Due to the coronavirus crisis, Apple was unable to hold an event this month. That's why the company decided to use press releases. Now Craig Federighi has released a video in which he demonstrates the iPad Pro 2020 with the Magic Keyboard.
Apple officially announced yesterday that fourth-generation iPad Pro presented. On the occasion of the introduction of trackpad support, starting with iPadOS 13.4, a new keyboard was also presented. The brand new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro 2020 and 2018 offers backlit keys as well as an integrated trackpad. According to Apple, the whole thing was developed specifically for the iPad and not taken from macOS. Now Craig Federighi, Head of Software Development, has posted a demo video on The Verge publishedFederighi shows the different features available on the trackpad and gives some insight into why Apple added trackpad features. He says:
Our goal with iPad has always been to create a device so capable and so versatile that it can become whatever you want it to be. And that versatility comes from the power of touch.
But of course, we give you so many other ways to interact with iPad, and sometimes you want to type. When it comes to typing, nothing beats the Magic Keyboard. It's when you're typing that you appreciate the precision and ergonomics of a trackpad the most.
When we brought mouse and trackpad support to iPadOS, we thought about how to bring a cursor into a first-touch environment.
iPadOS 13.4 supports three-finger gestures
What's special about it: The mouse/trackpad cursor is shaped like a circle on the iPad display, which Federighi says is most useful for the iPad and the first touch, as it mimics a fingertip. The cursor isn't permanently on the display and only appears when the trackpad or mouse is touched. The cursor is also dynamic, meaning its shape depends on the element it's hovering over. According to Federighi, it's "super easy" to select text, apply formatting, and select entire blocks of text for drag & drop. Furthermore, users can access all iPadOS features with the trackpad. iPadOS 13.4 also supports three-finger gestures, explains Federighi. Swiping up with three fingers brings up the home screen; rotating left or right with three fingers switches between open apps, and a swipe-and-hold gesture takes you to the multitasking view. Pinch gestures are used to zoom in and out of an app. If you want to see the nearly three-minute video for yourself, you can find it on The Verge. The iPad Pro 2020 is available for pre-order now. The Magic Keyboard is available starting at €339, depending on the model. While the iPad Pro will be available starting next week, the Magic Keyboard will ship sometime in May. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below. (Image: Apple)
