Apple's Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad is now estimated to ship in 6-7 weeks in the United States and several other countries, fueling speculation that a refreshed model could be released alongside the iMac Pro in December.
The extended wireless keyboard was just released alongside WWDC 2017 in June, so any possible update could be relatively minor.
The eject key could be replaced with a dedicated Siri key, for example, given the iMac hasn't had a built-in SuperDrive for CDs/DVDs since the Mid 2011 model. Siri is located in the same position above the delete key on the Touch Bar.
Apple will be releasing the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, Magic Mouse 2, and Magic Trackpad 2 in Space Gray exclusively for the iMac Pro as well, so the shipping estimate could be related to the new color being on the horizon.
Last year, a report claimed Apple was exploring a standalone keyboard with a Touch Bar and Touch ID for desktop computers like the iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac mini, but it's unclear if the product is still on the company's roadmap.
It's common for Apple products to face lengthy shipping estimates when they are due for an upcoming refresh, but it could also be nothing more than routine fluctuations in supply, especially given how niche this keyboard is.
(Thanks, Keir Ansell!)
Top Rated Comments
I would also LOVE to see a solar panel on these things. I really like the minimal design, but I've been using solar-powered Logitech keyboards for years now, as I got sick of buying AAs.
Imagine if you you implement FaceID and fast user switching such that if you walk up to the computer when it is asleep/locked, it does a FaceID auth attempt. If it detects a face for an account that isn't the current one, it could automatically switch user accounts and log in. Then if that person happens to walk away without logging off, the next person just walks up, wakes the computer, and in seconds are at their desktop. I think in my household that would be a pretty popular feature. It would require the FaceID being able to be configured with multiple faces and each face on a separate account, but on a full blown computer that makes a lot more sense than on a mobile device.
To address your snark, I have an Apple Watch, and that feature is pretty great. But not everyone does, and it isn't for everyone. My wife will never have one, she doesn't care about the technology and hates the way it looks, she wears watches more for the jewelry aspect than the functional, and as far as function only cares about the time. There are a lot of others out there like her in the real world away from tech forums.