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Microsoft Possibly Working on 'Touch Cover' Smart Keyboard For iPad

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Microsoft appears to be working on a Touch Cover smart keyboard for at least one iPad model, according to battery information for products containing lithium-ion batteries shared on its website earlier this year.

surface-rt.jpeg
Microsoft's Surface RT with Touch Cover​

The documents were published in April, but they were only discovered now by German blog WinFuture, which tipped its information to The Verge. The product is clearly listed: iPad Touch Cover (Model 1719).

Microsoft previously sold Touch Covers for its Surface tablets that doubled as pressure-sensitive keyboards and protective covers.

microsoft-ipad-touch-cover.jpg

Those covers magnetically click into place and provide protection for the Surface's touchscreen. They have a standard keyboard layout, shortcut keys, and a two-button touchpad that supports gestures.

It's unknown if the iPad version would be similar. All that's known is that it presumably has a lithium-ion battery, suggesting it could connect over Bluetooth. It could also work with an iPad Pro's Smart Connector, but that seems less likely.

Of course, Microsoft could have scrapped plans to release an iPad keyboard between April and now, or perhaps even earlier. For now, the single document is all we have to go on. We'll provide an update if that changes.

Article Link: Microsoft Possibly Working on 'Touch Cover' Smart Keyboard For iPad
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/02/microsoft-ipad-touch-cover-smart-keyboard/
It's a shame it (presumably) won't use the smart connecter there is no battery bulk. That would make sense for a touch cover.
 
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lexvo said:
I have the previous Microsoft universal keyboard, and have to say it is a nice product.
Click to expand...

Their touch keyboards are a very different product, and very bad. Monumentally worse than Apple’s!
 
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I've heard good things about their keyboards. Unfortunately, due to iOS's lack of mouse support, the trackpad probably won't carry over. I really wish they would've added that to iOS 11. It's very awkward to keep reaching up to the screen when using the iPad with a keyboard.
 
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I'd love to see a Microsoft Type Cover for the iPad Pro. The Type cover is hands down better than Apple's Smart Keyboard, which is rather confounding as the Type Cover emulates the MacBook keyboard and the Smart Keyboard emulates crap.
 
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Probably doesn't support the Smart Connector because it's intended for the 9.7" standard iPad.
 
Zirel said:
Their touch keyboards are a very different product, and very bad. Monumentally worse than Apple’s!
Click to expand...

This is very subjective. I have tried them before and they worked as well, if not better, than my ASK. Just goes to show how everyone has different tastes.
 
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Avieshek said:
But Why? Lost the confidence of their own product?
Click to expand...
No, not at all. It's simply a matter of extending their reach and influence. Microsoft makes MS Office available for Mac OS. It's not because they "lost confidence" in Windows, but because it helps them reach people who they otherwise wouldn't reach.

It'll be interesting to see what MS does with the TouchCover for iPad. First, because there is no support for pointing devices (does Microsoft know something that we don't? ;)) and Secondly, because there is no integrated kickstand on the iPad, the TouchCover will need a redesign to support the iPad.
 
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Avieshek said:
But Why? Lost the confidence of their own product?
Click to expand...


The division that makes keyboards and mice has long supported many different devices why should this be any different?

I just purchased a new Surface Pro and it is wonderful. It is a Core i5/8GB RAM and Fusion 360 runs well on it, so it is not like the iPad Pro is even competition for it.
 
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Be interesting to see what they do with this. As much as I like the Apple Smart Keyboard, the quality control is not up to snuff. Be nice to have a competitive alternative. I wonder if MS could/would do some value add keys for Office on there.
 
richpjr said:
This is very subjective. I have tried them before and they worked as well, if not better, than my ASK. Just goes to show how everyone has different tastes.
Click to expand...

I haven't used Apple's iPad keyboard, but I have used a few different Surface keyboards, including the expensive versions. If they actually do work better than Apple's, then Apple should be ashamed since - the Surface keyboards seemed universally horrible.
 
Westside guy said:
I haven't used Apple's iPad keyboard, but I have used a few different Surface keyboards, including the expensive versions. If they actually do work better than Apple's, then Apple should be ashamed since - the Surface keyboards seemed universally horrible.
Click to expand...
"better" is subjective. I have owned TypeCovers, TouchCovers, and still own and use the ASK. I've had no problems at all with the keyboard portions of the Type and Touch Covers, but the trackpads were worse than useless.

I think that the TouchCover concept is nice in that it provides a similar experience as typing on the screen itself without taking up screen real estate. A TouchCover would be no thicker than a regular smart cover but offer the ability to have off-screen typing.

Before owning the 12.9 iPad Pro w/ASK, Microsoft's TypeCover was my favorite keyboard for any device. It was that good. (again, the touchpad is a different story)

But the Apple Smart Keyboard has replaced the TypeCover as my all-time favorite keyboard. It's terrific. It would be better if it didn't need additional material to form a kickstand and if it had a touchpad, but those are physical limitations of the iPad itself and iOS.
 
