The overall design of the MacBook Pro has remained untouched, but a new patent suggests that major changes are incoming.
Apple has been dabbling with a touch-friendly laptop since 2016 it introduced the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. However, the experiment seemed short-lived as the thin touch bar failed to meet the expectations, and Apple discontinued it in 2023.
If the latest leaked patent documents (via AppleInsider) are true, Apple hasn’t dropped the idea of making a touch-friendly MacBook. Unlike other brands that are actively selling touch-screen devices, Apple wants to use the base of the laptop as a touch-sensitive interface.
The patent, titled “Portable Computer With Dynamic Display Interface,” describes a laptop design where almost every surface surrounding the keyboard becomes a touch-sensitive display.
This includes the areas to the sides of the keyboard. There is also a potential replacement of the traditional trackpad with a touch-sensitive control region.
To add, the patent suggests that these touch-sensitive areas will dynamically adapt based on the user’s needs and the specific application.
“Notably… the particular size, shape, or other characteristic of a trackpad region may change depending on the mode of the laptop,” says Apple.
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For example, while using a word processor, the touch-sensitive controls could provide quick access to features like copy and paste. While, in other scenarios, the entire base could become a seamless display surface.
Similarly, easily accessible controls for video or image editors on these secondary screens will help enhance the productivity of content creators.
That said, the patent suggests that Apple is looking to answer the shortcomings of the Touch Bar. For instance, the new design will incorporate haptic feedback, allowing users to feel the transition between different touch-sensitive regions physically.
This will reduce the need to look down at the base of the device constantly.
While Apple’s patent filings do not necessarily guarantee the immediate implementation of these ideas. This patent does suggest that the company is exploring ways to make the devices more interactive.
Whether this concept will make its way into future MacBook models remains to be seen. However, it’s clear that Apple continues to explore innovative ways to enhance the user experience.
