The popular manufacturer of iPad accessories Brydge returns to public life today with a series of announcements. The company is introducing multi-touch trackpad support for its Pro + keyboards, as well as a brand new MAX + keyboard and trackpad combo case, with OtterBox protection, for the 8th generation iPad.
I’ve been testing Brydge’s new firmware with multi-touch support on the Pro + for the past few weeks. See below for the details.
As a quick refresh, Brydge introduced its Pro + keyboard / trackpad combination for the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models in early 2020. A few months later, Apple released its Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro along with support for trackpad support in iPadOS. 13.4.
One of the key differences between the Brydge Pro + and the Magic Keyboard, however, was support for multi-touch trackpad input. This is something that was supported with the Magic Keyboard, because it used Apple’s Smart Connector technology, but was not supported with the Bluetooth-powered Brydge Pro +.
That is what is changing today. If you’ve been wondering about Brydge for the past eight months, this is it. The company has announced the launch of new firmware that adds its multi-touch to iPad Pro + keyboards, uniting them on the same level as Apple’s Magic Keyboard.
In a press release, Brydge explains that after the release of the Pro + keyboards in early 2020, he “quickly determined that it is critical to make use of the full capabilities of iPadOS ‘multi-touch experience.”
‘We knew from day one that our firmware would play a key role in the continuous improvement of our iPad keyboards. This update is a true game changer and we can no longer be excited to deliver a user experience to both existing and future customers that is equal to the best. ”- Nick Smith, Co-CEO and Founder of Brydge
According to Brydge’s beta registration page, iPadOS 14.5 should use the new Pro + firmware with multi-touch trackpad support, but other details about the work Brydge did behind the scenes to enable this feature are unclear. iPadOS 14.5 is currently in development and public beta testing, with a full release expected in the spring.
Availability
Brydge says that the new Pro + firmware will be launched to all Pro + piano users in April. Meanwhile, customers are invited to join Brydge’s Beta program to participate in the final testing phases of its development.
The company says the first 500 people joining the Brydge Beta program will have access as early as next week. A broader beta test begins in early March before its full release in April.
Brydge will make this firmware update available for free to all Pro + users. The update is released via the Brydge Connect app for iPad, which is available in the App Store.
Along with today’s announcement, Brydge also announces a sale on its Pro + keyboard:
9to5Mac’s take
I’ve been testing the Brydge Pro + with the latest firmware and iPadOS 14.5 on my 12.9-inch iPad Pro for the past few weeks, and I’m impressed with the improvements Brydge made to the experience.
First, I think it’s important to note how seamless the firmware update was. It took less than a minute to install the update via the Brydge Connect app, and multi-touch was then immediately available. It also means it will be easy for Brydge to respond to customer feedback and release additional updates to further refine the experience.
After installing the new firmware on the Brydge Pro +, it really feels like a whole new product. The lack of multi-touch support was a crippling limitation when the Pro + was announced last year, and the new experience has been significantly improved.
All the multi-touch gestures you get with the Magic Keyboard and iPad Pro are now supported on the Pro +. These include:
- Scroll up or down. Swipe two fingers up or down.
- Scroll left or right. Swipe two fingers left or right.
- Zoom. Place two fingers close together. Pinch to zoom in, or pinch to zoom out.
- Go home. Swipe up with three fingers.
- Open the App Switcher. Swipe up with three or four fingers, and wait until you lift your fingers.
- Switch between open programs. Swipe left or right with three fingers.
- Open the search from the home screen. Swipe down with two fingers.
The gestures feel refined and very Apple-like, and I very rarely noticed any lag or hiccups in performing or animating multi-touch gestures. It’s impressive what Brydge was able to do via a software update to a product that was first launched a year ago.
This is not to say that the Pro + is without its quirks. One problem I have noticed several times is that the pointer likes to sporadically jump around. This can make it difficult to perform tasks that the cursor needs from the cursor, such as text editing.
The Magic Keyboard has a few more important advantages over the Pro +, including that it’s easier to put on and take off from the iPad Pro itself. The Magic Keyboard also draws power from the iPad Pro, so it never needs to be recharged again, while the Brydge Pro + offers excellent battery life, but you have to recharge it so frequently and again via USB-C.
The biggest advantage of the Smart Connector-equipped Magic Keyboard is that it completely removes Bluetooth from the comparison. The Smart Connector offers a more refined experience than Bluetooth can, and most quirks with the Pro + turn out to be due to Bluetooth quirks, which is a shame.
Despite the peculiarities, I am impressed with the Brydge Pro + firmware update and the company’s ability to adapt to changes in iPadOS and new competition from Apple in this arena. The Pro + was designed and engineered before iPadOS added official cursor support, and Brydge has been working for the past eight months to bring its Pro + to the same level as the Magic Keyboard experience.
It’s hard for a third-party accessory maker to compete with Apple in these areas, but Brydge has done a surprisingly good job. In fact, when deciding between the Magic Keyboard and the Brydge Pro +, I think the design differences are the most important things to consider now that the performance is so similar.
New 8.2-generation 10.2-inch iPad case
In addition to the new Pro + firmware announcement, Brydge has also introduced a new MAX + keyboard / trackpad combo case for the 8th generation iPad. One of the key features here is that the MAX + integrates OtterBox protection and has a detachable design for more versatility.
The company explains:
The 10.2 MAX + combines the functionality of a traditional Brydge keyboard with the award-winning OtterBox protection.
In addition to the standard Brydge keyboard features, the 10.2 MAX + has the largest multitouch trackpad available for the iPad (8th and 7th generation), a detachable MIL-STD-810G iPad case with 4-foot fall protection, new magnetic snap-fit hinge design and the longest battery ever included with a Brydge keyboard. These keyboards are designed for students and professionals and are now pre-ordered at the end of March.
You can pre-order the new Brydge 10.2 MAX + today for $ 159.99, with the first orders shipping in late March. Stay tuned for 9to5Mac for a hands-on review soon.
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