Apple recently obtained a patent for a technology called “Keyless Keyboard”, suggesting that the keyboard of the future MacBook Pro may take the same design as the touchpad. This means that Apple users may no longer experience the thrill of traditional keyboard tapping, but rather a haptic feedback experience like the iPhone Home button and MacBook Pro trackpad.
The patent, known as “Keyless keyboard with force sensing and haptic feedback,” was filed with the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office in 2017. It effectively describes replacing the keyboard’s physical keys with a glass display equipped with multiple touch-sensing systems.
The patent description, states that Apple believes that traditional key-based input “lacks the flexibility to adapt to the expanded capabilities offered by newer devices, operating systems and software” and “cannot adapt to different user needs and preferences “. While touchscreen input has the potential to provide alternative input for users, the “flat, inflexible input surface” provides little haptic feedback to users.
Apple’s proposal includes a top glass layer that includes two force-sensing systems for different “input areas” and a touch-sensing system for determining the position of the user’s finger. Haptic feedback is provided by one or more actuators that provide a response to a downward press of each button.
The images provided in the documentation depict a keyboard peripheral using a long touchpad, in which key images appear. There is also a description of a notebook where it appears that the entire lower portion (usually reserved for the keyboard and trackpad) is replaced by a large panel.
In both cases, the keycapless keyboard changes what is displayed to suit the user’s needs. This may include displaying a trackpad area in the middle of the keyboard, as well as rearranging the layout to better match the user’s hand positioning.
