Tim Cook has repeatedly said Apple has no plans to make a touchscreen MacBook, but a crazy new concept imagines what would happen if the company replaced keyboards with a giant touchpad.
Giving creatives a big touchscreen instead of a keyboard may sounds like a horrible idea at first. Typing would definitely take some getting used to. However, designer Daniel Brunsteiner’s concept shows how you could do some cool new stuff with the touchpad.
Take a closer look:
Photo: Daniel Brunsteiner
The touchpad would basically act like a giant Touch Bar/keyboard/trackpad. All of the standard keys are still be accessible, but the trackpad can adapt dynamically based on what tasks you’re performing in the
By integrating the touch pad with a Taptic Engine, Apple could give users the feeling of physical buttons. Scroll wheels and sliders could be used on the side of the keyboard for faster workflows. You could even use Apple Pencil with it, giving creative professionals a new way to interact with their content.
Putting a touchscreen keyboard on the MacBook Pro wouldn’t be cheap though so unless Apple finds a really efficient way to implement one, this an idea that will likely stay on the drawing board.
Via: YankoDesign
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
12 responses to “Crazy MacBook Pro concept replaces keyboard with a yuuuuuuge touchpad”
I really like this idea, except that I love typing on actual keys, it makes a lot more sense. What would they have instead, handwriting recognition? I don’t think a taptic engine would cut it.
why not make it so the touchpad is just an ipad and so its removable for portability. would be neat!
I think it would better to make the ipad more like a surface book rather than the iPad being a touchscreen keyboard…….
Actually not a bad idea and I thought it before, but MacOS need to be redone from scratch to accomodate dual screen system. The lower keypad may include the system menu which will leave the monitor screen as clean as possible.
I think I seen this before but it wasn’t a keyboard. It was a glass touch screen keyboard that also acted as a mouse. I didn’t like it because the feel of a physical keyboard is better for me.
I would hate having to type on a screen for a laptop. I tolerate doing it on a smartphone or tablet, but for a laptop or desktop? NO F’ing WAY.
I could see Apple turning the already larger trackpad section the new models have into a “iPad” area to be used with the Apple Pencil. I wouldn’t mind that, but not the entire area.
I absolutely want it!!!
There would be blood in the streets if there was tactility to keys.
Well…this is what WILL HAPPEN to the Macbook Pro in like 4-5 years! Duh!
Great concept but I typing on physical keyboard is pure pleasure.
It’s just a matter of what people are used to and adapting to new things (if the functionality and efficiency that is gained justifies the effort required to do so). Try writing a 20 page essay on a typewriter from the 40s if you’re used to modern keyboards…your fingers would fall off after the second page, yet everyone managed to do it. When the 2016 MBP keyboard came out some people loved it, some people hated it (the haters are always loudest). You’d be surprised what you can get used to if you just keep an open mind.
It is better to replace the entire keyboard and trackpad with an iPad Pro. Use the iPad Pro as the keyboard and touchscreen and trackpad for the MacBook Pro. With an external keyboard and mouse, the MacBook Pro becomes a dual screen portable computer. With the Apple Pen, one can draw on the iPad Pro. One can also run both Mac OS and iOS Apps in one computer.