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New Magic Keyboard not compatible with iPad Pro 3rd/4th gen?

E

Etienooo

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 21, 2019
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On Apple website the Magic Keyboard for the 12’9 iPad Pro only mentions 5th gen iPad Pro 12’9, both in the product title and in the compatibility description.

I thought it might just be a mistake but the Magic Keyboard for the Pro 11’ and Air, which only mention the 3rd generation in its product title, does mention the 1st and 2gen iPad Pro 11

The Smart Keyboard DOES mention the 3rd and 4th gen iPad Pro 12’9, same for the smart folio, so it might just be a mistake
 
I saw that too and think it's a mistake since it say elsewhere you can use the new magic keyboard with previous generations from 2018 onward. I think the better question is what is new with this keyboard in the black model that there is a new model? To accommodate the thicker iPad Pro 12.9"? any other changes? will the current Magic Keyboard 12.9" fit the 5th generation ?
 
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Apparently the current Magic Keyboard is no longer offered on the Store, only the new one available for order on the 30th. However the current Smart Keyboard folio is available now and is shown to be compatible with the new Pros so I have to assume the current MKB will be compatible with the new Pro.
 
From Apple...

Screen Shot 2021-04-21 at 7.27.51 PM.png


What I am wondering is if the "old" 12.9" MK is compatible with the new iPad Pro because it is slightly thicker.
 
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henry72 said:
What I am wondering is if the "old" 12.9" MK is compatible with the new iPad Pro because it is slightly thicker.
Click to expand...
Looking at the specs for the new 5th gen WiFi + cellular 12.9 iPad Pro and my 3rd gen 2018 model, the new one is .5mm thicker. That’s not significant, shouldn’t affect any existing cases or the Magic Keyboard.

However it is also 52 grams heavier. I don’t know if that’s significant or not. Would that much make the whole combo tippy? Since all the other currently available accessories are compatible with the new iPad the connector pins and cutouts will all match up as would the current (old) MKB. So I don’t see anything that would obviously prevent it from working other than the additional 52 grams. We’ll just have to see. But .5mm just isn’t significant, I think you could put a sheet of paper between you current iPad and the keyboard to see what impact that might have.
 
Do we know for sure that the black(gray?) Magic Keyboard for 12.9" even has a different part number for old/new?

Maybe they kept the same p/n and just updated the description to include the 5th gen?

If my existing 4th gen Magic Keyboard won't work with the 5th gen 12.9", it's gonna be hard to pull the trigger on a new iPad. I consider the Magic Keyboard as a must-have accessory and shelling out $349+ tax for another one just seem wrong.
 
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BeatCrazy said:
Do we know for sure that the black(gray?) Magic Keyboard for 12.9" even has a different part number for old/new?

Maybe they kept the same p/n and just updated the description to include the 5th gen?

If my existing 4th gen Magic Keyboard won't work with the 5th gen 12.9", it's gonna be hard to pull the trigger on a new iPad. I consider the Magic Keyboard as a must-have accessory and shelling out $349+ tax for another one just seem wrong.
Click to expand...

yep same here, I have 2020 and want the 2021 but I am not shelling out another 300+ so I hope the current magic keyboard works with the 5th gen iPad Pro 12.9
 
I just asked a specialist via chat on the Apple website, they told me the current Magic Keyboard is compatible with the new iPad Pro 12,9.
Don’t know if we can trust them or not but ... 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
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metalsiren said:
yep same here, I have 2020 and want the 2021 but I am not shelling out another 300+ so I hope the current magic keyboard works with the 5th gen iPad Pro 12.9
Click to expand...
I just put a sheet of material that’s about 1mm thick on my Pro attached to the MKB and shut the whole thing up, you can’t tell there is anything there. So that .5mm extra thickness should not be an Issue. The 52 grams of extra weight could be but those magnetic attachments are very strong and should support that small amount of extra weight. Could it be tippy because of the weight, I don’t know. But I don’t have any concerns that it will work with the new 5th gen, but perhaps there will be some other minor issues that may arrive. Since the current MKB is no longer offered on the Apple Store there is no documentation about what models it is compatible with. We’ll just have to wait until someone actually gets their hands on the new device to know for sure. But my plans are to use my MKB with the new one, and I believe it should work fine, even if I have to keep my hand on the keyboard to keep it from tipping.
 
