Apple don’t muck about when it comes to breaking new ground in the tech game, which is why it’s valued at around $600 billion.

That’s more than 300 years of Irish beer consumption, and the global coffee industry – those according to THIS site, so don’t shoot the messenger.

Anyway they’ve arrived at that point through being innovators, and their latest MacBook Pro is about to break new ground. Here’s TIME:

[The] device is said to be getting a strip-like touchscreen just above the keyboard where the function keys currently sit…

Unlike a normal keyboard, the rumored [sic] touch panel would be able to change its appearance based on context…When iTunes is open it might display playback controls, while switching to word processing software would turn them into editing shortcuts. The overall goal is to simplify keyboard shortcuts, eliminating the need to remember key combinations for each app or program you use.

The rumored addition makes sense given some of the similar features and products Apple has recently released. Take the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard, for example. It pulls up on-screen keyboard shortcuts for the app currently in use when users hold down the command key. The miniature touch panel reportedly coming to the MacBook Pro seems like an evolution of that idea.

They’ll be sticking to their guns for the most part though, because whilst many Windows-based laptops are experimenting with variations of touch screen and keyboard changes Apple seem stoked with where they’re at.

We’ll be keeping an eye on this one and waiting for it to land at Digicape, who make sure we’re kitted out with all the Apple goodies at the best prices going around.

[source:time]