Apple's iPad Pro is the inarguably the best tablet money can buy and if you want to get the best out of it then the Apple smart keyboard iPad Pro is the perfect accessory to get for the 11-inch as well as 12.9-inch models. The smart keyboard turns the capable and powerful iPad Pro into something "like a computer, unlike any computer" which also happens to be the iPad Pro's tagline.
The iPad Pro's smart keyboard features a full-size QWERTY keyboard like the one you see on a MacBook. In fact, the keys themselves use the same switches that are found in the MacBook. Now it looks like Apple could be adding another nifty feature to the iPad smart keyboard.
iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Folio with trackpad
As per a report from The Information, Apple could be working in an iPad keyboard that includes a built-in trackpad. The tech giant has reportedly been experimenting with trackpads for the iPad for a "number of years" and some of the prototypes have feature capacitive keys, although it is still unclear if that will feature on the final product.
The Information's sources claim that the keyboard in question will be made using similar materials to those in the current iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Folio which uses multiple layers of fabric and plastic to make it water-resistant.
iPad Pro Smart Keyboard Folio features
The best part about Apple's iPad Pro smart keyboard is its connectivity, something that makes the Apple Ecosystem all that great. It does not require Bluetooth pairing like other third-party keyboards and connecting it is as easy as snapping it on like a back case, only this one attaches magnetically.
The keyboard has connector pins which magnetically attach to the connectors located on the iPad Pro' back panel. Apple uses a special type of conductive fabric which allows for "two-way flow of power and data."
And speaking of back cases, the iPad Pro smart keyboard folio doubles as a back case too, as it fully covers the display as well as the back of the tablet, leaving only the frame exposed so that you could attach the Apple Pencil 2nd Gen, for magnetic pairing and charging. So, it's already quite amazing, but that's something you would come to expect from a keyboard costs as much as mid-range phone from some Chinese company, coming in at $179.
Release in March
Meanwhile, Apple is preparing the keyboard for mass production as we write, and the company is expected to release the trackpad-sporting iPad keyboard alongside the upcoming iPad Pro, which rumours suggest could be launched as early as March.
Apple is also expected to hold a launch event on March 31 where it will announce refreshes to the iPad lineups and possibly even the iPhone 9 aka iPhone SE2. In the event that Apple ends up unveiling a new iPad Pro at the March event, we could see the trackpad keyboard release at the same time.
Will it have backlit keys?
Until now, every Apple smart keyboard designed for the iPads has featured only standard QWERTY keys and it will be interesting to see how Apple will make space for a trackpad in the keyboard. Also, last month Taiwanese technology site DigiTimes had reported that Apple is working on a smart keyboard with backlit keys, so it will again be interesting to see if the upcoming keyboard will have backlit keys as well.
