Yesterday the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a possible future Magic Keyboard for iPad with a dynamically configurable display. The input area could present a standard keyboard configuration with a function row or dynamically change into a different user interface for playing video games and more.

Apple describes this possible future Magic Keyboard for iPad as having an illumination layer where the physical keyboard is today. This dynamically configurable illumination layer may be configured to display the set of symbols at the external surface using the micro-perforations.

In some cases, the textured material may be configured to elastically deform at a localized region of the exterior surface associated with the user input. In this regard, the force-sensitive substrate comprises at least one of: (i) a strain-sensitive element; or (ii) a capacitive-based force sensor. The outside cover could be rich leather.

Apple's patent FIG. 1A illustrates the iPad mated with the proposed dynamically configurable display input area #140 also referred to as an accessory display which could be a touch-sensitive LCD, E-Ink display and so on; FIGS. 6A-D represent an alternative input area that has a material area that contains microperforations that allows light beneath it to help form keyboard keys or symbols. The material layer would rely on force touch for keyboard keys and trackpad area.   

Apple further notes that the dimensionally variable input region #132 (of 6D) may detect a touch and/or force input. This may be used to determine a direction in which a cursor or other indicator displayed at device display may be instructed to move (e.g., in response to a user input signal associated with the cursor movement). To facilitate the foregoing, multiple discrete touch and/or force inputs may be compared across the dimensionally variable input region #132 (e.g., within the box 615 of FIG. 6C) to determine a direction of motion of a user's finger across the dimensionally variable input region.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 6D above, the array of lights may be configured to propagate light through the tactile substrate to display a video game console controller having a set of symbols.  

In the configuration seen in patent FIG. 7A above, we see that Apple is considering the addition of a traditional function row of keys. This is something that many have wanted, including Dieter Bohn of The Verge writing about this 2 years ago. 

For more details, review Apple's patent application number 20220317798 A1.