Apple considering a MacBook with touchscreen, here’s how it may work

Future Apple MacBook laptops may finally get the touchscreen functionality, as suggested by a patent. Apple also gives a hint on how file transferring may work on the new laptop.

While Windows and even ChromeOS laptops adopted the touch screen design and form factor a few years ago, it was only a matter of time before Apple joined the bandwagon. And based on the latest patent, it looks like a touchscreen Apple MacBook is a step closer to making it a reality.

The patent filed by Apple back in July last year is found on the USPTO website and is rather clear on what the device might actually bring onboard. In the patent number 20200019367 titled 'Cross Device Interactions', Apple mentions a smartphone as 'electronic device 5004' and a touchscreen laptop as 'electronic device 5012'. Here's what the abstract from the patent states.

"In some embodiments, display 5012 is also a touch-sensitive display." Also mentioned is that "In one or more of such embodiments, the user optionally performs a variety of finger inputs over display 5012 to enter user inputs via display 5012."

Besides the fact that there might be a touchscreen laptop in the making, the patent also indicates how Apple plans to let users leverage two devices at the same time. "A user sometimes interacts with multiple devices to access content stored on or accessible through the respective devices," states the patent. "However, some devices have or are connected to displays that are less optimal for viewing content. Further, the user is sometimes more comfortable with using certain input devices to interact with content."

Although it has not been mentioned how exactly the tech will work, the patent does give an idea in one of the abstracts. From the looks of it, it might be a possibility that a user has to hold an iPhone in front of the laptop screen to initiate file transfer. This is something we haven't seen ever in devices. It also has to do something with the two devices recognising the proximity of each other.

All this sure sounds interesting but since this is a patent, we can only hope this tech reaches end users if at all Apple plans to make it a reality.