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Visualizing a modern Apple Wireless Keyboard [Gallery]

2-1iPadOver the weekend, we learned some preliminary details about Apple’s planned updates for two of their most popular Mac accessories, the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Magic Mouse, in the form of FCC filings. Aside from new and improved connectivity thanks to Bluetooth 4.2, both accessories appear to have design deviations from their existing models, as detailed by the rough sketches accompanying the FCC filings. Based on these sketches, I decided to more fully visualize the changes Apple could be planning for an all new and more modern wireless keyboard based on other modern Apple product designs.

Long Time Coming

Screen Shot 2015-08-17 at 9.51.27 PM

The Apple Wireless Keyboard as we know it today is a dinosaur in terms of technology products. It was first introduced alongside its larger, wired counterpart way back in 2007, not long after the first iPhone debuted, and the iPod, now removed, still reigned supreme in the navigation on Apple.com. In 2009, the wireless model was updated slightly to use one less battery, and a smaller wired keyboard was introduced. In 2011, two function keys received updated graphics to coincide with UI changes in the then new Mac OS X Lion. Aside from those tweaks, everything about the keyboard has remained the same for 8 long years. It’s safe to say that a refreshed design is in order. Let’s take a look at what’s changed since then.

Keyboard Back White DisplayMacs no longer ship with optical disc drives. Yet every wireless keyboard still ships with an eject button in the upper right corner of the keyboard. This is no longer useful on newer Macs as software can control occasional uses with external SuperDrives, and makes absolutely no sense when paired with an iPad, another popular use of the keyboard.

With the Apple Watch, Apple introduced the font San Francisco, an all new, custom typeface that has been making its way across the product lines, most recently as the keycap font for the new MacBook and coming soon Mac and iOS devices with iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. The Apple Wireless Keyboard and MacBook Pro still use the older VAG Rounded font.OldNewFinally, along with the 12″ MacBook came the butterfly mechanism, an improvement to both the stability and space efficiency of individual key caps. This allows each individual key to be 40% thinner and 17% larger than on previous Apple keyboards. Naturally, this change should trickle down to the wireless keyboard.

Keyboard Angle White Display

The FCC filing sketch for the new Apple keyboard appears to show a design that ditches the cylindrical AA battery compartment on the rear of the device, in favor of a flat, low profile design with four rubber feet, and a small power button on the top edge. While the final design could deviate from the drawing, this change would make sense. The flat profile would imply improved typing ergonomics similar to MacBooks, reducing upward bending of the wrist. Ditching the AA battery power source in favor of a rechargeable, internal battery could also play into Apple’s continued efforts towards environmental conservation, reducing the need for disposable batteries, and perhaps finally allowing the abandoned Apple Battery Charger to retire.

Colors

KeyStacked

Apple’s new found love for the Silver, Space Gray, and Gold trifecta of colors has permeated to almost all of their products, from the new MacBook, to Beats headphones, to the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, all the way down to Apple gift cards. This new, colorful world would only be truly complete with keyboards to match. With an increased number of wireless keyboards being used with iOS devices, it would be fantastic to have matching finishes available across the line. Both white keys like are currently found on Apple’s keyboard and black caps like the ones found on MacBooks would work well, but Apple would likely choose one or the other. iOS devices in both silver and gold typically use white as their accent color.

Below you can view galleries of how each color configuration could look. Which is your favorite?

Silver + White Keys

Silver + Black Keys

Space Gray

Gold +Black Keys

Gold + White Keys

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Comments

  1. iAlborz - 9 years ago

    I did a revision of apple keyboard for my ‘Apple in 2025’ final year project in university.
    what do you guys think? :)

    http://alborzdesign.ca/Alborz/Apple_2025_Vision.html

    • nickjeremiah - 9 years ago

      That’s a sexy looking computer. Wouldn’t have gone as far as full glass but the keyboard and trackpad look amazing!

  2. Gold + Black Keys, yeee :)

  3. nerdafk - 9 years ago

    Apple! Where is the new Magic Trackpad!!!!!!!

