If you have ever used the trackpad on any of Apple’s MacBook laptops, you will know that it supports touch and gesture commands, but at the same time it is clickable as well for those who might miss the click of a regular mouse button. Well it looks like Apple might not feel the same because according to a patent that was recently granted to Apple, it reveals Apple’s potential plans for a buttonless trackpad design that may or may not make its way into future MacBooks. Then again this just a patent so like we said, we can’t tell if Apple ever plans on integrating it into future devices.
The patent basically incorporates the same features and sensors of the current trackpad design, but instead does away with the hinge that allows to be clickable. Instead an actuator will be used to provide tactile feedback which could also be adjusted in the settings, where users will be able to adjust the sensitivity levels for the click pressure of the tactile feedback. We’re not sure what the point is for a buttonless trackpad. Perhaps less moving parts could also mean a slightly thinner design, but at the same time there are plenty of users out there who still require the familiar clicking feedback. However given that the patent is four years old, it would seem that it was an old idea that might never see the light of day.