Shop E Store Last month, Apple introduced many new products, including a new iPad Air with an M3 chip for $599. The iPad was not worth noting at all, but it brought something new to the table. This is another variant of the Magic Keyboard.
This new magic keyboard brings feature keys to your iPad Air for the first time. This is a pretty big win, but it also includes a compromise that turns many heads upside down. Let’s discuss it.
iPad Air Magic Keyboard Compromise
First off, this new magic keyboard for the iPad Air starts at $269. It’s not a reasonable price for an iPad keyboard. Certainly, cheaper products are always good. However, a $30 saving compared to the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard will also result in losing a backlit keyboard, a tactile touch trackpad and an aluminum case.
These compromises would build meaning at levels like $199-249 if this were even cheaper. But that’s not the case. This keyboard is only available in white, so you’ll be picking up any dirt and dirt.
Fortunately, this iPad Air Magic Keyboard is backwards compatible with the iPad Air 4, just like the M1 and M2 iPad Air models. It’s great to see Apple make new accessories with reverse compatibility in mind. But it’s not that simple…
This new keyboard is redundant
Little known fact, Apple has already created a magical keyboard that works with iPad Air Models. They still sell it to this day.
2018-2022 The original magic keyboard designed for the iPad Pro used totes on all the latest iPad Air models, as well as Apple compatible pages.
At first glance, Apple created a new magic keyboard for the iPad Air for one reason: Function Keys.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great perk. However, Apple currently sells four magic keyboards for the iPad. Everything is very close to each other. This feels a bit unnecessary.
How to improve your lineup
If that’s up to me, I’ll simplify the iPad keyboard lineup to only two models. One standard product and one Pro product.
It’s possible that there’s no $249 Magic Keyboard Folio either. The chances of buying a $249 keyboard along with a $349 iPad are slim. The reason this keyboard exists is that cross keyboard compatibility was not an option as the iPad 10 and 11 use a different smart connector from the rest of the iPad lineup. However, Logitech offers combo touches for iPad 10 and 11 for just $159, making it roughly the same. Kickstand and everything. Apple can stop offering this keyboard.
In addition to that, we recommend that Apple implement large camera bump cutouts on the new magic keyboard of the iPad Air. This could potentially preserve compatibility with the 2018-2022 iPad Pro model, allowing Apple to cancel the Legacy Magic keyboard introduced in 2020. Alternatively, Apple will not be able to create a new iPad Air Magic Keyboard, and have reduced the price of legacy models since 2020.
And of course, it doesn’t touch the iPad Pro Magic keyboard. It’s a good product as is.
The four iPad keyboard products, all in the same priced brackets, are a bit odd. Especially if Apple has a strong third-party product that utilizes smart connectors such as Logitech. This lineup is roughly the same as the four Apple Pencils offer.
I don’t feel that there was much thought in this. It wouldn’t be surprising if most Apple retailers don’t even understand the difference between the four iPad keyboards currently on sale at Apple Stores. Apple could be better here.
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