The new 2016 MacBook Pros feature a Touch Bar, which replaces the traditional physical Function key row with context based on-screen buttons. The bar is capable of displaying buttons to the user based on the app that is currently running on the screen. It also features a Touch ID fingerprint sensor that can be used for secure logins and Apple Pay transaction authentication. It is expected that Apple will release a standalone keyboard for the users of desktop Macs equipped with MacBook Pro like Touch Bar and perhaps a fingerprint scanner. This is something that is inevitable, however when is it going to happen is anyone’s guess.
To get an idea of how such a keyboard might look like, a Reddit user came up with some renders that show how a ‘Magic Keyboard’ with a Touch Bar might actually look like. The result is an elegant looking keyboard featuring MacBook Pro like black keys and a dark silver aluminum body. The main highlight of the keyboard of course is the long Touch Bar that covers the full width of the keyboard. The renders also show the Touch bar to be a having a little more height essentially giving more space to buttons and UI elements appearing on its OLED display.
It would be interesting to see if Apple opts for the black keys on the Magic Keyboard as shown in the renders or sticks to the white keys as we have seen for many years. The renders also show a Lightning connector on the back for charging. Charging is going to be a big part of the Magic Keyboard experience as unlike the current Magic Keyboard, the one with Touch Bar will consume more charge and would need to be recharged more frequently. (Imgur)
