Ideas outlined in patents don't always end up becoming actual products, but they can give us an interesting insight into what tech companies might be working on, and it looks like Apple is developing a Mac that fits inside a keyboard.
This is based on a patent spotted by Patently Apple (via 9to5Mac), titled Computer in an Input Device. Essentially, the key components (processor, memory, storage) are all built into a keyboard.
The idea is that you can take this keyboard with you as you move between home and office (or wherever you need a computer), plug it into a display, and load up macOS. It is a kind of Mac mini, shaped like a keyboard.
heat management
Obviously packing everything into one keyboard means there will be limitations in terms of performance, local storage, etc. But for simple, everyday computing tasks, it would probably work just fine. After all, there is a lot of power in a smartphone.
The patent suggests that the keyboard could be made from materials specifically designed to dissipate heat from internal components. It would definitely require some clever airflow management with the electronics being so tight.
The patent application also mentions a touchpad built into the keyboard, which would save you from having to plug in a mouse. We'll have to wait and see if this is one of those patents that eventually makes it a finished consumer device.
Analysis: the advantages of small computers
Computers built into keyboards, of course, are nothing new, as anyone who remembers owning a Sinclair ZX Spectrum or a Commodore 64 will know. The modern twist is that these keyboards can be made thinner and lighter than ever before.
This improves portability, so instead of having to find room for a laptop in your bag, you just have to find room for a keyboard; the downside is that there is no built-in screen. You always have to find a monitor or TV when you get to wherever you are going.
As the Mac mini and many other small computers have shown, there's a lot of potential in these kinds of compact devices that you can take with you anywhere: from room to room, desk to desk, anywhere. All your files and apps move with you.
Apple already makes its own keyboards, though the Magic Keyboard could use a little more bulk to fit an entire computer inside. It's bound to attract a lot of users, though you'll only be able to perform basic tasks like sending emails or browsing the web.