I wanted my iPad Pro to be able to use the Magic Keyboard in portrait mode, but the current Smart Connector configuration does not allow this. With too much time on my hands, I made a short jumper cable using a section of USB cable, 5-pin POGO connectors (the 5-pin works using pins 1, 3, and 5, and removing pins 2 and 4), a small electrical project box, 3mm N52 magnets, and some epoxy and Sugru to pack everything into place. My cable and connections orientation had more to do with the boxes I found to encase the connector (with holes on the small end) than anything else. Obviously, there will be many ways to do this.
Note: These measurements are for the 12.9" (2020) model. The magnets did not line up and the polarity was different for my wife's iPad Pro 11" (2021).
See it work here: https://youtu.be/oCA5d8SNOYs
- Case: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D232JRH
- 3mm N52 magnets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09CL1H4ZM
- USB cable: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJ96M2W
- This cable is a little stiff. A more flexible cable will make this easier to use.
- Sugru moldable silicone: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089WHP1WD
- 5-Pin POGO Connector: https://www.adafruit.com/product/5359
- The spacing for the 5-pin POGO connector is the same as the Smart Connector when using only pins #1, #3, and #5, and removing pins #2 and #4.
- Update: I found these on iFixit
I sanded the connector down just a bit to expose more of the tip of the POGO pins to stick through my case. You could just cut out a matching hole in the bottom of the case and set the connector flush and skip these steps.
- Use needle-nosed pliers to gently pull the spring-type POGO pins from the connector piece. Don't lose them. i.e. drop them onto the carpet, they're hard to find and hurt when stepped on.
- Push the magnets out of the connector with the tip of the pliers.
- With everything removed from the plastic connector, and a bit of material off; not quite 1/16" (1.5mm) should be fine.
- Carefully push pins back into the #1, #3, and #5 pins cutouts.
Note: These measurements are for the 12.9" (2020) model. The magnets did not line up and the polarity was different for my wife's iPad Pro 11" (2021).
- Cut the ends off the cable and trim it to about 8.25in (21cm).
- Cut the cable's external insulation back a little more than 0.75in (2cm).
- On both ends, trim the internal insulation, plastic divider, and other wires back to the external insulation, leaving 3 wires: Red, White, and Black
- On cable end "A":
- Remove the insulation from the Red wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire for the solder connection.
- Trim 3/16in (5mm) off of the Black and White wires.
- Remove the insulation from Black wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire to solder.
- Trim another 3/16in (5mm) off of the White wire.
- Remove the insulation from White wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire to solder.
- Cable end "B" must be opposite of end "A" for the correct layout.
- Remove the insulation from White wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire to solder.
- Trim 3/16in (5mm) off of the Black and Red wires.
- Remove the insulation from Black wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire to solder.
- Trim another 3/16in (5mm) off of the Red wire.
- Remove the insulation from Red wire to expose about 3/16in (5mm) of copper wire to solder.
- The cable should Reflect:
Side A) (Side B
R --- B --- W -- =========================== -- R --- B --- W
- Based on the following images from iFixit Dang, The iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Looks Cool in X-Rays article and Twitter post regarding a previous verstion, this cable orientation should position the cables to be
- White - Ground
- Black - Power
- Red - Data
Note: These measurements are for the 12.9" (2020) model. The magnets did not line up and the polarity was different for my wife's iPad Pro 11" (2021).
- On the exterior of the box mark the layout of the pins according to the measurements.
- Drill the 3 pin holes with a 1/16in (1.8) mm bit.
- Test the alignment of the case with the holes drilled against the POGO pins on the iPad Magic Keyboard to make sure the alignment is correct/close.
- Test fit the POGO pin connector (with the #2 and #4 pins removed) in the case to make sure the POGO pins stick out enough to make contact.
- Use 3 of the 3mm x 1mm N52 magnets and test the polarity of the magnet layout on the iPad (not the Magic Keyboard). Unfortunately, I do not remember the polarity layout.
