The iPad has evolved a lot since its first version. Over the years, we have had several upgrades, as well as different lineups. The iPad Pro is the best iPad, built to be as capable as your everyday computer. However, it has still lagged behind in some functionalities.
One such functionality is the user interface, which is largely touch-based. However, Apple sells the Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro, which makes it a better conventional computer. Looks like Apple wants to improve that with the next one. The Magic Keyboard for the upcoming iPad Pro will be more laptop-like, complete with an aluminum top case, Mark Gurman reported in the latest Power On newsletter.
Is the iPad Pro a computer now?
There's been a lot of debate over Apple's "What's a computer?" ad for the iPad. With the iPad Pro, the capabilities are quite close to MacBooks, especially with the same Apple Silicon powering the two. The Magic Keyboard brings some conventional functionality to the iPad Pro, and the next one might make the experience more similar to the MacBook, it appears.
Gurman says Apple is planning a more laptop-like Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. He wrote, "For the first time on a Magic Keyboard, the top case — the area around the keyboard itself — will be aluminum, matching recent Mac laptops."
Gurman says this will make the keyboard feel like a sturdier and more premium product. He wrote, "The switch to aluminum also gives the keyboard a sturdier structure: The older, flimsier version was prone to bending and even tearing at the edges. I’m told that, when closed, the exterior shell of the Magic Keyboard will retain the cover material of the current model. It will also continue to have one USB-C port."
This could lead to a price bump for the Magic Keyboard, or not. There's no word on whether we're getting any software upgrades to improve the keyboard experience on iPad OS. However, the next iPad Pro is not due for a while, so we might just see this Magic Keyboard arrive with some software tricks.
