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Apple’s new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro goes up for preorder, ships next week

Apple’s new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro goes up for preorder, ships next week

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The new keyboard with built-in trackpad is coming sooner than expected

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Apple is shipping its new keyboard case for the iPad Pro ahead of schedule. The company just announced that the Magic Keyboard is now available for preorder and will start arriving to customers next week. Apple had originally said it would launch in May. The Magic Keyboard costs $299 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $349 for the 12.9-inch model. It supports both this year’s iPad Pro and the 2018 models.

Unlike the previous Smart Keyboard Folio, the Magic Keyboard supports the iPad Pro “with a floating cantilevered design for smooth adjustments of the viewing angle up to 130 degrees.” It also now features a backlit keyboard with more comfortable scissor-switch keys.

But the most significant new addition is a built-in trackpad; Apple recently introduced touchpad and expanded mouse support for iPads with iPadOS 13.4. The Magic Keyboard includes pass-through USB-C charging, which frees up the iPad’s own USB port for any accessories you might want to plug in.

My main question about this thing is weight. Is it going to make the iPad Pro feel like you’re carrying a laptop? There must be some heft there to support a floating display.

The Smart Keyboard Folio remains available as a cheaper option, priced at $179 for the 11-inch iPad Pro and $199 for the 12.9-inch.