There was a rumour going around that indicated Apple will start removing the keyboard and replaced with a touch-sensitive surface that can be used for both typing and as a trackpad. Looks like that might actually be a reality soon as Apple has patented a touchscreen keyboard that gives you the feel of pressing a soft surface.
The latest patent filing shows a touchscreen keyboard with haptic feedback that will warp and bend downward when pressed, giving it the feel of a real keyboard. Apple has managed to achieve this by placing an array of haptic actuators under the display. Based on the patent images, it will not act as just a keyboard, it can be used as a trackpad or changed into media controls similar to the touch bar on the latest MacBook Pro. There is even the option to position the keyboard in order to give it a more ergonomic layout.
There are many possibilities for this application, with the access of a second screen, it could be very beneficial for those of you that work with video editing or illustrations as you will be able to position your shortcuts on the keyboard area eliminating the need of remembering shortcuts. There is still no indication of when this technology will arrive on any of the Apple products, but seeing as there can be multiple uses for this input method, we might see this tech in future MacBooks or other Apple devices.
