I have an iPad Air 2 and iPhone 7 Plus. I wanted to see whether I could use a keyboard especially with the iPad, to replace a Windows laptop in some scenarios. For example I find the iPad much easier to use during a meeting to perform some editing of an Excel spreadsheet or Word doc etc. Here's a quick summary of my findings.
[URL="https://forums.imore.com/e?link=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.sjv.io%2Fc%2F221109%2F473657%2F7613%3FsubId1%3DUUimUvbUpU2885314%26subId2%3Dvbim%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.apple.com%252Fshop%252Fproduct%252FMLA22LL%252FA%252Fmagic-keyboard-us-english&token=sNLWqj-A]Apple Magic Keyboard[/URL]: This is a Bluetooth keyboard. It pairs with the iPad and works fine. Unfortunately I can't find a way to set the key delay/repeat rate, or see the charge level of the keyboard (those must be Mac-only things) but the keyboard does work. This is a great way to go because the keyboard is feather-light and only marginally wider than the iPad itself. It also charges with the same Lightning cable I already carry if I have my iPad with me... i.e., this keyboard is easy to toss in a bag for meetings or travel.
Generic USB PC Keyboard: works, with use of a Lightning to USB adapter which Apple sells as the [URL="https://forums.imore.com/e?link=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.sjv.io%2Fc%2F221109%2F473657%2F7613%3FsubId1%3DUUimUvbUpU2885314%26subId2%3Dvbim%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.apple.com%252Fshop%252Fproduct%252FMD821AM%252FA%252Flightning-to-usb-camera-adapter&token=Vy_r_p6l]Lightning to USB Camera Adapter[/URL]. Apple makes no mention of any capabilities other than for cameras, but it does work for certain other classes of USB devices, including keyboards.
[URL="https://www.apple.com/search/Apple-Keyboard-with-Numeric-Keypad-US-English#mn_p]Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad[/URL]: Does not work. This is a wired USB keyboard. The iPad complains that the hub function on the keyboard uses too much power, and the keyboard is non-functional.
Bottom line:
* Bluetooth keyboards work with iPads. Not sure that they *all* do, but I would expect that in the general case they would.
* PC or Apple-specific USB keyboards that don't draw too much power -- which should be most or all without a USB hub -- work with iPads.
I haven't tried an of this with my iPhone but expect the results to be exactly the same as above.
[URL="https://forums.imore.com/e?link=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.sjv.io%2Fc%2F221109%2F473657%2F7613%3FsubId1%3DUUimUvbUpU2885314%26subId2%3Dvbim%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.apple.com%252Fshop%252Fproduct%252FMLA22LL%252FA%252Fmagic-keyboard-us-english&token=sNLWqj-A]Apple Magic Keyboard[/URL]: This is a Bluetooth keyboard. It pairs with the iPad and works fine. Unfortunately I can't find a way to set the key delay/repeat rate, or see the charge level of the keyboard (those must be Mac-only things) but the keyboard does work. This is a great way to go because the keyboard is feather-light and only marginally wider than the iPad itself. It also charges with the same Lightning cable I already carry if I have my iPad with me... i.e., this keyboard is easy to toss in a bag for meetings or travel.
Generic USB PC Keyboard: works, with use of a Lightning to USB adapter which Apple sells as the [URL="https://forums.imore.com/e?link=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.sjv.io%2Fc%2F221109%2F473657%2F7613%3FsubId1%3DUUimUvbUpU2885314%26subId2%3Dvbim%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.apple.com%252Fshop%252Fproduct%252FMD821AM%252FA%252Flightning-to-usb-camera-adapter&token=Vy_r_p6l]Lightning to USB Camera Adapter[/URL]. Apple makes no mention of any capabilities other than for cameras, but it does work for certain other classes of USB devices, including keyboards.
[URL="https://www.apple.com/search/Apple-Keyboard-with-Numeric-Keypad-US-English#mn_p]Apple Keyboard with Numeric Keypad[/URL]: Does not work. This is a wired USB keyboard. The iPad complains that the hub function on the keyboard uses too much power, and the keyboard is non-functional.
Bottom line:
* Bluetooth keyboards work with iPads. Not sure that they *all* do, but I would expect that in the general case they would.
* PC or Apple-specific USB keyboards that don't draw too much power -- which should be most or all without a USB hub -- work with iPads.
I haven't tried an of this with my iPhone but expect the results to be exactly the same as above.
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