iPad Pro 2022 could get this killer Apple Magic Keyboard upgrade

iPad Pro 2021 could get this killer Apple Magic Keyboard upgrade

(Image credit: Henry T. Casey/Tom's Guide)

Information technology looks like Apple might have a new ready of keyboards in the pipeline. A newly-published patent offers a glimpse into what Cupertino's finest have been beavering away on in their top-secret labs.

The tech described is ane designed to protect Apple keyboards from water and dust ingress, simply the drawings show an entirely new kind of keyboard that could suggest the company is working on a keyboard with an integrated trackpad. This could be used with Macs, while docked or information technology could fifty-fifty suggest a new type of Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro.

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The cutting and thrust of the words in the patent draw a new membrane which could be used to take hold of liquids and particles before permeating into the sensitive electronics contained within. As is mutual in a patent, this is quite wide in its scope and at that place's not one cloth named as being office of the design. Apple describes it as the post-obit:

Apple's new patent suggests new tech on the horizon — (Image credit: Apple/USPTO )

"Flexible structure, such equally, for example, a flexible membrane, fabric, mesh, woven material, knitted textile, or composite layer, tin can provide flexible bridges or interkey supports betwixt the keycaps that, in combination with the keycaps, make a substantially continuous, smoothed, consistent-visual-appearance, sound-muting, and ingress-resistant top surface and interkey covering for the input device."

Drawings included show a number of different weave designs that the visitor is considering. There's a fairly straightforward lattice design along with a more complicated interlocking mesh that appears far more intricate. The patent also mentions a sealing fabric that could be applied to these mesh designs to ensure a amend seal against nasties getting inside.

Apple's new key design includes a mesh to protect the electronics — (Image credit: Apple/USPTO)

While the drawings make it seem like Apple might be virtually to change things in portable keyboards it's likely that these designed could be most effectively applied to Macs. It'due south certainly possible that a stand-solitary unit, with a touchpad, is being developed, scrap it's somewhat less probable and not the focus of the actual patent here.

There is some mention of using a stylus subsequently in the patent, which says: "a user instrument such as a finger or stylus tin be moved across the top surfaces of the flexible layer 200 and/or keycaps 103, 206 and can be used to control the electronic device in a manner dissever from the actuation of switch structures 302 that are actuated by pressing down a keycap 103/206 to mechanically, capacitively, or electrically actuate a switch."

This implies in that location's a kind of touch sensitivity proposed in this keyboard that might make it work with, say, an Apple pencil. That could certainly apply to the trackpad area, which, probably should already have support for the pencil in some class as it would be corking.

The patent, which was released to the public on April one, was beginning filed with the USPTO back in September 2019. That could mean that Apple is farther along with the development of these new keyboard options than is often the case with these patent applications.

It certainly makes sense for Apple to consider new ways to safeguard keyboards from water and dust damage. Because that dust remained a mutual culprit for keyboard malfunctions on Apple's redesigned butterfly switches, this new blueprint could preclude future class-action lawsuits.

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Ian has been involved in applied science journalism since 2007, originally writing near AV hardware back when LCDs and plasma TVs were only gaining popularity. Near 15 years on, he remains as excited every bit always about how tech tin make your life better. Ian is the editor of T3.com but has also regularly contributed to Tom's Guide.