It happens to the best of us: You’re working late on a project and snacking on your favorite chips when, suddenly, a crumb gets stuck under one of your computer keys.
Even tiny messes can cause a key to get stuck, and this is especially true if you have a MacBook equipped with a butterfly keyboard. But at long last, the problem of sticky keys may have a solution because Apple is rumored to be at work on a crumb-resistant MacBook keyboard.
Apple reportedly filed a patent on March 8th for a keyboard that would prevent crumbs or other small particles from getting wedged inside. In the patent application, the company proposes a variety of solutions to the problem of crumby keys, including a keycap or a guard designed to keep debris away from the mechanism that helps keys move. This means that if you drop something on this new keyboard design, it wouldn’t cause your keys to get stuck.
Unfortunately, we may have to wait a while to use this miracle keyboard. According to CNET, Apple is expected to release a new MacBook design this year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean these laptops will have the newly developed keyboard. In fact, it could be a couple years before we see this design implemented in our own personal laptops. And, as CNET pointed out, just because Apple filed a patent for the design doesn’t mean it will actually use it.
If Apple does release a computer impervious to crumbs, it would be the first of its kind. And we would be willing to stand in line for as long as it took to make sure our keyboard would stay clean and operating smoothly.
Thankfully, this crumb-resistant MacBook keyboard might not be the only Apple innovation on the horizon. Rumors have been swirling that the company is gearing up to release a cheaper MacBook Air, which would be enough to get us to rush to the Apple store.
We’re really hoping that a crumb-resistant MacBook keyboard is more than just a rumor. But until we know for sure, we’ll just have to settle for pining over a fancy touchscreen MacBook.
Originally created from here.