If you’ve ever seen a Magic Keyboard snap onto an iPad with no Bluetooth pairing and no battery of its own, that’s thanks to the Smart Connector.
What it is, in detail
The Smart Connector is a small magnetic connector on the back of some iPad models, made up of metal contacts that automatically align with the attached accessory. Both data and power flow through this connector: the connected keyboard doesn’t need its own battery or a separate Bluetooth pairing, because it draws power directly from the iPad and communicates with it through the physical contacts.
The practical advantage
Compared to a traditional Bluetooth keyboard, one connected via the Smart Connector turns on and attaches instantly, with no pairing step, no noticeable typing latency, and no need to charge it separately: it charges automatically as long as it stays attached to the iPad (or, with the newer Magic Keyboard, it can even pass charge through to the iPad itself).
Which iPads have it
Not every iPad has a Smart Connector: it’s found on the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and base iPad, each compatible with its own dedicated version of the Magic Keyboard (or Magic Keyboard Folio for the base model). The iPad mini, due to its smaller size, doesn’t include one and relies solely on third-party Bluetooth keyboards.