Sonder Design

Lore & Background

The Sonder keyboard uses a single E Ink display from E Ink Holdings, with a transparent patented mechanism above the display that allows the keys to dynamically change. This enables greater user interaction, such as shifting to uppercase when the Shift key is pressed, rapid switching between layouts like English and Cyrillic, and easier adoption of alternative layouts like Dvorak for users with a QWERTY keyboard. The design was featured on the studio's website and received web attention after appearing on Wired in July 2015. According to reports by The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal, Apple approached the startup for acquisition with assistance from Foxconn. Sonder issued a press release stating that co-founder Francisco Serra-Martins did not meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook in Shenzhen on October 26, 2016, as reported. Members of Sonder's sales and MacBook architecture team are Apple alumni. Initial reports indicated keyboards would start shipping during 2017, manufactured by Foxconn. Reports indicate Sonder was acquired by strategic partner Foxconn International Holdings in late 2019.

Reader's Guide

The Sonder keyboard represents a notable application of E Ink technology to input devices, allowing dynamic key labeling that adapts to user actions and layouts. Its significance lies in bridging the gap between fixed mechanical keyboards and fully customizable displays, offering a practical solution for multilingual users or those needing layout flexibility. The article notes that a concept design using E Ink technology was created by Maxim Mezentsev and Aleksander Suhih in 2013, and that earlier related ideas were published in an IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin (Vol. 21 No. 2 July 1978) and a Hewlett-Packard patent (U.S. Patent 4,078,257). The patent for a 'Display Keyboard' (U.S. Patent 5,818,361) has expired. The first programmable LCD keyboard, sold under the LCBoard name in the U.S. until 1999, contained many features of the Optimus keyboard. A patent application filed on 13 March 2007 suggests Apple may have been working on a similar dynamically changeable OLED keyboard. The Sonder keyboard's legacy is tied to its acquisition by Foxconn and the attention it drew from Apple, though the acquisition rumors remain disputed by Sonder's own press release.

Did You Know?

• The design was featured on Wired in July 2015.
• According to reports, Apple approached Sonder for acquisition with assistance from Foxconn.
• Sonder was acquired by Foxconn International Holdings in late 2019.