And last time everyone had a panic attack. (2021 iPad Pros) It turned out that even though it was thicker, it still fit.
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Rumor Claims Next iPad Pro to Feature New Four-Pin Connectors
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Actually, the 3-pin smart connector first showed up in September 2015 with the original iPad Pro that looked very much like a current 9'th gen iPad. Keyboards have been using that connector for a long time. People have recency bias and only think people have the Magic Keyboard, which first appeared with the 2021 iPads, but forget the original 2015 keyboards also used the same connector, and those still work today. But there have been many iPad models using that pin connector for seven years.
Seven years is an eternity in computer science. It's about time that connector did more than run a keyboard and charge an iPad.
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iPad Pro became one of the worst values in Apple’s product lineup after the M1 iPad Air and M1 MacBook Air launched. I just don’t see the point of it. Do they think people are going to spend $1,500 for a 13” iPad Pro to render 3D scenes?? It’s not even good for serious number crunching in Excel.
Apple needs to figure out how iPad fits into their overall product strategy instead of thinking of new ways to drive up the price of everything.
Apple needs to figure out how iPad fits into their overall product strategy instead of thinking of new ways to drive up the price of everything.
Could we see the Smart Connector or something very similar to it come to the iPhone? I would MUCH prefer this over a completely portless and completely wireless option. This should allow them to keep with their goals of making the devices smaller, more robust and more waterproof.
They’re going to find some pushback if they plan to just obsolete a wave of $350 keyboard accessories.
So annoying with the proprietary connectors! They have used Lightning for a very long time and should just stick with that. They recently switched to USB-C but now they plan to switch to this new "smart connector." I'm tired of having so many cables! Bring back Lightning already!
Accessories for the side connector are not compatible with rear connector iPads so they might as well be considered different connectors.
Read the article, they are not replacing USB-C with this connector so your cables will all work.
Lightning is on the way out.
I wonder if this one will last longer than 4 years before Apple starts saying it’s not powerful enough for new features.
Just one look at the graphic intensive games that any ipad from the past 10 years can run and we are meant to believe UI elements like resizing windows are too taxing on a Pro from 2018.
Just one look at the graphic intensive games that any ipad from the past 10 years can run and we are meant to believe UI elements like resizing windows are too taxing on a Pro from 2018.
The Smart Connector doesn’t use any cables. I have to say I love this connector. I’ve used Bluetooth keyboards and they’re annoying. You have to hit a key about six times to get it to reconnect with the iPad while with this connector, it’s always live. The iPad wakes up immediately.
It’s my hope they do make the new connector backwards compatible, assuming this rumor has any basis in reality, but if they don’t, we still have the choice to buy or not to buy. It would be nice to have more features for these connectors beyond lighting up a keyboard and charging. I’d like to have a keyboard where you can plug in some accessory into the keyboard port and be able to use it rather than being forced to use the port on the iPad, itself.
Well the current 3-pin doesn't do data. So if the 4-pin connector can do data there will still come a point in the future where it isn't powerful enough for higher bandwidth data.
USB-A isn't powerful enough for USB-C data speeds, and regular USB-C isn't powerful enough for Thunderbolt3/4.
Welcome to technology.
I had always thought this connection type would inevitably be the transition to highly waterproof devices. Can a four pin compete with USB-C?
Hopefully it means you can connect to a secondary monitor or MacBook (for developers) through the Magic Keyboard USBC port and not through the iPad's own USBC port.
