Apple investigating iPad Smart Cover with secondary display [Apple Insider]

From a patent application filed before Microsoft Surface was introduced

"Apple has shown interest in creating an iPad Smart Cover that would act as a secondary touchscreen display for the device, showing simple status messages or even acting as a full-fledged touch keyboard.
The details were unveiled in a new patent application published on Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and discovered by AppleInsider. The filing, entitled "Cover Attachment with Flexible Display," shows an iPad Smart Cover that would feature a MagSafe-like magnetic connection to the iPad, sharing data that would be shown on the external display."

Apple investigating iPad Smart Cover with secondary display