9.7 inch Apple iPad Pro gets its own Create keyboard, and it’s awesome

When the 12.9 inch version of the Apple iPad Pro was released last year, Logitech was one of the first manufacturers of accessories to design an advanced keyboard cover for the premium-sized iPad. Much like the Logitech Create for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro, the 9.7 inch version offers some useful enhancements.

The Create keyboard cover is enveloped in a synthetic weave similar to Apple’s own Smart Keyboard cover, and the keyboard is backlit, connecting to the iPad Pro through its Smart Connector. Backlit keys do make a difference, and for some can be a deciding factor, as backlit keyboards cover the majority of laptops. This is especially true as Apple’s frequently reiterated selling point is how the iPad Pro can be used as a laptop replacement.

Logitech has embraced the iPad Pro even further, by implementing an additional row of keys that are specific to iOS, including a home button, brightness and volume controls, a Siri/search button, and playback controls, as well as buttons to control the luminosity of the keyboard.

Create is also designed to go into sleep mode after a number of seconds of inactivity, to prevent excessive use of the iPad Pro’s battery.

Another perk of the newly released cover, is a slot created to hold the Apple Pencil, inside the cover, which was missing in the first inception of the Create’s 12.9 inch version. This is not the only difference between the 9.7 inch case and the 12.9 inch version. The smaller iteration of the case features only two color options: black and blue. The Create for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro however, features five colors: Classic Red, Blue/Silver, Black/SpaceGrey, Iris/Black and Black.