Along with the 2020 iPad Pro and iPadOS 13.4, Apple also introduced the Magic Keyboard, which adds support for cursor input to the iPad.
However, according to 9to5mac, many users are now complaining about battery life problems. A handful of Magic Keyboard users have noticed that their iPad's battery power drops rapidly when using the keyboard with the backlighting turned on, even when the iPad is idle and not in use.
The Magic Keyboard does not have a separate battery, but instead uses a Smart Connector to draw power from the connected iPad Pro's battery. However, Apple has not released official data on the extent to which the Magic Keyboard affects battery life.
However, according to common sense, the keyboard, touchpad and simple backlight should not consume as much power, so the exact cause of this problem is not clear, perhaps the keyboard backlight is particularly power-hungry in some models, or perhaps the keyboard itself sometimes consumes too much power.
Some users have said they have seen the Magic Keyboard's backlight stay on even when the iPad itself is idle and dormant. If so, this could be the reason the battery drains when the iPad is not in use.
It's unclear whether this is a software or hardware issue, or a combination of both.
According to iPad Insight, they replaced the Magic Keyboard under warranty after experiencing this problem and found the range to be much better. With the Magic Keyboard backlit off before the replacement, two hours of writing range dropped by more than 25%.
By comparison, using the iPad Pro alone to watch streaming video for five hours straight and play audio through the iPad's speakers consumes only 45 percent of its power.
After replacing the Magic Keyboard, using the same iPad Pro to type with the keyboard backlight off, battery life dropped by only 6% in an hour of solid use.
With the backlight set at about 25%, the newly replaced Magic Keyboard lost only 14% of its battery life during an hour and a quarter of typing. This is 11% lower than the battery life consumption before the replacement, which figure was still obtained with the backlight completely disabled.
Therefore, if you find that the battery drain is too fast while using the iPad's Magic Keyboard, you can ask Apple to replace the Magic Keyboard, which Apple has not officially responded to yet.
More on Gadgets
