Gurman: New Magic Keyboard for iPad to Feature Aluminum Top Case

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.

ipad pro 2022
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.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...

Top Rated Comments

abatabia Avatar
30 months ago
These keyboards are already the price of a base iPad itself, just cannot justify the expense.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bb426 Avatar
30 months ago
So $399 to make my $1099 iPad look like a $1299 MacBook Air when I can be 100x more productive on the Air? Yikes.

Will I still buy it? Yeah.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gpat Avatar
30 months ago
Too bad, the top layer of iPad OS is still going to be made out of expired jelly.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
30 months ago

Apple's next-generation iPad Pro will launch alongside a redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory that makes the device more laptop-like
“…that makes the device look more laptop-like”, I think.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JForestZ34 Avatar
30 months ago
I have the magic keyboard for my ipad pro and honestly I think I wasted my money. I mostly use the pro on the go or sitting somewhere and just interneting lol. I rarely use it at a table to be able to use the keyboard.


James
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xangelkiller Avatar
30 months ago
This is unnecessary. I can see why the trackpad might grow, but an aluminum keyboard? Who wants a potentially heavier keyboard. This thing is already heavier than a MacBook Air.

I use an iPad Pro 12.9 with Magic Keyboard as my main personal device (and mostly love it), but I can’t imagine it being any heavier than it already is. They should be focusing on making the iPadOS experience better.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)