- I removed one magnet at a time, put a little epoxy into the case where the magnet goes, and placed it back and pressure fit it into the hole using non-magnetic pliers.
- Repeat for the other magnet locations.
- Stack additional magnets (3 high??) with a little epoxy against the inside of the case to help keep them in place.
- Let this sit with the magnets keeping the unit in place for the epoxy to harden.
- After the epoxy is hardened, I added more to make sure all magnets will stay in place. Make sure to leave room for the POGO pins.
- I thought the magnets might scratch the iPad and that the magnets would be strong enough, so I left them inside the case without drilling holes for them as done in the next step. They aren't strong enough. Drill the holes and pressure fit them into place as done in the following steps.
- You should be able to add additional magnets to the layout as seen in this iFixit photo of a scan from the Magic Keyboard from iFixt | Dang, The iPad Pro Magic Keyboard Looks Cool in X-Rays.
- I will absolutely add more magnets next time; not drilled and pressure fit but just inside the case.
- I will absolutely add more magnets next time; not drilled and pressure fit but just inside the case.
Note: These measurements are for the 12.9" (2020) model. The magnets did not line up and the polarity was different for my wife's iPad Pro 11" (2021).
- On the exterior of the box mark the layout of the pins according to the measurements.
- Drill the 3 contact points and 2 magnet holes with a 1/16in (1.8) mm bit.
- Next time, I will add additional magnets (not drilled and pressure fit) to the outside area as seen in the photo.
- Drill with successively larger bits up to 3.0mm.
- Pressure fit the 3mm N52 magnets into the two magnet holes.
- I used 3 of the (weaker) 3mm magnets from the POGO connecter as my contact points and pressure fit them into the 3 flat contact point holes using non-magnetic pliers.
- Carefully epoxy the pressure-fit-into-place magnets and contact points into place and let the epoxy fully harden.
- Do not get epoxy on the top of the contact point where the solder connection will be.
- I fully epoxied the non-contact point, working magnets, into place against the case walls.
- I fully covered the joint between the case and the contact points to keep them in place.
- Make sure the case, magnets and contact points are all pressed down and lying flat on the working surface. They should not be recessed at all.
- Solder the White, Black, and Red wires to the POGO connector pins based on the following configuration. Do not solder the Flat contact point yet.
A - POGO Pins) (B - Flat Contact Points
+--------------------+ +--------------------+
| R B W |=========================| R B W |
+--------------------+ +--------------------+
- Lay the POGO-pin case (case piece A) flat onto a working surface with the 2 magnets opposite of you and a single magnet closest to you. (The cable will go to the right)
+--------------------+
| ◯ . . . ◯ |
| |===
|◯ |
+--------------------+
- Carefully epoxy the POGO connector into the case without getting epoxy on the POGO pin heads and let the epoxy harden.
- Lay the POGO connector pin-side up and place the Flat Contact Point case (case piece B) onto the working surface with the contact point side down with the two magnets closest to you and the single magnet side opposite of you. The POGO pins end and Flat Contact Point end need to be on opposite directions for the cable to work well and remove the need to twist the cable.
+--------------------+
|◯ |
===| |
| ◯ * * * ◯ |
+--------------------+
- Solder the wires to the contact points. These must be in the same Left-to-Right order as the POGO pin side
A - POGO Pins) (B - Flat Contact Points
+--------------------+ +--------------------+
| R B W |=========================| R B W |
+--------------------+ +--------------------+
- The cable should work now, allowing the iPad to utilize the Magic Keyboard while it is in portrait mode.
- I packed the dead space in the case with Sugru to keep things from moving around. Keep a little bit of Sugru aside to close the unused cable gap in the case.
- Snap the case shut.
- Fill the unused cable gap in the enclosure with the remaining Sugru.
@fruitbow1, Oh, that's interesting. I bet you could adapt this to work.