Future MacBooks may feature a solid-state keyboard (SSK) with keys that can be reconfigured for different tasks.

This is according to a new Apple patent (via 9to5Mac), which shows a device with a smooth glass surface. It could include a switch from a traditional keyboard layout for typing to a numeric keypad for data entry and a larger drawing area for more creative endeavors.

Composed of multiple sensor layers, the SSK effectively eliminates traditional keys, and the patent shows off what looks like a cross between a MacBook Pro and the unreleased Microsoft Surface Neo.

However, while this design appears to be impressive, it may come with a major drawback: the lack of key feel and typing feedback.

Lack of tactile feedback is not an easy problem to ignore. There are many different types of keyboards, but regardless of preference, the feel of the keys and the feedback they provide is something many people would not want to give up.

Glass surfaces that hinder touch typing and are uncomfortable to use for extended periods of time are not an ideal trade-off. Fans of mechanical keyboards will not want to trade in their clacking keys for inferior alternatives. Apple acknowledges these problems in a similar 2018 patent, which also noted: "Traditional input devices lack the flexibility to accommodate the expanded functionality offered by new devices, operating systems, and software."

Thus, in a new patent, Apple details the use of SSK to provide new functionality as well as the use of flexible surfaces to simulate the feel of keys.

Apple's patent proposes a flexible screen that "can form a depression in the keyboard surface under the finger" when pressed to simulate keys. This can be combined with tactile feedback and static charges to enhance the sensation of typing on a conventional keyboard.

One advantage of using SSKs over adaptive keys is their resistance to dirt and debris. The lack of physical keys means there is no space for debris to get in, something that spoiled the shallow key travel of Apple's old Butterfly keyboards. The new Magic Keyboard has scissor switches, which seem to have larger key travel and are less likely to clog with debris.

It remains to be seen whether the concept of a large glass keyboard will move the future of laptop keyboards forward or go by the wayside. Of course, as with all patents, there is no guarantee that this will see the light of day. But it is still an interesting idea, and one that may divide MacBook users.