Apple Patents Keyboard With Force Touch Technology

Apple didn’t just pull the Force Touch technology out of its hat for the new iPhones, it has actually been working on this technology for quite some time now. A patent filed by the company back in September 28th 2012 has now been granted, it’s titled “Ultra low travel keyboard,” essentially a keyboard that has Force Touch or 3D Touch technology.

The patent describes that the keyboard or keyboard key will have a force sensor which will measure how much force is applied by the user when the key is pressed or a finger is rested on a key. An actuator will be onboard as well which will then provide feedback to the user based on their input method.

The keyboard will then send that input data to the system which will respond accordingly, for example a resting key on a finger might execute one command or function and pressing down on the key hard another. It really isn’t that different from pressing lightly or harder on the new iPhone’s display to get it to respond accordingly.

Since they keyboard will have force sensors Apple will be able to make the peripheral thin because it will be an ultra-low travel keyboard, the keys won’t have to travel as far as they do right now for a key press to be properly registered.

Even though Apple has a patent on Force Touch-enabled keyboard it really can’t be said for sure if and when the company would make one for the public, but there’s hope, the company is likely to expand its Force Touch technology to other devices and eventually it just might come to keyboards as well.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Apple
Tags: Force Touch, Magic Keyboard