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sracer said:
No, not at all. It's simply a matter of extending their reach and influence. Microsoft makes MS Office available for Mac OS. It's not because they "lost confidence" in Windows, but because it helps them reach people who they otherwise wouldn't reach.

It'll be interesting to see what MS does with the TouchCover for iPad. First, because there is no support for pointing devices (does Microsoft know something that we don't? ;)) and Secondly, because there is no integrated kickstand on the iPad, the TouchCover will need a redesign to support the iPad.
Click to expand...

I think this is just click bait. Think about it... the Microsoft type cover works because it "clicks" into the magnetic port, has support for a pointing device, and relies on the kickstand of the Surface Pro. To say they are going to make one for an iPad, which supports none of those things is kind of silly. What's left? The keys. Nothing unusual or special about that. So I see no merit in the rumor.

Westside guy said:
I haven't used Apple's iPad keyboard, but I have used a few different Surface keyboards, including the expensive versions. If they actually do work better than Apple's, then Apple should be ashamed since - the Surface keyboards seemed universally horrible.
Click to expand...

Your opinion is noted, but not shared by me and many other happy Surface Pro owners. The type cover I have, works equally well with my MacBook Air keyboard and track pad (albeit a little smaller) and the Magic Keyboard. I've not used Apple's iPad keyboard, but expect its similar. The problem with it, to me, is the ergonomics, lack of pointing device, etc..
 
convergent said:
I think this is just click bait. Think about it... the Microsoft type cover works because it "clicks" into the magnetic port, has support for a pointing device, and relies on the kickstand of the Surface Pro. To say they are going to make one for an iPad, which supports none of those things is kind of silly. What's left? The keys. Nothing unusual or special about that. So I see no merit in the rumor.
Click to expand...

Eh, existing iPad Pro keyboards already "click" into the iPad Pro magnetic port. Like the Logitech Slim Create. Which also covers the back of the iPad so it is able to include a kickstand. So there's nothing stopping Microsoft from doing the same thing here should they choose to. I actually like the Slim Create a lot, I just wish it were thinner and lighter.

Presumably, The touchpad just wouldn't be included, unless Apple is keeping something a secret. Alternatively (and unlikely), it is possible to make specific apps that use a mouse, so Microsoft could make their iOS apps support their touchpad. And then have to answer questions as to why it "doesn't work" anywhere else in the OS ;). I'd love to see Apple add touchpad control of cursors for editing apps and maybe app selection for Springboard.
 
blackcrayon said:
Eh, existing iPad Pro keyboards already "click" into the iPad Pro magnetic port. Like the Logitech Slim Create. Which also covers the back of the iPad so it is able to include a kickstand. So there's nothing stopping Microsoft from doing the same thing here should they choose to. I actually like the Slim Create a lot, I just wish it were thinner and lighter.

Presumably, The touchpad just wouldn't be included, unless Apple is keeping something a secret. Alternatively (and unlikely), it is possible to make specific apps that use a mouse, so Microsoft could make their iOS apps support their touchpad. And then have to answer questions as to why it "doesn't work" anywhere else in the OS ;). I'd love to see Apple add touchpad control of cursors for editing apps and maybe app selection for Springboard.
Click to expand...

I alluded to it above but perhaps wasn't explicit. There's no reason Microsoft couldn't include a track pad and support it in their apps. Citrix support their own mouse in their app. I mean I doubt they'll do that, but they could.
 
Wonder if it will have a mouse pad. I know iOS has no cursor , but the Citrix app for iPad allows you to use a Citrix bluetooth mouse within its app, so could Microsoft pop a cursor within an updated Word,Excel.Powerpoint for iOS for use with this special keyboard cover?
 
The best of both worlds? Tried a Surface tablet and it just didn't "click" with me. But Apple keyboards are not my thing. Try and use Word with those things...

I'm a Win10 PC user. While testing it, I kept thinking the Surace was a PC in a tablet form factor but offering no intuitive experience, like the keyboard popping up at the right time, an easy to use interface, the stylus behaving as expected, etc., etc.

Leave it to Microsoft to confuse someone who's actually been using its products for 20 years.

IDK if windows or iOS are the future of mobile computing, but for the first time, iOS 11 looks like we might be able to actually DO something useful with a tablet without the pain of using an idiotic software overlay on a touchscreen Windows laptop.

Microsoft has barely made any progress since the day it slapped a capacitive screen on a Vista setup in terms of interface. I hate Modern UI, it's a trainwreck taking functionnality away from the core win10 experience.

But give me one of those Surface keyboards and a decent office experience on a tablet and we might have a deal.
 
Relentless Power said:
And allowing the Apple smart keyboard using the smart connector with iPad, it doesn't require any batteries inside the keyboard, which makes the keyboard thinner and lighter.
Click to expand...
Yeah that’s why it would make sense for the touch cover, one advantage was it’s thinness. It’s a shame because I would like to see some genuine alternatives to Apple Smart Keyboard (i.e. keyboard without battery bulk and Bluetooth connections).
 
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