Victor Thomson Tech 10.20.2016 03:Oct AM EDT

Rumors Claim Apple's 2018 MacBooks Will Come With Dynamic E Ink Keyboard

Rumors claim that Apple plans to introduce dynamic E Ink keyboards into its upcoming MacBook laptops by the year 2018.

Sonder's E-Ink Keyboard

According to The Wall Street Journal, the tech giant is working with Australian startup Sonder to implement an E Ink keyboard concept into future generations of MacBooks. Sonder announced that it will launch later this year its own Bluetooth E-Ink keyboard. These new generation keyboards can be used not only to display the standard QWERTY layout, but also context-sensitive buttons for software like Photoshop, as well as different alphabets.

According to Apple Insider, Sonder is currently working on a pre-production prototype of an upcoming stand-alone cross-platform keyboard. A lengthy Reddit thread is also talking about the upcoming E Ink dynamic keyboard, including Sonder's own remarks on the matter. Rumors also claim that Apple CEO Tim Cook has introduced the E Ink keyboard concept when he was touring China recently.

Apple's Collaboration With Sonder

Speculations suggest that the developer of the E Ink keyboard concept, Sonder. is being examined for a potential buyout by Apple and that the new keyboard will potentially debut in MacBooks as soon as 2018.
However, Sonder denied on Monday on a press release published on company's website that it has met with Cook already to negotiate an eventual merger with Apple.

According to The Verge, dynamic keyboards are the future of input technology. As the high-tech giant Apple has a reputation of making big leaps in innovation, it is likely that the company is really planning to implement such technology in its upcoming laptops. Today, dynamic keyboards are already the standard for smartphones, so it's a good chance that they will become a standard for laptops and desktops too in the near future.

These rumors can certainly benefit the startup Sonder. Customers have already become accustomed to its concept keyboard, as it's associated with a top brand name as Apple. As for now, Sonder's E Ink keyboard is already available for pre-order at a price of $199.