There is a notion of people liking feeling of physical keys keyboard on laptop or desktop. But. touch keyboard is doing fine on phones/tablets so worth trying on laptop. Question is cost and long term reliability.
For those devices the keyboard is on the display you are looking at and you are holding the device in the air. That’s entirely different to a laptop with a secondary surface for a touch screen keyboard replacing one of the reasons why people buy laptops in the first place. Apple offer iPad Smart Keyboard for a reason.
I'd be very open to a touch keyboard. It would take some getting used to, but not that much, and I'm pretty sure Apple can provide a great experience. Would have a ton of advantages over physical keys.
I think disadvantages would outway it’s advantages.
How do you know? No one's seen it yet.
We already have the vertical bitmap display to displaying any interface element we want. We don’t need a second one.
Yes, we do, because the first one is in the wrong position for input.
It’s called imagination, common sense, and informed opinion. And we already have Touch Bar in the world to demonstrate there’s enough out there who don’t like even that. You are talking of getting rid of the entire keyboard? Crazy. Even battery life would greatly suffer.
I’m all in for the dual display clamshell with at least one side acting as the input device:
The inevitable form factor or Platonic ideal would be a clamshell with a folding display inside, that when opened would form one big display with no seem in-between, and all a touch or input surface. But for now, something like in the cartoon graphic with a display that is multitouch, force touch (including haptics) and stylus sensitive would be a great first step, imo.
Apple’s current laptop keyboard has been minimized or standardized to being 10.75” across. I’d keep that width, and if this input surface went all the way to the front where the current edge of trackpad is, it’ll be about 13.5” diagonal for the 15” model, about the size of an 8.5x11 inch paper. An input surface on a prospective 13” model would be on order 12.5”, with a wider aspect ratio.
Since everything is virtual, it’ll allow for some crazy flexibility and new UI types. A full size keyboard with full vertical and horizontal key spacing. Languages can be changed at touch of a button like in iOS, including programming languages as well as logographic languages. The location of the keyboard could be moved up or down. The trackpad could be moved, shrunken, or be long-press or force touch activated. Stylus input for note taking would be awesome, especially combined with the vertical surface displaying information. Virtual circular dials, multitouch sliding, etc.
It can act as additional app display surface, like any number of streaming text information services (twitter et al). You want more keys, you can have more keys. Piano keys, yup. Even the keyboard keys are flexible. People want a big escape key, they can have something the size of 4 keys combined. It should be possible for a software keyboard to subty change your typing habits by incrementally changing hit target sizes and spacing, or subtly changing the keyboard to fit your typing. Eg, the space bar can change in size depending on where you always hit it. A key can change in size, like getting bigger because you have a tendency to miss it.
I've been saying this is where Apple has been heading for ages. I do think to do it successfully, they need to provide haptic feedback to trick you into thinking you're depressing a physical key much further than they're able to do now. I'm also not sure if that will satisfy the people who complain about the Butterfly keyboard. It certainly won't satisfy all of them, especially if they know it's a trick and not a physical key. The Overlay could fix that, but for that to really work as an option, it needs to fit in the closed device, which means if you carry your MacBook without it, there's a void in the middle, which I suspect will upset Jony Ive's design team.
Also, Apple have lodged similar patents in the past, long before I think the technology was really ready, but based on the same idea of an infinitely customisable control surface. A key difference was that the keyboard overlay (and optional replacement) were required, possibly because this was before the whole Multi-touch revolution started by the iPhone.
I've been saying this is where Apple has been heading for ages. I do think to do it successfully, they need to provide haptic feedback to trick you into thinking you're depressing a physical key much further than they're able to do now. I'm also not sure if that will satisfy the people who complain about the Butterfly keyboard. It certainly won't satisfy all of them, especially if they know it's a trick and not a physical key. The Overlay could fix that, but for that to really work as an option, it needs to fit in the closed device, which means if you carry your MacBook without it, there's a void in the middle, which I suspect will upset Jony Ive's design team.
Based on my on typing habits and using an iPad Pro 10.5 flat on table and its software keyboard for almost a year now, I don’t think haptics is really needed. Nice to have, but not really needed. My biggest complaint with the iPad keyboard design is the two finger trackpad functionality is buggy, pointer support isn’t designed into the system so there are edge cases where the two finger trackpad functionality gets buggy, the software keyboard doesn’t have meta keys, they put the emoji and microphone keys in the wrong place, and it needs a number row of keys. Typing words, sentences, etc, I’m just fine with it. If it had more keys, it’ll be even better. The audio feedback really gets me 100% of the way there in knowing I typed something.
If I hear what mechanical keyboard aficionados like with a mechanical keyboards, outside of key travel, it seems they are very feely with their keyboards. They like to slide their fingers on the keyboard, to feel the keys and to notionally know where keys are. A touch keyboard nukes that. Maybe a way to address that is to have a force touch sensitive surface that can differentiate between a tap of a certain force and a soft touch and like, so that a user can rest their fingers on the surface. Audio and haptic feedback can be provided when a finger slides over a centering key (like F and J or whatever key wanted).
