Apple iPad Pro Smart Keyboard With Trackpad Arriving This Year?

KEY POINTS

Apple is working on a new iPad Pro Smart Keyboard with a built-in trackpad
The accessory is expected to launch alongside a new iPad Pro model
The new accessory might also feature scissor-switch keys and backlighting

The iPad Pro is one of the best tools that creatives and people on the go can have. It's powerful enough to take on most tasks, light enough to be carried and held with one hand, and versatile enough to be used for a lot of things. Now, a report says Apple plans to improve the iPad Pro by creating a new Smart Keyboard that has a trackpad.

According to sources speaking with The Information, Apple is on track to mass produce a Smart Keyboard accessory that has a built-in trackpad. The iPad maker is expected to release the new accessory along with a new iPad Pro version, set to arrive later this year.

The new Smart Keyboard accessory is said to be made of the same materials used in the current Smart Keyboard Folio for the iPad Pro. This means fans can expect the upcoming accessory to feature a lot of fabric.

Another source told The Information that Apple has been experimenting with trackpads that will be used for the iPad for years now. Some of these prototypes had capacitive keys that were designed to mimic the responses of a mechanical keyboard using sensors. It's unknown, however, if this kind of technology will be featured in the aforementioned trackpad-equipped Smart Keyboard.

Previous reports revealed that Apple is also working on a new iPad Pro Smart Keyboard that will feature “glowing scissor switch” tech. This keyboard is expected to use the scissor-switch mechanism. It is also expected to feature backlighting, which will be very helpful to those who tend to work late in the evenings.

The new report, which talks about a trackpad-equipped Smart Keyboard, could very well be talking about the same accessory since both of them are said to come alongside a refreshed iPad Pro expected to arrive later this year. If this is the case, fans can expect the new iPad Pro to come with a matching Smart Keyboard – one that compares to the ones on the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

This is but the latest of Cupertino's steps to position the iPad Pro as a good alternative to laptops including the MacBook.