AppleInsider Staff
Apple's newly announced Magic Keyboard for Mac, which comes equipped with a Touch ID sensor, is compatible with all macOS machines running an M1 chip. For now, it's only available with iMac.
Unveiled alongside a revamped 24-inch iMac on Tuesday, the Magic Keyboard is Apple's first wireless Mac peripheral to incorporate Touch ID authentication for logging in to macOS, purchasing items with Apple Pay, interacting with third-party apps and more.
As noted by blogger Rene Ritchie, the keyboard can be used by other M1 Macs, enabling Touch ID security for Mac mini and extending the capabilities of MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Though the two Apple Silicon laptop models sport Touch ID integrated into their respective power buttons, there has yet to be a comparable replacement for the feature in clamshell mode.
It should be noted that the implementation is tied to M1's secure enclave, meaning Magic Keyboard will function as a normal Bluetooth keyboard when connected to an Intel Mac or PC.
Currently, Magic Keyboard is restricted to the new 24-inch iMac, though that could change in the future as Apple typically expands availability of its peripherals. As it stands, iMac buyers can choose from three different Magic Keyboard options including a model with numeric keypad and a standard version without Touch ID.
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20 Comments
Bad cursor key design unfortunately. I'm not sure if the Touch ID outweighs the bad keyboard design. I type my password 20 times a day when my M1 MacBook Air is in clamshell mode. Tough call. Why didn't they do the magic keyboard cursor key layout. Blah!
I hope the “chiclet keys” are gone and the key travel and feel of the original Magic Keyboard is back.
Is it also a power button?
How in the world did Apple design a new keyboard and NOT include the inverted-T cursor keys? They got it right on all of the new Macbook models as well as the iPad Smart Keyboard but botched this up? What were they thinking? This keyboard will be a hard pass for me.