  4. How about a wireless keyboard WITH the numeric pad?!?!?!

  5. prowlhome - 9 years ago

    Lovely. But where is the NUMBER PAD!!!!!

  6. prowlhome - 9 years ago

    And the Arrow keys in a usable place…

  7. DubDJ - 9 years ago

    Space grey with white keys would be a nice option.

  8. memuslism - 9 years ago

    Recharge the keyboard via USB (maybe even USB-C?) and the difference between a wired and wireless keyboard is a pretty small battery. Kinda cool.

  9. lincolnsills - 9 years ago

    Incredible job!!!!

  10. wadepmason - 9 years ago

    Or Bluetooth low energy improves the energy efficiency, and a Li-Ion battery lessens waste and cost of ownership, then why are we not talking about having it be backlit like on all the laptops? I love a backlit keyboard in a dark room, and with the advancements shown in the new MacBook, it’ll look and work even better.

    Just put an ambient light sensor on it (or integrate them into the hardware/software combo a la laptops) to keep it turned off when not necessary.

  11. having the keyboard flat on the desk, would make it difficult to type on

    • Asbjørn Ulsberg - 9 years ago

      Quite the contrary. The optimal angle of a keyboard is actually to have it tilted away from you so your hands can extend over the keyboard in the same angle as your arm. Bending your hands towards your chest is not ergonomic at all.

      • rettun1 - 9 years ago

        I agree about having it tilted away. When I stand at my desk at work while typing on my iPad, I’ll lock the screen and flip it around so the Smart Cover is close to my waist so my hands so have to bend so much.

        But usually when sitting down I like to have the far side of the keyboard raised. I’m down to try something different though, especially if it sexy thin and beautiful

    • Disagree. Flat or tilted away like the others have said is better. The thing I don’t like about the current keyboard is the upward tilt to accomodate the battery cylinder. I use it on a flat piece of wood with the back cylinder hanging off of the back so that the keys are level. If the new keyboard is flat like these concepts, I’ll be very very happy.

  12. Scott (@ScooterComputer) - 9 years ago

    The new keyboards need to ship with multiple device pairing support, like Logitech is shipping, since most Mac users also have at least one if not many more devices. That would be a good use of the previous eject key. If they don’t ship that feature, will be quite disappointing.

  13. To some of you: It’s just a mock-up!

  14. Sahil Malik - 9 years ago

    I guess I’m the only one who cares about the old fashioned number pad! :-/

    • Scott Gerber - 9 years ago

      No you’re not. I still use an Apple wired keyboard because the Bluetooth version just won’t cut it. And I need the additional F-keys and larger arrow keys as much as the number pad.

  15. driverbenji - 9 years ago

    Space grey with LED backlit black keys and the 10-key pad, please!

    … but, I’d take anything with black keys & BTLE, I’m sooooooo tired of apple’s white plastic…when they made the white key keyboards, the Macs actually had white plastic in their designs somewhere, but, this is no longer the case.

    Also need a new force-touch trackpad.

    • Scott Gerber - 9 years ago

      Yes, please. Some of us (graphic designers) don’t type nearly as much as we use the function keys, arrows and keypad. The mini keyboard falls short.

  16. Scott Gerber - 9 years ago

    Very close to what I’ve been wishing for for years. The only change I’d make would be to add an additional model for a Bluetooth EXTENDED keyboard. Specifically, I’d love an extended keyboard with black keys and LED backlighting (many photo and video professionals work in dimly lit rooms). And of course, we’d need a matching Magic Mouse. My thought was changing the top surface to black to match the keyboard. Black and aluminum would go nicely with current iMacs and Mac Pros.

  17. Big B (@BigBWSR) - 9 years ago

    I hope the new macbook keyboard trickles down the the wired extended keyboard with number pad. the wireless ones feel cramped to use for some reason.

