Not content with its new Bluetooth-powered keyboard, Apple is looking to take things a notch higher and reportedly has a Force Touch keyboard in the pipeline.
Currently, the latest iPhones, the Apple Watch Force and the new MacBook's trackpad deploy Force Touch. Now, a patent filed by the company which has just been published hints at the Force Touch keyboard's arrival sooner rather than later.
The Apple patent entitled "Ultra low travel keyboard" was published on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and points to a new keyboard that could house an inbuilt force sensor. The keys would potentially be similar to the trackpad on the latest MacBook and have the ability to gauge the pressure of a user's fingers. It would also be able to imitate the traditional typing sensations.
"A keyboard or keyboard key that has a force sensor that measures the force imparted to the key when a user presses the key or rests a finger on a key. Key embodiments may also include an actuator that excites the in order to provide feedback to the user in accordance with various feedback methods disclosed herein," notes the patent description.
Moreover, the patent also suggests that if a user were to apply different levels of pressure on a particular key, this would prompt diverse commands. Per the Apple patent, like the Force Touch trackpad, each key would also be able to offer haptic feedback.
With a Bluetooth keyboard also capable of Force Touch, the possibilities are immense. The keyboard could potentially not have physical keys, or could have reduced key height. This would in turn make the innards of the accessory svelter. If the size of the keyboard reduces then one is possibly looking at a sleeker MacBook.
The Apple patent was filed in 2012, so a strong possibility exists that the company is working on a next-gen MacBook that also has a Force Touch keyboard. However, considering the company has innumerable patents — many of which are yet to see the light of day — it is difficult to ascertain if the pressure sensitive Force Touch keyboard will become a reality.
