Is the MacBook living its last days? This is the new computer that Apple will introduce soon

GVTech News Is the MacBook living its last days? This is the new computer that Apple will introduce soon

MacBook without keyboard

Apple has always managed to surprise by redefining technological standards, whether with the launch of the iPhone in 2007 or with its foray into the world of laptops.

Today, a series of patents reveal that the Cupertino company may be preparing for a new revolution: The MacBook is fully equipped with a virtual keyboard and screen trackpad.

While this idea seems very bold, even risky, it will be supported by years of development and research into advanced haptic technologies. Could the MacBook as we know it soon disappear to make way for an all-screen device?

In recent years, Apple's patents have revealed clear intentions: to create a laptop without a mechanical keyboard, relying on an all-glass screen. This approach is a continuation of what Apple accomplished with the iPhone and iPad, removing the traditional physical keyboard for a touch keyboard. But the idea of ​​a virtual laptop keyboard raises many questions, especially when it comes to comfort and productivity.

When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, he highlighted the advantage of a virtual keyboard: the keys could adapt depending on the application being used, providing flexibility that physical keyboards did not allow. This innovation not only marked a break from the smartphones of the time, but also set a new standard for touchscreen interfaces.

Today, Apple seems to want to push this logic even further by exploring the possibility of integrating this technology into its MacBooks. The concept is attractive: a virtual keyboard and trackpad able to adapt to the user's needs, with dynamic keys adjustable via software updates.

A “full touch” laptop, but with precision

However, replacing the physical keyboard on a laptop with a virtual keyboard is much more challenging than replacing it with a smartphone or tablet. In contrast to the occasional use of these devices, typing on a computer keyboard is often intense and lengthy. Comfort and accuracy are essential for users, especially professionals who need to type for long hours without interruption.

Apple has already made some attempts in this direction with the Touch Bar, a touch bar above the keyboard that allows for contextual interactions. However, this innovation never convinced the general public, and Apple ended up abandoning it in the latest MacBook models.

To overcome these difficulties, Apple relies on another technology that it masters well: haptic feedback. On the latest MacBooks, for example, the trackpad doesn't actually click. The clicking sensation is recreated using haptic actuators that simulate movement. This technology is so convincing that most users do not notice the difference.

But translating that feeling to the keyboard is a whole different story. Our fingers are accustomed to feeling the keys under the skin, measuring the depth of the stroke, and having some cushion when pressing the keyboard. Recreating these sensations on a flat glass surface would be a real technical achievement.

For several years, Apple has filed patents aimed at solving these challenges. One of the first concepts the company is exploring is making the keyboard display flexible, allowing for slight deformation when a virtual key is pressed. This distortion would provide tactile feedback to the user, similar to the sensation of pressing a traditional key.

Meanwhile, Apple is working on haptic engines capable of simulating the tap of a key when a pressure is detected. This approach has already proven effective on trackpads, but it remains to be seen whether it can be extended to a full keyboard.

Another patent suggests using electrostatic charges to re-feel the edges of keys. By changing the friction between the user's fingers and the keyboard surface, Apple can make each key “feel” distinct under the fingers, even if it's virtual.

Although these patents reveal an active project, it is still unclear when this MacBook might see the light of day.. The development of such advanced technology will likely take several more years. It is also possible that Apple will introduce these innovations gradually, as it did with the Touch Bar, or touch trackpad, before introducing a version without a physical keyboard entirely.