Apple's next-generation iPad Pro will launch alongside a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory that makes the device more laptop-like, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Last week, Gurman outlined how Apple was working on a redesigned Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro that makes it "look even more like a laptop than the current setup" thanks to a larger trackpad. Now, in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reveals additional information about the extensive redesign of the accessory. The area around the keyboard itself will apparently be made of aluminum, resembling the top case of MacBooks, to provide a sturdier structure. Apple purportedly hopes that the changes will address criticisms of the current model.
The exterior shell of the keyboard will retain the silicone cover material used on the current model and a single USB-C port. Gurman mused that the redesign using more premium materials could lead Apple to raise the accessory's $299 price point.
The redesigned Magic Keyboard is expected to arrive alongside the next-generation iPad Pro models next year, which Gurman says will introduce "fundamental changes" and be the first major update to the product since 2018, adding the M3 Apple silicon chip, OLED displays, and slightly larger 11- and 13-inch size options.