All this only improves typing performance on a touch surface. It doesn’t really address what mechanical keyboard fans appear to want. They want to feel the keys, and they all have their preferences on what feel they like. Touch screen keyboards will not address that.
But I do think a touch screen keyboard laptop will make a very good product, especially for note taking heavy tasks.
What a horrible idea. Might just as well turn the MacBook into a tablet in that case. I have an iPad and I love my iPad but I never use the horrible onscreen keyboard. Instead I use a Bluetooth keyboard. Seems this keyboardless laptop is one gigantic step backwards. Maybe it’s apple’s intention to make all laptops into tablets with optional keyboards?
If a touch keyboard is on the Mac, I hope it is paired with Force Touch to give tactile feedback. I get a little strain on my fingertips if I type on the iPad for too long.
While there's nothing like feeling the keys buckle under my fingers as I type, Force Touch/ 3D touch feedback would probably trick my brain into being ok with typing on a touch keyboard.
It may take a while to get used to blind typing, but Apple could be clever about it and give some indication as to where the G key is and probably assist in shifting to the new paradigm.
That is a full keyboard with a screen on each key.
What Apple appears to be looking at is a touch screen on which they will draw a keyboard.
As well as being able to change the layout of the keyboard, Apple would also be able to change its actual shape (like the ergonomic keyboard shown in the original article).
They can also incorporate a touch pad (of varying sizes) into the same surface.
Folk round here are going to absolutely HATE it.
So more like the Lenovo Yoga notebooks that have two touch pads, one on the screen and one like a keyboard?
People are tactile creatures. They like to feel things with their fingers - and enjoy differences in touch, pressure and movement. Apple's push towards shallow - and virtual - keyboards, is a design fetish. It has nothing to do with what most people really want. Hopefully this shallow/virtual keyboard trend will go the way of 'micro-sized-phones' in the early 2000s (like the one in Zoolander), when manufacturers finally realised that users prefer functionality over fashion.
Then Apple can return to creating MacBook keyboards that are: 1. Tactile 2. Have adequate travel 3. Pleasurable to type on for long sessions (not just an email or two) 4. Don't require users to 'get used to' or 'compromise' for the sake of thin-ness
To those commentators welcoming the prospect of 'virtual keyboards', be careful what you wish for. You fingers and hands may pay a terrible price in the long term.
The reasons that the iPhone keyboard works is because 1) it's right in your face, and 2) you don't need to rest your hands on it. You're looking at it anyway, because it's right there with the content.
A laptop keyboard is not in your face, and you need to rest your hands on it. You need to be able to operate it blindfold. Efficiency. That's why touch keyboards (and the touch strip) don't work that well. You can be careful and learn to adapt but you need to constantly check your finger positions, adapt, be careful not to touch where you shouldn't.
That transparent cover with some sort of mechanism like feel, similar to the iPad smart keyboard, could work, I guess, and with some magnets to keep it securely in place?
The thought of a laptop without that hinge, just a big sheet of a flexible display that curves up in laptop mode is very appealing though. Very appealing. But in my head, the keyboard must be able to stay securely in place when the device is folded back together.
It's great when Apple files these extremely broad patents that prevent others from coming out with anything similar. Apple often does not produce the products it patents. But if anybody else tries to make anything remotely similar, they get Appled.
I don't think Apple have ever taken action against another company for patent infringement when Apple themselves didn't have a product using that patent. That's patent troll behaviour.
Apple patents things defensively, so that if they ever do make anything using that design then patent trolls won't be able to sue Apple, because they have prior art.
Further proof that Apple simply does not listen to users. Such a device would make people who type a great deal howl in anger. No one wants that virtual (iPad-ish) keyboard feel. It will do in a pinch, but it tends to reduce even astounding typists to typing with two index fingers.
One constant recurring complaint about the existing keyboard is the lack of travel. The distance the key travels when pressed lets confirms to the typist that the key has been struck. If the key doesn't travel enough, the typist is constantly checking to make sure it was struck. In fact, that was the main complaint before the keyboards started failing.
A glass keyboard is highly undesirable for this reason and if Apple would just look around at what people are saying about the keyboards, they would know this. Anyone who's typed on the iPad keyboard knows that as you type you are constantly looking back to see if that key actually got pressed.
This would appear to be related to the quixotic quest to make their damn laptops thinner and thinner. They are thin enough. People don't want any more "thin." People want their laptops to work. It's time to put functionality over form for a while, because the other way is leading to nothing but criticism. The machines are being designed by people who apparently don't test or use them.
You know who might howl in delight? People who don’t type much. I was just talking with a graphic designer friend about where New MacBooks might go. We both do lots of photo editing. I use a Wacom tablet for a large portion of my input.
The idea of glass where the keyboard is and sensitivity to the Apple Pencil is amazing! I’d buy that MacBook.
perhaps it’s time to divide the MacBooks a different way: MacBook Create - two glass halves, pencil support, MacBook - same as today’s, MacBook Pro - thicker, bigger screens & solid mechanical keyboards.
Comments
They could make a stronger haptic feedback, and match the keyboard click we have today!
The keys could feel like they there, without the need to be there.
Just like the button on the iPhone.
"It has really good key-travel—much better than a MacBook".
