Brydge’s Pro Plus iPad keyboard gets much better trackpad support with new firmware

Brydge has announced a new firmware update for its Pro Plus iPad keyboards that promises to greatly enhance the trackpad experience. The update brings ‘native’ multitouch to the trackpads, which means you can use the same kind of multi-finger gestures on a Brydge device as Apple’s own Magic Keyboard.

The Brydge Pro Plus was the victim of unfortunate timing. It was originally announced as a power-user product designed to support Apple’s experimental cursor feature, but then Apple changed it to iOS-level consumer-level features with iOS 13.4 and released its own keyboard / trackpad accessory, the expensive but excellent Magic Keyboard. At launch, the Pro Plus trackpad was usable for basic tasks, but it did not have full gesture support and could not compete with the smoothness of Apple’s own hardware.

I spent a few days with a beta version of Brydge’s new firmware using the company’s keyboard designed for the 11-inch iPad, and the news so far is good. Although the trackpad on this model is quite small, and the lever mechanism means there is not much room to click, the cursor movement is much smoother and gestures work well. For example, you can swipe or swipe up with three fingers between applications to bring you to the multitasking interface. Simple two-finger scrolling has also been greatly improved and works with a constant momentum as you would expect in different applications.

I’ll have to test the Pro Plus’ new firmware further before making a final verdict, but my first impressions are positive. The Pro Plus looks set to be a more viable product soon than it was with the original launch, especially since Brydge is offering it for sale today; the 12.9-inch model gets a reduction from $ 60 to $ 169.99, while the 11-inch version is available for a $ 40 discount at $ 159.99.

Brydge is also announcing a new iPad keyboard equipped on trackpad, the first product to come out of a collaboration with OtterBox that was announced last year. The 10.2 Max Plus is designed for the seventh and eighth generation iPads with 10.2-inch screens and features a removable cover that offers 4-foot fall protection according to Brydge. It will ship in late March and will be available today for $ 129.99.

If you already have a Pro Plus keyboard, Brydge opens public sign-ups for the new firmware. You can register here; on the page it is noted that the firmware requires an iPad using Apple’s iPadOS 14.5 public beta. The program launches on March 3, but 500 users get access earlier on February 24.