Apple Patent Hints at the end of Hard Keys – A new Future for Keyboards
Apple is known for its iPhones, iPod and Macs along with its many Patents and Lawsuits. A recently filed patent from Apple suggests that the company is looking at the possibility of eliminating keyboards all together in the future from its desktop and laptop products. The new keyboards will be a flat surface and will be compromised of various materials and mechanisms with metal, plastic and glass form factors.
The technology is based of multiple ideas that involve piezoelectric components, haptic feedback and acoustic pulse recognition, the combination would allow the keyboard or flat key surface to receive an input via your finger. The flat surface design will have either a plastic or metal construction with perforations to help recognize the keys, a glass overlay to identify them with a display and finally all of this will be led backlit. Looks like Apple is finally taking a stab at the age old keyboard.