Microsoft appears to be working on a Touch Cover smart keyboard for at least one iPad model, according to battery information for products containing lithium-ion batteries shared on its website earlier this year.
Microsoft's Surface RT with Touch Cover
The documents were published in April, but they were only discovered now by German blog WinFuture, which tipped its information to The Verge. The product is clearly listed: iPad Touch Cover (Model 1719).
Those covers magnetically click into place and provide protection for the Surface's touchscreen. They have a standard keyboard layout, shortcut keys, and a two-button touchpad that supports gestures.
It's unknown if the iPad version would be similar. All that's known is that it presumably has a lithium-ion battery, suggesting it could connect over Bluetooth. It could also work with an iPad Pro's Smart Connector, but that seems less likely.
Of course, Microsoft could have scrapped plans to release an iPad keyboard between April and now, or perhaps even earlier. For now, the single document is all we have to go on. We'll provide an update if that changes.
But Why? Lost the confidence of their own product?
No, not at all. It's simply a matter of extending their reach and influence. Microsoft makes MS Office available for Mac OS. It's not because they "lost confidence" in Windows, but because it helps them reach people who they otherwise wouldn't reach.
It'll be interesting to see what MS does with the TouchCover for iPad. First, because there is no support for pointing devices (does Microsoft know something that we don't? ;)) and Secondly, because there is no integrated kickstand on the iPad, the TouchCover will need a redesign to support the iPad.
I've heard good things about their keyboards. Unfortunately, due to iOS's lack of mouse support, the trackpad probably won't carry over. I really wish they would've added that to iOS 11. It's very awkward to keep reaching up to the screen when using the iPad with a keyboard.
It's a shame it (presumably) won't use the smart connecter there is no battery bulk. That would make sense for a touch cover.
And allowing the Apple smart keyboard using the smart connector with iPad, it doesn't require any batteries inside the keyboard, which makes the keyboard thinner and lighter.
Their touch keyboards are a very different product, and very bad. Monumentally worse than Apple’s!
This is very subjective. I have tried them before and they worked as well, if not better, than my ASK. Just goes to show how everyone has different tastes.
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Top Rated Comments
It'll be interesting to see what MS does with the TouchCover for iPad. First, because there is no support for pointing devices (does Microsoft know something that we don't? ;)) and Secondly, because there is no integrated kickstand on the iPad, the TouchCover will need a redesign to support the iPad.