Apple May be Considering iPad Keyboard Covers

The consumer tech industry will probably continue its very long legacy of constant “borrowing” this week as a former Apple employee, Jamie Ryan has mentioned that the company is looking into making a keyboard cover for the iPad. Taking cues from the Touch Cover for the Microsoft Surface, the keyboard cover would be designed to enable the standard iPad to double as a business and professional friendly platform.

While it looks like Apple might be considering a new role for the top-selling tablet, Ryan emphasized caution before buying into this rumor completely. "Apple regularly mocks up all sorts of accessories and products and ditches them. 1000 no's for every yes etc."

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9 Comments Comment from the forums

fandroid

Remember this day when Apple invented the tablet keyboard cover. Patent lawsuits will be coming.
Reply
teh_chem

I'm not a fan of kickstands on tablets vs. proper keyboard docks to support the device, but unless I'm mistaken, there is no kickstand on the iPad, nor do I believe that Apple would ever implement that sort of design, and most of the iPad covers double as foldable stands. I'm curious how they will implement a keyboard cover and address the fact that the iPad doesn't stand up on its own, while at the same time not adding bulk to the package. I guess the source references the fact that this keyboard is a "case" for the iPad, rather than a magnetic snap-on cover, but I never thought Apple would be interested in selling any sort of case for their device--it detracts from the simplicity and neatness that they make a big deal about.
Reply
andystanley

My, my...aren't they inventive!
Reply
saiyan

@fandroid

I think you are remembering the wrong date.

According to your own favorite site Google, Apple filed a patent application titled "Cover attachment with flexible display" in August 2011 which is about 10 months before Microsoft announced its Surface tablet with keyboard cover.

http://www.google.com/patents/US20120194448

Figure 5 of the patent application shows a perspective view of a tablet device with a keyboard and touch screen integrated into the flap portion.

Is this a case in which Apple distorted space-time continuum and traveled back in time to file a patent application after seeing what Microsoft has announced?
Reply
clonazepam

@ teh_chem you forgot to mention that the idea of covering an ipad from the view of curious onlookers would defeat the whole purpose of having an ipad in the first place jk jus slinging a lil mud ;)
Reply
lostgamer_03

Oh the irony.. Apple will surely claim copyright on the keyboard covers and sue the hell out of everyone, as always.
Reply
back_by_demand

Brace yourselves, for the words "magical" and "innovative"
Reply
rwinches

Ok, keyboard case covers for iPad have been around for a long time.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403253,00.asp

Reply
gumbedamit

Do you guys actually think MS would not have a patent for their keyboard?
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