Apple's new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro works with your 2018 model, too

By Oliver Haslam
last updated

Magic Keyboard For iPad Pro
Magic Keyboard For iPad Pro (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple announced the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro alongside the refreshed tablets.
  • But you don't need to buy a brand new iPad Pro to use it.
  • The new keyboard and trackpad work on older 2018 iPad Pro models, too.

Apple announced a refreshed iPad Pro earlier today, with a new Magic Keyboard unveiled alongside it. At first blush, it appeared that anyone wanting that new keyboard would need to buy a new iPad, too. But that's not the case at all – it's compatible with the 2018 iPad Pro models, too.

That's excellent news if you don't intend on upgrading to a new iPad Pro this year but want to enjoy everything the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro has to offer. And it has a lot to offer!

The all‑new Magic Keyboard is an amazing companion for iPad Pro. It features the best typing experience ever on iPad, a trackpad that opens up new ways to work with iPadOS, a USB‑C port for passthrough charging, and front and back protection. The Magic Keyboard has a floating cantilever design, allowing you to attach iPad Pro magnetically and to smoothly adjust it to the perfect viewing angle for you.

Oh, and it has scissor switches, too.

None of that will come cheap, though. The Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro starts at $299 (opens in new tab) and goes on from there depending on which iPad Pro you plan on pairing it with.

Still, setting that price aside, this does look like the keyboard and trackpad combo I've been waiting for. Now to save those pennies before the May release date!

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Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro

A trackpad with your keyboard.

Ever wanted to use a trackpad with your iPad Pro? Now you can, and it just so happens to have a keyboard attached to it as well.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.

3 Comments
  • Yeah, but who is going to buy this? Specifically because of the ongoing Corona Virus threat, many countries are expecting to have some of the highest unemployment figures on record soon, and some people (myself included) think that there is a strong possibility of a depression in the near future...
  • I honestly don't know who this is for, the people who want a trackpad would be much better with a Mac, the iPad's touch-optimized interface will create too much mouse travel, potentially leading to RSI
  • This is a big upgrade thanks to the support of WiFi 6 AX, at this point is a plus to get it as you need to start going to the WiFi future, but I don’t get it why the MacBooks are not getting the WiFi upgrade