Future Mac laptops may sport virtual, resizable, illuminated trackpads

Future Mac laptops may sport virtual, resizable, illuminated and trackpads as evidenced by a newly granted Apple patent (number 10,732,676) for an “illuminated device enclosure with dynamic trackpad.”

In the patent data, the tech giant says that some traditional input devices include large buttons, keys, or other mechanically-actuated structures “may lack flexibility or adaptability and may permanently indicate the presence of the input device within the computing system.” Apple’s idea? A virtual trackpad that can be moved, resized, and rearranged with functions that can be assigned and reassigned. It wold also be illuminated.

Here’s the summary of the invention: “Embodiments are directed to an electronic device having an illuminated body that defines a virtual or dynamic trackpad. The electronic device includes a translucent layer defining a keyboard region and a dynamic input region along an external surface. A keyboard may be. positioned within the keyboard region and including a key surface and a switch element (e.g., to detect a keypress). 

“A light control layer positioned below the translucent layer and within the dynamic input region may have a group of illuminable features. The electronic device may also include a group of light-emitting elements positioned below the optical diffuser. One or more of the light control layer or the group of light-emitting elements may be configured to illuminate the dynamic input region to display a visible boundary of an active input area. At least one of a size or a position of the visible boundary may be dynamically variable.”