Several publications are noticing this week that the iPad Magic Keyboard is available to preorder on Amazon. This listing has actually been there since the Magic Keyboard was announced. But nonetheless, the details about the item weight and release date are getting people hyped up. Here’s the reality …
The Apple Magic Keyboard is an upcoming accessory which combines a backlit keyboard and integrated trackpad with a clever magnetic stand. It was announced on March 18, alongside the 2020 iPad Pro. However, whereas the iPad Pro is now available, the Magic Keyboard is not officially slated to launch until May. (Remember: iPadOS 13.4 fully supports third-party trackpad and mice as input devices too.)
Now, if you look on the Amazon US site, a date is not specified. If you look on Amazon in other countries, like the UK listing for the Magic Keyboard, it suggests a May 30 release date. Do not put any faith in this date. Amazon placeholder listings are very common and almost never have early information on availability. Given the coronavirus disruption to the supply chain, it’s unlikely that even Apple has decided on the exact release date for the product at this time.
A tech spec detail for the Magic Keyboard that Apple conspicuously does not mention is the weight. The clever magnetic stand with counterbalance ‘floating’ design has led many to believe that the new Magic Keyboard will be very heavy. Apple’s disinclination to state the weight has only fuelled the fire here.
Meanwhile, the Amazon listing says the item weight and the shipping weight for the 12.9-inch Smart Keyboard is 1.09 kilograms. The weight of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is 641 grams, so at first glance this new accessory is very heavy. However, again Amazon does not have the full facts here. It probably does know the shipping weight; Apple has to tell resellers that kind of information so they can prepare their own shipping and distribution channels appropriately. This is backed up by the fact Amazon lists the same 2.41 pounds statistic for both item weight and shipping weight.
They don’t actually know the weight of the product itself. Let’s say packaging takes up one-third of the overall product weight. That would mean the new Magic Keyboard comes in at around 700 grams. The existing 12.9-inch Smart Keyboard Folio is 407 grams. Obviously, there’s some wiggle-room in the estimation here but it seems likely that the new Magic Keyboard will be significantly heavier than its closest sibling, but it’s not going to weigh in at more than a kilogram. We’ll have to wait for official reviews to see if the additional heft is unwieldy in practice.
Finally, 9to5Mac would not recommend pre-ordering your Magic Keyboard from Amazon. Apple has a track record of reserving supply for its stores first, and all signs point to the Magic Keyboard being a very supply constrained product. If you want the best chance of getting a Magic Keyboard first, wait for Apple to start its official orders and press that buy button quickly.
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