Chance Miller of 9to5Mac has a really well-reported article about the fall of accessory maker Brydge:
Brydge, a once thriving startup making popular keyboard accessories for iPad, Mac, and Microsoft Surface products, is ceasing operations. According to nearly a dozen former Brydge employees who spoke to 9to5Mac, Brydge has gone through multiple rounds of layoffs within the past year after at least two failed acquisitions.
Miller’s article details the troubles the company faced, both in terms of competition and in terms of corporate dynamics. In the days before Apple introduced the Magic Keyboard for iPad, Brydge’s Bluetooth keyboards were the best choice for people who wanted to use their iPads in a laptop-like configuration.
But then the Magic Keyboard arrived. And while Apple’s addition of pointer support to iPadOS should have helped Brydge compete, the truth is that Apple’s trackpad firmware was far more sophisticated than anything Brydge could offer. I used Brydge products a lot until the day I got my first Magic Keyboard; after I got the Magic Keyboard, I never really used a Brydge product again.