'X-ray teardown' of iPad Pro Magic Keyboard illustrates complex engineering
Repair site iFixit has shared x-ray photographs of the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, and they reveal an accessory more complicated than it might appear from the outside.
The inside of the Magic Keyboard with trackpad, seen via x-ray. Credit: iFixit
Because of coronavirus lockdowns and social distancing, iFixit hasn't been able to complete its teardown of the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro as of yet. Instead, the company has settled for an "x-ray teardown" in partnership with Creative Electron.
The x-ray shots, shared by iFixit on Thursday, show that there's a lot more to the keyboard cover under the hood than one can tell at first glance.
"There is so much going on here, you might never guess that this is technically an accessory to the actual iPad Pro," iFixit wrote, adding that "rarely have we had so much to think about from a single image."
For one, the x-ray images clearly show a switch to a scissor-based keyboard, which iFixit says is the "least complicated" change but "probably the biggest improvement."
The trackpad appears to be a new design, and one that's different from MacBook variants. This trackpad actually features what appear to be physical buttons. Next to the trackpad are two large metal plates that may be reinforcements.
Moving up the Magic Keyboard, iFixit's images show at least two spring-loaded hinge designs, which are part of the sophisticated "floating" mechanism that sets the accessory apart from other products.
Other interesting tidbits include separated cable routes, which could ease hinge tension on the cables, and a mass of tiny magnets near the camera cutout.
The new Magic Keyboard with Trackpad accessory starts at $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 12.9-inch model. They're compatible with both the 2020 iPad Pro and the previous 2018 generation.
The inside of the Magic Keyboard with trackpad, seen via x-ray. Credit: iFixit
Because of coronavirus lockdowns and social distancing, iFixit hasn't been able to complete its teardown of the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro as of yet. Instead, the company has settled for an "x-ray teardown" in partnership with Creative Electron.
The x-ray shots, shared by iFixit on Thursday, show that there's a lot more to the keyboard cover under the hood than one can tell at first glance.
"There is so much going on here, you might never guess that this is technically an accessory to the actual iPad Pro," iFixit wrote, adding that "rarely have we had so much to think about from a single image."
For one, the x-ray images clearly show a switch to a scissor-based keyboard, which iFixit says is the "least complicated" change but "probably the biggest improvement."
The trackpad appears to be a new design, and one that's different from MacBook variants. This trackpad actually features what appear to be physical buttons. Next to the trackpad are two large metal plates that may be reinforcements.
Moving up the Magic Keyboard, iFixit's images show at least two spring-loaded hinge designs, which are part of the sophisticated "floating" mechanism that sets the accessory apart from other products.
Other interesting tidbits include separated cable routes, which could ease hinge tension on the cables, and a mass of tiny magnets near the camera cutout.
The new Magic Keyboard with Trackpad accessory starts at $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 12.9-inch model. They're compatible with both the 2020 iPad Pro and the previous 2018 generation.
Comments
I suppose that their complaints were based on extreme ignorance combined with a healthy dose of self entitlement and just general cluelessness, which is nothing new when it comes to comments about Apple products and especially the pricing.
The x-ray shows that the Apple Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro is unlike any other offering on the market. If anybody thinks it's the same, then they should go buy one of the cheaper alternatives instead.
If you want the best, it's going to cost more than the others. There's a reason that it's the best. I haven't tried this magic keyboard yet, but I think it's pretty safe to assume that the feel, quality and usability will be way better than anything else out there.
Let me take it to the extreme - suppose it was $1000. Would it still be worth it? It's a complicated device, and the best, so obviously it should be worth $1000, right?
At $169, it was a big waste of money.
I used it. I liked it. But it died like many out there.
I hope this new keypad is more reliable.
I’ve been using my iPad Pro 12.9” since I got it back in January of 2019, with the Keyboard Folio, traveling with it as my primary computer-like device - in lieu of lugging my 15” rMBP around with me. I’ve liked using it, but it wasn’t efficient for working on spreadsheets, given the back and forth I was doing between typing and having to touch the keyboard.
The new IPadOS with its trackpad support was such a significant improvement, it has me using the iPad Pro almost exclusively now, even as I have been working from my desk and not traveling. I was one of those who was on Apple’s Store App clicking to refresh when they said the Magic Keyboard was launching, but ended up deciding that I could wait, since I’m not traveling now. I’m actually using an old Apple Keyboard and new Magic Trackpad 2 (gray to match my iPad Pro) while the iPad sits on custom black acrylic stand I developed WAY back when the initial iPad launched. I love the large sized trackpad, so it does worry me a bit that going down the very small sized trackpad on the Magic Keyboard will feel limiting.
I’ll definitely buy the new Magic Keyboard once I’m back on the road again, but for now my setup is working great as is.
If it’s too expensive then they won’t sell any.
Fundamentally a car is a wagon, a combination of 4 wheels and cargo space, and that is how it should be judged. -- just doesn't make sense, does it?
When Logitech comes out with a product that meets the same use cases, in an equal-quality fashion, but for less money, let us know. So far, they haven't, despite having a years-long head start when the 2018 was released. Either it can't be done, or they needed Apple to spend the R&D to show how it's done first in order to copy it.