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Apple made a tiny change to the iPad Pro's magnets that will force you to buy a new cover

Apple made a tiny change to the iPad Pro's magnets that will force you to buy a new cover
Tech2 min read

The latest iPad Pro is the same size as previous iPads, but users who are upgrading will discover that their old Apple Smart Covers won't work with their new iPad.

In fact, Apple is selling two different versions of the Smart Cover - one designed for the iPad Air 2 for $39, and another for the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro for $49.

The two covers look to be largely the same. But according to a video posted by Nick Rodriguez, and spotted by Mac Kung Fu, if you try to use the less expensive iPad Air 2 cover on a new iPad Pro, Apple has moved the cover's built-in magnets so the old smart cover will float above the tablet's screen.

It looks as if Apple has swapped the polarity of the magnets that affix the Smart Cover to the iPad's screen, swapping the "north pole" magnet for a magnet with "south pole" polarization, which renders the old Smart Covers useless with new iPads.

 

As Rodriguez asks in the video, really Apple?

However, the change might not be completely because of planned obsolescence - it's possible that Apple had to move the placement of the magnets inside the new iPad Pro because of engineering reasons. We've reached out to Apple and will update this post when we hear back.

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