Apple adds full trackpad support to iPadOS 13.4, available to all iPad models running it on March 24, and unveils a new Magic Keyboard with built-in trackpad
Available on March 24th — Apple is adding support for trackpads to iPads with its new iPadOS 13.4 software update …
Context & Ripple Effects
The trackpad keyboard had been leaking for weeks: Apple was reported in February to be planning an iPad keyboard with a built-in trackpad alongside the next iPad Pro, and leaked code in early March showed Smart Keyboards with trackpads plus cursor features like right-clicking. Today's announcement confirms both threads at once — trackpad support ships to all iPads running iPadOS 13.4 on March 24, not just new hardware.
The significance is that Apple is making pointer input a first-class iPad capability across the installed base before selling the accessory that showcases it. The companion iWork update adding trackpad and mouse support means Apple's own apps are ready on day one.
First-order effects
- Every iPad running iPadOS 13.4 gains full trackpad support on March 24, so existing owners get laptop-style pointer navigation without buying anything; the new Magic Keyboard is the optional hardware upsell aimed at iPad Pro buyers.
Second-order effects
- With pointer support built into the OS, Apple positions the iPad as a direct alternative to its own MacBooks for productivity work, and the Magic Keyboard becomes the premium attachment that pushes iPad Pro pricing toward laptop territory.
Third-order effects
- The pattern held: four years later Apple shipped an M4 iPad Pro Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and function keys at $299–$349, showing the company treats keyboard-and-trackpad as a durable, escalating iPad tier rather than a one-off experiment — echoing how far the accessory line has come since the standalone $129 Magic Trackpad 2 era of 2015.
The trend: Apple is converging iPad and Mac input paradigms from the software side first, then monetizing the gap with progressively more expensive keyboard accessories.