With IOS 11 is a Smart Keyboard still needed?

[eyeseeyou]

To enter the multi tasking UI or drag and drop or even just pull up the app bar all seem like easier tasks to be completed through touch instead if keyboard short cuts.

Although I enjoy using a real keyboard for typing I also enjoy just holding the tablet without a keyboard attached and tapping and swiping.

Has your use of a Smart Keyboard went down?

 

[ashindnile]

I personally think the 'smart' keyboard was just created in an effort to draw parallels with the Surface. It's quite a ridiculous keyboard imho. And you're right, I absolutely love the new iOS 11 keyboard with the handy swipe shortcuts.
But it's likely that the target audience for it is different.

 

[drysdalk]

Hi,

I pretty much 100% of the time use my iPad Pro 9.7" with a Logitech CREATE smart connector keyboard case. I only really take it out of the keyboard case when I'm going to be using an app that only supports portrait mode for any length of time. I used to use Apple's own Smart Keyboard, but I found that it began to get flaky and have an intermittent contact with the iPad after about three months of use. Since going to the Logitech I've had no issues.

So I haven't really found myself using the physical keyboard any less on iOS 11, but since I pretty much use my iPad as my main computer with its physical keyboard almost all the time I wouldn't really expect otherwise.

 

[eyeseeyou]

Hi,

I pretty much 100% of the time use my iPad Pro 9.7" with a Logitech CREATE smart connector keyboard case. I only really take it out of the keyboard case when I'm going to be using an app that only supports portrait mode for any length of time. I used to use Apple's own Smart Keyboard, but I found that it began to get flaky and have an intermittent contact with the iPad after about three months of use. Since going to the Logitech I've had no issues.

So I haven't really found myself using the physical keyboard any less on iOS 11, but since I pretty much use my iPad as my main computer with its physical keyboard almost all the time I wouldn't really expect otherwise.

In your case I understand. At the same time the new touch based features probably won't be used as much then?

i just switched from the Logitech create to the Smart Keyboard due to the iPad getting a lot more illustration getting done on it and it's just easier to handle without the create setup attached even when in tablet mode.
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I personally think the 'smart' keyboard was just created in an effort to draw parallels with the Surface. It's quite a ridiculous keyboard imho. And you're right, I absolutely love the new iOS 11 keyboard with the handy swipe shortcuts.
But it's likely that the target audience for it is different.

I agree there are some questionable design decisions made with apples keyboard that really make me scratch my head. No media keys?

 

[urkel]

To enter the multi tasking UI or drag and drop or even just pull up the app bar all seem like easier tasks to be completed through touch instead if keyboard short cuts.

Although I enjoy using a real keyboard for typing I also enjoy just holding the tablet without a keyboard attached and tapping and swiping.

Has your use of a Smart Keyboard went down?

My smart keyboard use remains the same. For me, it is an essential part of the iPad Pro and my iPad workflow. (But I do love those swipe down key options.)

These are optional input methods so I feel the more options the better. Thats why I'm a bit disappointed that the iPad 10.5 didn't get a new "Pro" Smart Keyboard that used the MacBook butterfly keys and also had a trackpad. OPTIONAL Mouse input would really help a lot of people who want to use their iPad for certain tasks.

 

[drysdalk]

In your case I understand. At the same time the new touch based features probably won't be used as much then?

Hi,

I probably will hardly ever use the swipe-down-for-other-symbols feature on the software keyboard, no, but really just because I hardly ever actually see or use the software keyboard in general. On those rare occasions when I'm using the iPad case-free, I probably will start to use them, once I get into the habit of taking advantage of them.

I also agree that Apple's own Smart Keyboard really is lacking in some key areas. As you say, no media keys, or keys for volume or brightness, are really big things that you miss when they're not there. Especially since I went from using a full Apple Wireless keyboard over Bluetooth with my old iPad 3 to the Smart Keyboard on the iPad Pro. I really noticed right away that missing row of keys.

The other one that caught me out, though it probably doesn't matter to most users, is the lack of an Escape key. I work as a systems administrator, and one of the text editors I routinely use when connected to servers makes frequent use of the Escape key. That really brought be to a screeching halt, the first time I went to press Escape on my iPad Pro only to realise it wasn't there ! I eventually figured out a workaround, but still, another weird omission from Apple.

 

[hovscorpion12]

If you wish to claim your iPad to be a "laptop" replacement, then the Smart Keyboard would still be relevant. I'm more curious if Apple added more UI enhancements to Apple Pencil. Can I access control center with a Apple Pencil, Notification Center, split screen slide-over. Etc...

 

[eyeseeyou]

The other one that caught me out, though it probably doesn't matter to most users, is the lack of an Escape key.

I work in IT and definitley understand this frustration. In your case I would definitely consider looking at other options if you really need the escape key. How do you enable the escape let now?
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If you wish to claim your iPad to be a "laptop" replacement, then the Smart Keyboard would still be relevant. I'm more curious if Apple added more UI enhancements to Apple Pencil. Can I access control center with a Apple Pencil, Notification Center, split screen slide-over. Etc...

Agreed to some degree. I do enjoy using the keyboard when I'm working on something that requires a lot of typing but even then when doing something that requires multi tasking or multiple windows I feel like it's easier to do when the iPad is detached from the keyboard.

It almost feels easier to just leave it in tablet mode and using the touch keyboard instead of re attaching it.

Also I also agree that a mouse option would be extremely useful but then that might really eat into their macbook sales.