Revamped Magic Keyboard for iPad may have a very extensive redesign

Last week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote that Apple is planning a revamped Magic Keyboard — its combined keyboard and trackpad accessory — to launch alongside the next iPad Pros next year. 

In his latest “Power On” newsletter, he adds that not only will the new accessory will have a larger trackpad to be more Mac-like, but that the redesign will be even more extensive. From his report: For the first time on a Magic Keyboard, the top case — the area around the keyboard itself — will be aluminum, matching recent Mac laptops.

The new approach will make the accessory feel more like a premium product, with the Mac’s aesthetic. The switch to aluminum also gives the keyboard a sturdier structure: The older, flimsier version was prone to bending and even tearing at the edges. I’m told that, when closed, the exterior shell of the Magic Keyboard will retain the cover material of the current model. It will also continue to have one USB-C port.

Aluminum is a lightweight material, so the new model shouldn’t be much heavier. But I have to wonder if the change will lead Apple to raise the $300 starting price. 

This info from Gurman is from the free edition of “Power On”. If you like it, consider subscribing to Bloomberg.com—you’ll receive the newsletter earlier and get exclusive access to a Q&A section.