Apple is working on a backlit keyboard without printed letters and symbols

Manzana has filed a patent for a keyboard that moves away from the conventional format, in which letters, numbers and other motifs are printed; and proposes a system capable of housing different symbols in each one of them by means of a backlighting system.

Currently, the company has Mac devices with a backlit keyboard, which can be adjusted based on the needs of users and allows them to use the computer without having to rely on strong lighting.

LOOK: iPhone 15 Ultra: it is filtered that Apple’s most powerful cell phone would cost $200 more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max

From Patently Apple they point out that, to improve the ease of use of a keyboard, the keys are designed to be thin and cheap, made of plastic.

These keys, which are covered with a print that identifies their function, tend to have poor durability due to repeated contact with the fingers, so they end up becoming unreadable over time.

LOOK: Karaoke from your iPhone: so you can use Apple Music Sing in iOS 16.2

In search of a significant improvement to this system, the company would have designed a new key format based on a three-layer structure, according to a document presented to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO, for its acronym in English). ).

This patent from the iPhone manufacturer proposes a mechanism that includes an upper surface for the key, a lower surface and a series of perforations that would allow light to pass through. This system would intelligently illuminate the various symbols and letters instead of using print on each one.

LOOK: iPhone 14: Satellite emergency and crash detection functions saved two people in an accident

Thanks to this format, the keyboard could allow each of the characters on the keys to change according to the preferences of the users. In this way, and thanks to the dynamism offered by this backlight, they could write in different languages ​​(with their different exclusive characters) from the same keyboard.

Apple’s idea is to focus all the LED lighting of the key on the symbol itself, instead of filtering the light through the sides of it, as it currently allows on some of its backlit keyboard models.

LOOK: Apple could let users install other app stores on iPhones

According to Patently Apple, the American manufacturer qualifies in its patent application that, thanks to this system, it could manufacture the keys with materials that are not normally used in conventional keyboards. Among them, metals such as aluminum.

Source: Elcomercio

Callum

I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in writing and reporting. I have also worked as an author for a number of years, writing about technology and other topics.

I am a highly skilled and experienced journalist, with a keen eye for detail. I am also an excellent communicator, with superb writing skills. I am passionate about technology and its impact on our world. I am also very interested in current affairs and the latest news stories.

I am a hardworking and dedicated professional, who always strives to produce the best possible work. I am also a team player, who is always willing to help out others.