouse wheel is a piece of metal that vibrates when I flick my finger over it to convincingly simulate a click wheel.

There's a lot of truth to what you are saying BUT:

- if you use lithium batteries (like Energizer Ultimate Lithium) the battery life is just insane! I popped these into keyboard and trackpad (where the kbd used to need a refresh about every four months, the trackpad about every two months) somewhere in January, and they are still at 100%.
These are the most expensive batteries you can buy at a supermarket, but for this usage, at least, they appear to be well worth it.

- I certainly HOPE (we shall see) that the future of these devices is a built-in lithium batteries and recharge via USB. Hell, put a USB-C socket on the side and you can recharge them AND (if you like) use them as wired devices, either with your mac or on some other computer.

- for the trackpad in particular, yeah it chews up battery, but it's probably also DOING a lot more than the MS mouse. I don't think it's fair to look at the relative lifetimes and conclude that the MS mouse has a much better radio protocol or whatever; it may just be solving a much easier problem.

 

[Digital Skunk]

still not black :-/

AGREED!

More because of the great and amazing Logitech series of keyboard with rechargeable batteries, backlit keys, multiple profiles, etc.

So far it's the best keyboard I've ever used, and puts Apple's to shame.

Maybe adding a backlit to the apple keyboard will make it easier to sell when I buy new systems.

 

[talmy]

The year 2046 might arrive and Apple anti-gravity iCar might exist…. but no engineer in Apple seems capable of figuring out how to create a wireless extended keyboard.

Not so. My new (at the time) 2006 iMac came with a wireless extended keyboard. I still have the keyboard but don't use it. They sold it (the "Apple Wireless Keyboard") from 2003 to 2007. It was Apple's first wireless, bluetooth keyboard.