As if the 12.9-inch iPad Pro isn’t expensive enough, the French site iGeneration reports that the current Magic Keyboard isn’t compatible with the 2021 12.9-inch Apple tablets. This means you’ll have to spring an extra $349 to replace it. (Maybe it’s time to look into a Logitech Combo Touch instead.)
Here’s why the previous Magic Keyboard isn’t compatible, per iGeneration:
While the 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro is broadly similar to the 2018 and 2020 models, the new tablet stands out on one point: it’s thicker, at precisely 0.5mm. It might not sound like much, but it’s enough for Apple to adjust its Magic Keyboard, the iPad Pro’s dedicated trackpad keyboard. And according to the documentation provided to the Apple Stores that we have been able to consult, the old Magic Keyboard is not compatible with the large iPad Pros of 2021.
The problem is, once closed, the Magic Keyboard grips the tablet pretty tight. Apple has not left a millimeter of leeway, because the accessory must hold the iPad in place and prevent it from falling to the bottom of a bag or worse, on the asphalt if you move the set without other protection. But with that extra half a millimeter on the 2021 generation, maybe this very precise fit is a problem and the device had to be redesigned.
Thankfully, as noted by 9to5Mac, this situation doesn’t apply to the 11-inch model, as it has the same size and weight as the previous model. The new Magic Keyboard starts at $299 for the 11-inch model and $349 for the 12.9-inch version.
