Apple bringing scissor switches to Smart Keyboard for iPad, 13-inch MacBook Pro

A new supply chain report suggests that Apple will extend its new scissor switch keyboard beyond the MacBook Pro, with it set to be used in the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard.

Apple introduced the scissor switch redesign with November's 16-inch MacBook Pro. The introduction follows a tepid at best response to the butterfly design, introduced with the MacBook, and implemented on the MacBook Pro in 2016.

The new keyboard is expected on the 13-inch MacBook Pro soon. A report from DigiTimes on Wednesday morning suggests that following the MacBook Pro refresh, it will be used on the iPad Smart Keyboard as well.

The timing of the supposed update to the 13-inch MacBook Pro in the first half of 2020 is somewhat close to a prediction from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in late October, who suggested the mechanism would be used in an unidentified MacBook in the second or early third quarter of 2020. Kuo first suggested Apple would move away from butterfly switches in a late July 2019 report, with the 16-inch model the first to benefit before others in the MacBook Pro line, then eventually the MacBook Air.

So far, reviews for the new keyboard are favorable, with the keys generally quieter than their butterfly equivalent in the 15-inch MacBook Pro. There is also more actuation, with the new model offering a millimeter of travel versus the 0.6mm to 0.7mm on the 2016-style keyboard.

An initial teardown of the keys indicated there was a lot of extra space inside the switch mechanism. The extra space means it is less likely to be affected by debris, as well as having more strength in the clips attaching the thicker keycaps in place.

17 Comments

GeorgeBMac 8 Years · 11421 comments

About 4 years ago

A welcome return to prioritizing functionality over mere appearance.

While this obviously has ramifications for reliability, more importantly it enables the single most important user interface of a laptop to feature user friendly features (feel and travel) over, again, appearance.

Good Job Apple! You tried the butterfly, it sucked, it had limitations that could not be overcome with refinements -- so you returned to what works best for your users. That's the mark of a well run organization.

wood1208 10 Years · 2938 comments

Apple's Butter Fly keyboard did not fly so it was given that 13" MBP/MBA will receive magic keyboard but what about decreasing bezel and add extra screen like 16" MBP ? Doesn't seem rocket science.

dysamoria 12 Years · 3430 comments

GeorgeBMac said:

A welcome return to prioritizing functionality over mere appearance.
While this obviously has ramifications for reliability, more importantly it enables the single most important user interface of a laptop to feature user friendly features (feel and travel) over, again, appearance.

Good Job Apple! You tried the butterfly, it sucked, it had limitations that could not be overcome with refinements -- so you returned to what works best for your users. That's the mark of a well run organization.

A well-run organization wouldn’t have let this bad design go on so long (and would test things more and better; something CLEARLY lack in today’s Apple). A well-run organization would be honest about the bad design instead of making limp excuses and marginalizing customer problems. Statements from Apple executives on the future of this design are vague at best, suggesting they’re going to keep the design, which this supply chain rumor directly contradicts.

Correction of mistakes is moving too slowly at Apple, while “brave new ideas” are moving too quickly.

vannygee 7 Years · 61 comments

14-inch please.. do not capitalize on the people waiting for 10th gen CPUs with a refresh of the 13th.
Give us the whole thing and charge as much as you are charging for the respective 16-inch.

What I want to see:
14inch 512GB, 16GB LPDDR4X, i5-1035g7 $2,199
14inch 2TB, 32GB LPDDR4X, i7-1065g7 $2,999

Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5 should be implied by now.

RELEASE ALREADY!

dysamoria said:

GeorgeBMac said:

A welcome return to prioritizing functionality over mere appearance.
While this obviously has ramifications for reliability, more importantly it enables the single most important user interface of a laptop to feature user friendly features (feel and travel) over, again, appearance.

Good Job Apple! You tried the butterfly, it sucked, it had limitations that could not be overcome with refinements -- so you returned to what works best for your users. That's the mark of a well run organization.

A well-run organization wouldn’t have let this bad design go on so long (and would test things more and better; something CLEARLY lack in today’s Apple). A well-run organization would be honest about the bad design instead of making limp excuses and marginalizing customer problems. Statements from Apple executives on the future of this design are vague at best, suggesting they’re going to keep the design, which this supply chain rumor directly contradicts.

Correction of mistakes is moving too slowly at Apple, while “brave new ideas” are moving too quickly.

I get your point.
I think Apple's weakest part has perhaps been a failure to admit to mistakes -- being locked into this elite 'we are perfect' persona.

But, I find what I see here to be encouraging.