  18. Scott Gerber - 9 years ago

    One other idea I’d love to see is for Apple to ship a matching Magic trackpad and numeric keypad that could be magnetically attached to either side of the keyboard (or one on each side). But I still want my aluminum Bluetooth extended keyboard with black keys and LED backlighting. Any way you could mock that up?

  19. Typing on a desktop using even lower profile keyboard will be a disaster, one of the reasons why typing on desktop keyboards is always better if you need to work 10+ hours a day on you computer. Mouse and Keyboard are the two worst things Apple do. Fashionable, but not practical. C’mon Apple…

  20. gshenaut - 9 years ago

    Got to have an integrated trackpad.

  21. Paul Van Obberghen - 9 years ago

    Wired extended keyboard is just fine for me. Plus you can plug in some usb devices into it without having to go to the back of you Mac.
    I wont know about the new butterfly mechanism until I’ll test it. It is said that you really need to get used to it.

  22. Paul Van Obberghen - 9 years ago

    About colors… Why not an iMac with all these colors? I’m in for space grey…

  23. I would buy the hell out of the space gray + black

  24. Rhys Morgan - 9 years ago

    Butterfly keys are a compromise, in order to have the MacBook that thin. There is *no* reason the desktop keyboard needs to be that thin, and the keys need more travel to be comfortable for extended use. If they can make butterfly keys with more travel, great. Otherwise, I hope they at least stick to scissor keys.

  25. Brent Howatt - 9 years ago

    Seriously, the only thing that interests me is a wireless keyboard with a NUMBER PAD. Are you listening Apple?

  26. maxleopold - 9 years ago

    A complete flat Keyboard without a chance to tilt it, would be bad – I like the current Version;
    also where would they want to hide that Battery Pack?!

    The Back-lit Option would be certainly a great gift for my Home Cinema Setup.

    And an extended Version with Numeric Keypad would be a great help at work –
    HOWEVER I bet they still keep them separate
    and you have to buy a 3rd Party Frame to make it one long slab (Keyboard, Numeric, Trackpad)

    Not a Fan about the way, the Arrow Keys have been fit in the Design Sketches.
    For the sake I prefer the current Setup on the Aluminium Keyboards (A1242)…

    On YouTube you can find a Two Part Video from ‘iBookGuy’ about the Evolution of the Apple Keyboards:
    Part 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK8Iba29UK8
    Part 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCC_37pB18w

  27. njharris97 - 9 years ago

    Gold and white keys for me

  28. PMZanetti - 9 years ago

    -Backlit!
    -Numberpad
    -USB rechargable

  29. juniorpond - 9 years ago

    *Looks at the Space Grey keyboard.*

    IT’S BEAUTIFUL!!!! 8D

  30. charilaosmulder - 9 years ago

    I remember that post about the updated wireless keyboard with backlit keys and a power button replacing the eject button, appearing on Apple’s website some month ago. Glad it’s probably going to be a bigger update with much lower power bluetooth and larger butterfly keys.

  31. I think you forgot the SIRI key. Although not in El Capitan’s initial release, it’s a matter of time before the virtual assistant hits OSX. By pressing the SIRI key (i.e. a talk bubble), you’d then start speaking.

  32. I have always wanted Apple to release a numeric keyboard with displays on each of the keys so when we switch keyboards in Settings, the keys display the new keyboard settings—and Apple could give us the possibility to customise the keyboard so that, in my case, the comma on the right side of the numeric keyboard could be changed to a full stop. In Denmark we use the comma as a decimal point, but when the opportunity presents itself, I use the dot because I think it is less intrusive and less noticeable than the comma.

  33. Mangesh Gondhalekar - 8 years ago

    Hmm.. how about induction charging – with the charger built into the base of iMacs and apple monitors. To charge simply place the keyboard or mouse onto the base.

Author

Avatar for Michael Steeber Michael Steeber

Michael is a Creative Editor who covered Apple Retail and design on 9to5Mac. His stories highlighted the work of talented artists, designers, and customers through a unique lens of architecture, creativity, and community.

Contact Michael on Twitter to share Apple Retail, design, and history stories: @MichaelSteeber