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Apple to update budget iPad ecosystem with cheaper Magic Keyboard with new features and budget-friendly materials

Apple's Magic Keyboard opens a new realm of possibilities for iPad owners that need their tablets to do anything other than media consumption. (Image source: Apple)
Apple's Magic Keyboard opens a new realm of possibilities for iPad owners that need their tablets to do anything other than media consumption. (Image source: Apple)
It seems like Apple is working on a Magic Keyboard accessory for its cheapest iPad and iPad Air models. The $299 Apple Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro was a major success, thanks to its full-size keyboard, haptic trackpad, and excellent build quality, but it's unclear what corners Apple will cut to bring the price down for its cheaper iPads.

The original Magic Keyboard accessory for the Apple iPad Pro was something of a revolution for Apple, which likes to market the iPad Pro as a computer replacement — with the accessory, the iPad Pro now has nearly all the processing power and usability to call itself a laptop replacement. Now, according to a report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is working on a cheaper Magic Keyboard for its lower-end iPad models. 

According to Gurman, it's not clear which iPad the new Magic Keyboard will be compatible with, but it will not be a one-to-one replacement for the current Magic Keyboard. For starters, the lower price point means Apple will use less premium materials for the new Magic Keyboard — the metal palm rest is mentioned specifically, but it's possible the premium hinge and the trackpad may also see some changes. 

On the flip-side, the leaker's sources suggest that the new accessory will also add new features to the Magic Keyboard, although it's unclear what those features will be. It's possible that the new entry-level Magic Keyboard will get an update to a haptic trackpad. We shouldn't have to wait long to see what Apple has in store for entry-level iPad owners, though, since, the new entry-level Magic Keyboard will apparently make it to market by the middle of 2025. 

Check out the 13-inch iPad Air with Apple M2 SoC (curr. $839 on Amazon) and read our review of it here.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2024 09 > Apple to update budget iPad ecosystem with cheaper Magic Keyboard with new features and budget-friendly materials
Julian van der Merwe, 2024-09- 3 (Update: 2024-09- 3)