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MrPomme said:
I just asked a specialist via chat on the Apple website, they told me the current Magic Keyboard is compatible with the new iPad Pro 12,9.
Don’t know if we can trust them or not but ... 🤷🏻‍♂️
Click to expand...
I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be. Again the new one is only .5mm thicker than my 3rd gen. I fully expect it to be compatible.
 
papbot said:
I just put a sheet of material that’s about 1mm thick on my Pro attached to the MKB and shut the whole thing up, you can’t tell there is anything there. So that .5mm extra thickness should not be an Issue. The 52 grams of extra weight could be but those magnetic attachments are very strong and should support that small amount of extra weight. Could it be tippy because of the weight, I don’t know. But I don’t have any concerns that it will work with the new 5th gen, but perhaps there will be some other minor issues that may arrive. Since the current MKB is no longer offered on the Apple Store there is no documentation about what models it is compatible with. We’ll just have to wait until someone actually gets their hands on the new device to know for sure. But my plans are to use my MKB with the new one, and I believe it should work fine, even if I have to keep my hand on the keyboard to keep it from tipping.
Click to expand...
yea I plan on trying as well, since lets face it thats a lot of money I mean hell its 1/3 the price of the entry level model.
 
metalsiren said:
yea I plan on trying as well, since lets face it thats a lot of money I mean hell its 1/3 the price of the entry level model.
Click to expand...
I also put something that’s at least 2mm thick and that did keep the folio from staying securely closed. It closes fine but there’s enough of a gap that it could open unexpectedly. But .5mm will be no problem.
 
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I confirmed with a trusted source. The old Magic Keyboard (2020 model) will not work with the new 5th Gen 12.9" iPad Pro. The new (2021 model) Magic Keyboard however will work with 3rd-5th Gen 12.9" iPad Pro. I couldn't find a reason for why (maybe new magnet positions?), but looks like anyone upgrading will need to get a new MK too :/
 
jlsm511 said:
I confirmed with a trusted source. The old Magic Keyboard (2020 model) will not work with the new 5th Gen 12.9" iPad Pro. The new (2021 model) Magic Keyboard however will work with 3rd-5th Gen 12.9" iPad Pro. I couldn't find a reason for why (maybe new magnet positions?), but looks like anyone upgrading will need to get a new MK too :/
Click to expand...
wait a minute...what is your source?

check out this site. https://sbraidley.com/2021/04/21/ol...confirmed-to-work-with-5th-generation-models/

I need to figure this out because I need to return my unopened MK if this is the case.
 
jlsm511 said:
I can't share it publicly, but it's an internal Apple training document.
Click to expand...
Way too much conflicting info. I’m leaning toward not trusting your source. Apple forcing upgraders to purchase a new $350 keyboard is insane. :-(

Can someone offer or obtain some more concrete info?
 
Last edited:
vega07 said:
Way too much conflicting info. I’m leaning toward not trusting your source. Apple forcing upgraders to purchase a new $350 keyboard is insane. :-(

Can someone offer or obtain some more concrete info?
Click to expand...
I got my info from SEED, an Apple app to train resellers on products. On this thread another user reported the same and copied the relevant text that was quoted on the Magic Keyboard section for the new iPad Pro.

forums.macrumors.com

Magic keyboard Gen 5 vs Gen 4

I work at an Apple Premium Reseller, I got this information from SEED (Sales Enablement Education and Development) app from Apple itself. It literally states 'Note: Previous version Magic Keyboard for 12.9- inch iPad Pro (A1998) isn't compatible with 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation)' No...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
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vega07 said:
Way too much conflicting info. I’m leaning toward not trusting your source. Apple forcing upgraders to purchase a new $350 keyboard is insane. :-(

Can someone offer or obtain some more concrete info?
Click to expand...
Until someone actually gets a new iPad in their hands and confirms that the keyboard does not work I wouldn’t make any conclusions. Apple itself on the store site shows all other current accessories/keyboards will work with the 5th gen. So that means the connectors are the same and the software functions with them. To me that means the MKB will work but there could be some limitations. Unknown at this time since no one has the new device in hand.

And any 3rd party retailer that may have current MKBs in stock should have received instructions from Apple to indicate that it won’t work with the new device. Those retailers would still have them on the shelves when the new iPad is delivered so they’d need to know ahead of time how to promote them.
 
vega07 said:
Way too much conflicting info. I’m leaning toward not trusting your source. Apple forcing upgraders to purchase a new $350 keyboard is insane. :-(

Can someone offer or obtain some more concrete info?
Click to expand...
I ordered and have received a 3rd party folio from Amazon that says in the product description it is compatible with the 5th gen iPP. The camera cutout as well as the magnets, as far as I can tell, match up exactly with my Magic Keyboard. So either this thing isn’t really compatible with the 5th gen or the camera placement and dimensions as well as magnet placements have not changed enough to make a significant difference. I’m guessing whatever changes in the device that Apple made are enough to vary from their specs so they don’t claim compatibility with the current MKB but don’t actually affect its functioning with the new device. It’s possible that the additional weight plus whatever changes were made to the magnets could have an effect on stability but not affect any function. The .5mm additional thickness shouldn’t affect anything.

Again guessing that all current owners of the MKB will be able to use it should they purchase the new iPP but those who do not own one but are considering purchasing it will be able to use it with the new 5th gen or with any 3rd or 4th gen device they may already have. All pure speculation till someone actually gets their hands on the iPP but it’s a good idea to assume, for now, that the MKB will work and hold off, if anyone was planning on ordering the new one, until you have the iPP in hand
 
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