iPad Pro 2 Rumors: Will Better Smart Keyboard, Apple Pencil Win Consumers Over?

The iPad Pro 2 is most likely going to be Apple’s best tablet to date. Rumored to be carrying some of the unique features coming to the iPhone 8, the iPad Pro 2 is expected to be one of the most formidable tablet computers of 2017. With competition in the tablet and hybrid market heating up with the release of devices such as the Surface Pro 5, however, the iPad Pro 2 needs to be a very impressive device in order to make a significant impact in the mobile market.

While the iPad Pro series has so far been a successful tablet line, it has never really achieved the grand vision that Apple CEO Tim Cook had about the device. During the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s debut, Apple was quick to declare that the powerful tablet would be a capable replacement for a laptop or even a PC. With the device’s mobile operating system and its shortcomings in productivity, however, the powerful tablet remained just that — a great tablet, and nothing more.

This might change with the release of the iPad Pro 2 this year, however, as Apple is rumored to be coming up with a way make its iconic tablet line fresh and unique once more. Speculations about the device have so far been very encouraging, with rumors of a powerful A10X processor and vastly improved features being rolled out to the tablet, according to a MacWorld report. Apart from this, speculations are also high that the iPad Pro 2 would boast a new design, heralding numerous features that are expected to debut in the iPhone 8.

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These include the lack of a home button, an embedded TouchID sensor, updated 3D Touch, and a revolutionary bezel-less design. Recent rumors, however, state that Apple is really going the extra mile with the iPad Pro 2, as the Cupertino-based tech giant is also updating the tablet’s two most important accessories, the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard.

Much of the iPad Pro’s productivity capabilities are centered on the utilization of its dedicated keyboard and stylus. While both the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil are great tools, both have some pretty big areas for improvement. The Apple Pencil, for one, is a great stylus, and it ranks as high as Microsoft’s Surface Pen and Samsung’s S-Pen in terms of accuracy and capabilities. However, the current generation Apple Pencil charges through the iPad Pro’s Lightning port, which is extremely awkward and unwieldy.

Apart from this, the current Apple Pencil could not be attached to the iPad Pro at all, forcing users to tuck away the tool separately from the tablet. Fortunately, rumors are high that the iPad Pro 2’s launch would also debut the next-generation Apple Pencil, which addresses most of the issues of the first-generation productivity tool. Unlike its predecessor, the new Apple Pencil is expected to be attached to the iPad Pro 2 using magnets. Rumors also state that the tool’s charging would be improved as well.

The Smart Cover is yet another iPad Pro accessory that is widely considered to be flawed. While the keyboard’s smart connectors have been received very well by users of the device, many have remarked that the quality of the keys in the Smart Keyboard themselves still have a lot of room for improvement. The travel of the keys, as well as the overall quality of the keyboard itself, is simply lacking compared to those found in rival devices such as the Surface Pro 4.

A PC Advisor report has stated that a recent patent filed by Apple teased a redesigned keyboard for the iPad Pro 2. Apart from an overall improvement in the quality and design of the tablet attachment, the new Smart Keyboard is also expected to feature dedicated keys for searching and sharing. This, of course, would make the accessory much more useful than it already is. If any, it would make the iPad Pro 2 much more attractive to consumers who are looking for real productivity on a portable device.

The iPad Pro series feels like an excellent line of tablets that have never really been able to achieve their full potential. With the iPad Pro 2’s release, however, things might be much different, as Apple appears to be gearing up to release a well-rounded, robust device capable of taking the fight to industry leaders such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, and even its rumored successor, the Surface Pro 5. With the right design and better accessories, the iPad Pro 2 might very well win more customers this time around.

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