— Dieter Bohn
(Keep in mind he's talking about a Microsoft Go keyboard cover; sad times.)
The inevitable form factor or Platonic ideal would be a clamshell with a folding display inside, that when opened would form one big display with no seem in-between, and all a touch or input surface. But for now, something like in the cartoon graphic with a display that is multitouch, force touch (including haptics) and stylus sensitive would be a great first step, imo.
Apple’s current laptop keyboard has been minimized or standardized to being 10.75” across. I’d keep that width, and if this input surface went all the way to the front where the current edge of trackpad is, it’ll be about 13.5” diagonal for the 15” model, about the size of an 8.5x11 inch paper. An input surface on a prospective 13” model would be on order 12.5”, with a wider aspect ratio.
Since everything is virtual, it’ll allow for some crazy flexibility and new UI types. A full size keyboard with full vertical and horizontal key spacing. Languages can be changed at touch of a button like in iOS, including programming languages as well as logographic languages. The location of the keyboard could be moved up or down. The trackpad could be moved, shrunken, or be long-press or force touch activated. Stylus input for note taking would be awesome, especially combined with the vertical surface displaying information. Virtual circular dials, multitouch sliding, etc.
It can act as additional app display surface, like any number of streaming text information services (twitter et al). You want more keys, you can have more keys. Piano keys, yup. Even the keyboard keys are flexible. People want a big escape key, they can have something the size of 4 keys combined. It should be possible for a software keyboard to subty change your typing habits by incrementally changing hit target sizes and spacing, or subtly changing the keyboard to fit your typing. Eg, the space bar can change in size depending on where you always hit it. A key can change in size, like getting bigger because you have a tendency to miss it.
I've been saying this is where Apple has been heading for ages. I do think to do it successfully, they need to provide haptic feedback to trick you into thinking you're depressing a physical key much further than they're able to do now. I'm also not sure if that will satisfy the people who complain about the Butterfly keyboard. It certainly won't satisfy all of them, especially if they know it's a trick and not a physical key. The Overlay could fix that, but for that to really work as an option, it needs to fit in the closed device, which means if you carry your MacBook without it, there's a void in the middle, which I suspect will upset Jony Ive's design team.
Also, Apple have lodged similar patents in the past, long before I think the technology was really ready, but based on the same idea of an infinitely customisable control surface. A key difference was that the keyboard overlay (and optional replacement) were required, possibly because this was before the whole Multi-touch revolution started by the iPhone.
If I hear what mechanical keyboard aficionados like with a mechanical keyboards, outside of key travel, it seems they are very feely with their keyboards. They like to slide their fingers on the keyboard, to feel the keys and to notionally know where keys are. A touch keyboard nukes that. Maybe a way to address that is to have a force touch sensitive surface that can differentiate between a tap of a certain force and a soft touch and like, so that a user can rest their fingers on the surface. Audio and haptic feedback can be provided when a finger slides over a centering key (like F and J or whatever key wanted).
All this only improves typing performance on a touch surface. It doesn’t really address what mechanical keyboard fans appear to want. They want to feel the keys, and they all have their preferences on what feel they like. Touch screen keyboards will not address that.
But I do think a touch screen keyboard laptop will make a very good product, especially for note taking heavy tasks.
If a touch keyboard is on the Mac, I hope it is paired with Force Touch to give tactile feedback. I get a little strain on my fingertips if I type on the iPad for too long.
While there's nothing like feeling the keys buckle under my fingers as I type, Force Touch/ 3D touch feedback would probably trick my brain into being ok with typing on a touch keyboard.
It may take a while to get used to blind typing, but Apple could be clever about it and give some indication as to where the G key is and probably assist in shifting to the new paradigm.
Then Apple can return to creating MacBook keyboards that are:
1. Tactile
2. Have adequate travel
3. Pleasurable to type on for long sessions (not just an email or two)
4. Don't require users to 'get used to' or 'compromise' for the sake of thin-ness
To those commentators welcoming the prospect of 'virtual keyboards', be careful what you wish for. You fingers and hands may pay a terrible price in the long term.
A laptop keyboard is not in your face, and you need to rest your hands on it. You need to be able to operate it blindfold. Efficiency. That's why touch keyboards (and the touch strip) don't work that well. You can be careful and learn to adapt but you need to constantly check your finger positions, adapt, be careful not to touch where you shouldn't.
That transparent cover with some sort of mechanism like feel, similar to the iPad smart keyboard, could work, I guess, and with some magnets to keep it securely in place?
The thought of a laptop without that hinge, just a big sheet of a flexible display that curves up in laptop mode is very appealing though. Very appealing. But in my head, the keyboard must be able to stay securely in place when the device is folded back together.
Apple patents things defensively, so that if they ever do make anything using that design then patent trolls won't be able to sue Apple, because they have prior art.
The idea of glass where the keyboard is and sensitivity to the Apple Pencil is amazing! I’d buy that MacBook.
perhaps it’s time to divide the MacBooks a different way: MacBook Create - two glass halves, pencil support, MacBook - same as today’s, MacBook Pro - thicker, bigger screens & solid mechanical keyboards.