Apple’s Vision for All-Glass MacBook with Virtual Keyboard & Trackpad is Still Alive, Latest Patent Shows

Highlights

• Apple is still working on its ambitious all-screen MacBook.
• It aims to replace traditional keyboards and trackpads with virtual ones
• The report is confirmed by a recent patent continuation.
• Apple plans to use haptic feedback to replicate the feel of real keys.

 Apple’s ambitious project of developing an all-glass MacBook with a virtual keyboard and trackpad is still in the works. (Diagram credit – Apple/9to5Mac)

No matter what your personal opinion about Apple is, whether you are an Apple fan or would prefer to die on the ship with an Android in hand, you cannot deny that Apple has been pioneering in many ways. The Cupertino giant changed the smartphone industry forever when it introduced the iPhone without a physical keyboard.

And for those of you who aren’t aware, Apple has similar goals for its MacBooks as well.

A series of patents for many years have hinted at Apple’s ongoing work toward making an all-screen MacBook. Apple plans on replacing the traditional keyboards and trackpads with virtual ones.

While many tech enthusiasts often have cast doubts on whether this innovation will ever see the light of day, a new patent continuation published recently confirms that this ambitious project is still in development.

From Physical to Virtual Keys

 Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the new iPhone at Macworld in San Francisco on January 9, 2007. (Image credit – MediaNews Group/Bay Area News/Getty Images)

It was back in 2007 when Apple launched the iPhone. At that time, Steve Jobs highlighted the benefits of a virtual keyboard. He explained how virtual buttons can be more customizable and can be changed based on the app in use.

Future updates can be used to add or remove buttons with ease. This small detail about flexibility has remained a core feature of Apple’s iPhones and iPads.

However, we have seen Apple move away from this core Steve Jobs idea. Since then, the brand has often acknowledged the importance of having physical keyboards in some situations.

For example, at times when you have to do extensive typing, it will be difficult to replace physical keyboards with anything.

Apple launched the Magic Keyboard for iPads as it recognised the importance of physical keys.

Apple once even experimented with soft keyboards on the MacBook side through the Touch Bar.

Meanwhile, we have seen physical buttons on Apple’s devices such as the Action Button or the recent Camera Control button on the iPhones.

Haptic Technology to Become A Substitute For Physical Keyboard

It is clear that Apple believes it can replicate the feel of real keys using haptic feedback.

This idea isn’t new. MacBook trackpads already use haptics to simulate a click. The sensation is incredibly realistic.

It appears Apple is hoping to achieve something similar with keyboards as well.

The challenges are definitely greater for keyboards. People rely on the tactile feel of keys while typing.  Moreover, the physical cushioning of keys makes typing more comfortable. Many tech experts have expressed doubts about whether a glass surface can yet replicate that experience.

Apple Patents All-Glass MacBooks

The company has been trying to replicate the comfort and sensation of a physical keyboard in an all-glass MacBook for years.

In 2018, Apple explained its approach to achieve this, “When pressed, the user’s finger may form a depression in the keyboard surface beneath the finger. The pixelated capacitive sense layer may detect the depth and/or location of the depression to determine both an amount and a location of a force.”

“The haptic actuators may induce a physical sensation that is similar to or representative of a mechanical key.”

“The electrostatic charge may cause an actual or perceived change in friction or surface roughness between an object (e.g., the user’s finger) and the input surface by electrostatically attracting the user’s finger to the surface.”

Over the years, Apple has filed multiple patents exploring ways to solve this problem.

The latest patent papers, as per a recent 9to5Mac report, show that the company is still actively working on it. However, the recent papers don’t show any groundbreaking new concepts. So, it looks like we will have to wait for a few years before we see an all-screen MacBook.

FAQs

Q1. What is Apple developing for its future MacBooks?

Answer. Apple is developing an all-screen MacBook, aiming to replace traditional keyboards and trackpads with virtual ones, using haptic feedback to replicate the feel of real keys.

Q2. How does Apple plan to replicate the feel of real keys in its all-screen MacBook?

Answer. Apple plans to use haptic feedback technology, similar to that used in MacBook trackpads, to simulate the sensation of real keys. This involves creating a physical sensation through haptic actuators and electrostatic charge.

Q3. When can we expect to see an all-screen MacBook from Apple?

Answer. Despite years of patents and ongoing work, there are no groundbreaking new concepts yet, suggesting it may be a few more years before an all-screen MacBook becomes available.

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