Apple products such as the iPhone have transitioned from metal to glass, gaining the ability to support wireless charging at the expense of reduced durability. The company may have plans to bring the same build materials to future MacBook models, according to the latest patent. For those that do not know, current-generation MacBooks are made from solid blocks of aluminum, which are reduced in size using precise machining techniques to achieve Apple’s desired physical specifications.
The MacBook’s Glass Material Will Be Present on the Keyboard Deck, According to the Patent, and Provide a More Enjoyable Typing Experience
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently granted Apple a patent for a possible future MacBook that is constructed with glass. According to Patently Apple, this material would be used on the keyboard area and will include bendable flat glass. This type of glass could be a stronger variant but still sport a level of thinness and flexibility to alter its shape slightly when small amounts of force is applied to the keyboard, such as when the user is typing.
The reason for this shape alteration would be to deliver that satisfying typing experience that thicker or non-flexible glass cannot provide. Another property of the glass MacBook not mentioned in the patent was that it could be used to wirelessly charge other products since wireless induction can happen through glass, not metal. Unfortunately, the patent only talks about the keyboard area covered with glass and not the bottom, so we do not think these MacBook models will support wireless charging unless Apple has other plans.
Patently Apple also came across the patent’s visuals, showing how the glass MacBook would function.
“Apple’s patent FIG. 1 below depicts a notebook (#100) that may include a glass cover. In particular, a base portion (#104) of the notebook may include a top case (#112) that is formed at least partially from glass and that defines a keyboard and optionally other input regions (e.g., a trackpad or touch-input region) of the device; FIG. 9A depicts another example configuration of a glass top case. FIG. 10A depicts an example cross-sectional view of a dual-layer glass top case.”
Since MacBooks already sport decent-sized batteries according to their physical dimensions, with the 16-inch version featuring the biggest cell possible within the legal limit, these machines are well-equipped to reverse charge iPhones and AirPods multiple times. However, to gain the ability to charge wirelessly, the bottom panel might have to be constructed of glass too, which could decrease the durability of these portable Macs.
Do you wish to see a glass MacBook in the future? Apple may have been granted a patent, but that does not guarantee the materializing of a product, so let us keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.
News Source: Patently Apple
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