Flexibility in Design: The Potential of Flexible Glass Displays to Replace MacBook Pro Keyboards

Keyboards, by their very nature, are susceptible to external elements such as dust, crumbs, and liquids that can obstruct their mechanisms, making the keys less responsive. This is especially true for modern chiclet-style keyboards like those used in the MacBook Pro lineup. Unlike older keyboard designs, these modern keyboards are more prone to malfunction if debris finds its way under the keys, affecting their ability to smoothly depress and return when pressed.

In response to these challenges, Apple introduced the third generation of its butterfly mechanism keyboard. This iteration, launched in 2018, featured a silicone membrane designed to protect the internal components from dust while also reducing typing noise. However, even before this release, Apple had already begun exploring alternative solutions to the keyboard issue, as evidenced by the patents they started filing as early as 2017.

Apple’s exploration into new keyboard designs took a significant step forward in 2019 when they received a patent for a keyboard design that eschews traditional moving parts altogether. This patent, which was reissued years later, reflects Apple’s ongoing interest in developing innovative keyboard technologies. Despite the butterfly keyboard being discontinued and largely forgotten, Apple’s pursuit of alternative keyboard designs remains steadfast.

The reissuance of this patent suggests that Apple is still actively considering new keyboard designs. Among these is the idea of a keyboard featuring a flexible glass panel, which has several potential advantages. This concept moves away from the need for individual keys or any traditional scissor or switch mechanism.

Apple’s patent describes a keyboard that could be created without any moving parts. Instead of movable keys, the design proposes using a glass panel with raised sections to indicate the location of each key. When a user presses one of these raised sections, the keyboard would detect the pressure and register the input in the usual manner.

The raised keys would provide a tactile response, helping users to accurately position their fingers on the keyboard. While this concept is similar to a virtual on-screen keyboard, like those on smartphones or tablets, it offers a more tactile experience, making it easier to type by feel.

To further mimic the feel of a traditional keyboard, Apple suggests using raised sidewalls around the keys that could deform slightly when pressed. In some designs, the keys themselves could flex, with a lower layer that includes elements to return the key to its original position and detect each press.

Since the keyboard panel is made of glass, this design offers an additional benefit: the ability to include a display beneath it. This would allow symbols to be displayed on the keyboard, making it easy to switch between different language layouts or use custom key configurations specific to certain applications.

Furthermore, the sides of the keyboard could be used as a form of trackpad, although this aspect is not extensively detailed in the patent illustrations, which focus primarily on the keys across the MacBook Pro’s base. However, the patent text briefly mentions the inclusion of trackpads: “Practically the entire upper portion of the housing, from edge to edge, can be touch-sensitive,” the text states.

“This means that touch or trackpad inputs, such as clicks, presses, gestures (e.g., scrolling, swiping), and multi-touch inputs, can be detected on any part of the upper housing,” the text continues, “including individual key zones within the keyboard area as well as on parts of the upper housing that are outside the keyboard area.”

While this idea could potentially eliminate the issues caused by debris obstructing the key mechanisms, it also has the side effect of potentially making the keyboard even thinner, which could allow for a larger battery or a slimmer laptop profile.

Apple files many patent applications each week, and the publication of an idea doesn’t guarantee that it will appear in a future Apple product. However, it does hint at the areas the company is exploring.

This isn’t the first patent Apple has filed related to keyboards. Back in March 2018, around the same time this patent was filed, Apple also filed a patent for a “keyless keyboard.” This design involved using a secondary touch-sensitive display beneath the keyboard area, focusing more on flat touch panels than raised key elements.

In February of that same year, Apple received a patent for “dual-display equipment with enhanced visibility and reduced reflections,” again hinting at the use of a touch-sensitive OLED display as a keyboard.

In August 2018, Apple filed three patent applications under the title “Device with integrated interface system,” which largely proposed using plastic or glass to alter the surrounding area of the MacBook keyboard, as well as the keyboard itself, with touch sensitivity.

This patent is attributed to three inventors, including the prolific Paul X. Wang, whose previous related work includes a patent application regarding the use of a glass keyboard for reinforcement.

In conclusion, Apple’s ongoing efforts to innovate in the realm of keyboard design reflect the company’s commitment to enhancing user experience through advanced technology. Whether or not these ideas will make their way into future Apple products remains to be seen, but the potential benefits of a flexible glass keyboard are clear. Such a design could not only improve the durability and functionality of keyboards but also pave the way for new features and applications, such as customizable key layouts and integrated trackpads.

As technology continues to evolve, so too will the tools we use every day. The possibility of a flexible glass keyboard is just one example of how Apple is pushing the boundaries of what is possible, exploring new ways to improve the devices that have become an integral part of our daily lives.