Three laptop manufacturers want to put electronic ink keys in products

Three laptop manufacturers are about to sign contracts with a start-up that is developing a keyboard with keys with electronic ink. This allows the letters to change function during use. Apple is also interested.

It is unknown whether the three laptop manufacturers will integrate the entire product into their laptops or whether it will be, for example, a row of function keys or number pad with electronic ink. It is also unclear who the three manufacturers are. The Australian startup Sonder, which currently works under the wings of manufacturer Foxconn, says nothing about this to 9to5 Mac.

Sonder is working on a ramp with keys of electronic ink, which can therefore show more than just letters and the regular symbols. One of the main advantages for laptop manufacturers is that they don’t have to create separate versions with different formats, such as qwerty, qwertz, and azerty. That is a software setting. In addition, programs can display shortcuts so that users don’t have to remember a key combination.

Sonder has also had discussions with Apple. It’s unclear how Sonder’s technology would fit into the US manufacturer’s products. It has been rumored for months that the upcoming MacBooks, which according to recent information should be released on October 27, will get an OLED screen that replaces the function keys. OLED requires more energy than electronic ink, which only consumes power when switching between images on the display. E-readers, among others, use electronic ink.

The idea of ​​making keyboards with customizable keys is nothing new. In 2008, for example, the Optimus Maximus appeared, a keyboard with 113 OLED screens.