It is reported that Apple has recently obtained a technology patent called "Keyless Keyboard", suggesting that the keyboard of the future MacBook Pro may adopt the same design as the trackpad. This means that Apple users may no longer experience the thrill of tapping on a traditional keyboard, but the tactile feedback experience like the iPhone Home button and MacBook Pro trackpad.

The full name of this patent is "Keyless keyboard with force sensing and haptic feedback", which was submitted to the US Trademark and Patent Office in 2017. It effectively describes the replacement of a keyboard's physical keys with a glass display equipped with a variety of touch-sensing systems.

Apple argues that traditional key-based input "lacks the flexibility to adapt to the wide range of capabilities offered by new devices, operating systems, and software" and is "incapable of adapting to varying user needs and preferences." Meanwhile, while touchscreen input has the potential to provide users with alternative input, the "flat, inflexible input surface" provides little tactile feedback for users.

In the patented design provided by Apple, the keyboard area has a top glass layer, which includes two force-sensing systems for different input areas, and a touch-sensing system for determining the position of the user's fingers. Haptic feedback is provided by one or more actuators that provide a tactile response to each key.

The patent document also shows schematic diagrams of related designs, one of which shows a keyboard peripheral that uses a long touch panel to display button images.

At the same time, there are images showing another solution, that is, replacing the entire bottom half of the notebook, which is the area usually used for the keyboard and trackpad, with a large panel.

In both cases, the keyless keyboard can change what is displayed according to the needs of the user. It can display the trackpad area in the middle of the keyboard and rearrange the layout to make it more ergonomic to suit the user's hand positioning.

However, not all patented designs will be mass-produced, and whether this patent will be realized in the end will be affected by many factors. But it can be seen from this that Apple is very innovative in product development, no wonder it has been at the forefront of the world. Are you looking forward to the MacBook with Keyless Keyboard?