Forget the Touch Bar: According to a new patent application, the next MacBook could feature a dynamically reconfigurable keyboard.

The application, discovered by PatentlyApple, describes how each key contains its own display, allowing the label of each key and corresponding input to change according to user needs.

"Dynamic labels can be generated using dynamically reconfigurable label display components such as an organic light emitting diode display with an array of pixels, an electrophoretic display with an array of pixels, or other pixel array," the December 2019 first The description of the filed patent reads.

There is obviously nothing special about changing keyboard input, but this would also allow key labels to be changed on the fly. For example, if you want to switch between two different languages, you can have the keyboard display swap between two sets of letters and symbols. Or, one could bind keys that perform specific actions in an application or game and have the appropriate symbol appear on each key.

This is vaguely similar to an extension of what Apple's TouchBar has already been able to achieve, but with the added benefit of having physical keys rather than turning the bottom half of the MacBook into a giant touch screen. The patent mentions and illustrates a mechanical-style keyswitch and keycap design, so it appears that the form factor is similar to a standard keyboard, only with a small display on each key.

The illustrations in the patent show that such a design could be applied to stand-alone keyboards used on iMacs, Mac Pros, and Mac minis as well as MacBooks.

As far as the MacBook is concerned, this seems particularly suited to the TouchBar and (or a replacement for the TouchBar) format, but there is no guarantee that a MacBook with a reconfigurable keyboard will appear in the near future. In fact, Apple has been working on this concept for over a decade: MacRumors reported that Apple had filed a similar patent in 2008 for a keyboard with an OLED display on each key. Therefore, it may be necessary to further refine this concept.