The brand new updated iMacs for 2011 include a seemingly out of place setting in the Keyboard System Preferences: Keyboard Illumination. That’s right, despite being a desktop machine that ships with the same familiar keyboards we all currently know, the new iMac includes the same keyboard illumination option that MacBook Pro’s do. Does this suggest Apple is working on an external backlit keyboard, and if so, was it originally intended to ship with the new iMacs?



The keyboard setting was found by 9to5Mac, and they also cite MacGeneration who noticed there is an ambient light sensor included in the new iMacs, the sensor sits right alongside the FaceTime HD camera just like in a MacBook Pro:

Ambient light sensors automatically adjust both the display brightness and keyboard backlight brightness on the MacBook Pro’s.

Put these pieces together and it suggests Apple just might be working on an external backlit keyboard. It’s also entirely possible that Apple just borrowed some kernel extensions from the new MacBook Pro’s and the ‘illuminate keyboard’ option is sitting in the System Preferences erroneously, but I’m crossing my fingers for a backlit Apple Wireless Keyboard.