Could Apple Kill Off The Laptop Keyboard?

An Apple patent suggests that the company could one day kill off the keyboard.

The application filed on Thursday outlines a laptop with a flat touch surface where the keyboard would normally appear.

It looks similar to Apple's Force Touch trackpads which use force-sensitive input technology to let users navigate on screen - instead of using a mouse.

The trackpads use haptic technology, which Apple says would be used in the keyboard replacement.

The application said: "The trackpad features built-in force sensors that allow you to click anywhere and haptic feedback that provides a responsive and uniform feel."

A perforated surface could allow lights to create different formations

A user gets feedback in the form of a tiny vibration created by a motor.

It described "micro-perforations" in the laptop casing that could light up, to show the user where the keys were on the flat surface.

The main benefit of not having a physical keyboard is that the user could configure the input layout depending on the task at hand.

A full keyboard could be turned on for typing documents, while a gaming keyboard could be configured for a game.

Apple filed a patent in February for "proximity multi-touch sensors".

This would allow input devices to detect fingers and hands hovering above a surface, allowing users to type and make other gestures without touching the surface.

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