Latest Apple’s patent application has just been published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which describes what looks like the next big Apple’s upgrade for the MacBook. The patent shows a screen-based keyboard computer that looks and feels like a real keyboard.
This would be another attempt by Apple to move from the physical keyboards to a touch-screen based keyboard as we’ve seen in the Asus Zenbook Pro duo but has a combined screen and physical keyboard.
The company had deployed a haptic motor simulating the feel of a click which also replaced the swipe-based screen. If that gets implemented on the MacBook, it would be really fascinating.
The mechanical trackpad was first introduced to the MacBook in the past while also having the Touchbar which is really useful for whatever purpose.
Apple too things a step higher in 2016 when it replaced the physical function keys on the MacBook Pro with the Touch Bar. Apple’s move to flatter keyboards with less travel is seen as all part of the process of preparing us for a screen-based keyboard future.
The patent application details replacing a deformable screen with entirely simulated motion. The description shows it will be done using a mix of haptic motors and electrostatic charge to provide a realistic simulation of key edges and travel and even centre the fingers on the keys.
The illustrations used in the patent show an iPad-like device which may be an indication that the feature may first be utilised on the iPad before making the MacBook keyboard screen-based. However, we must point out that this patent may just be one of the numerous Apple patents that never saw the light of day.