The keyboard industry is witnessing a significant technological shift as Cherry, the renowned German keyboard manufacturer, declares a new era in switch technology. After three decades of dominance with their MX mechanical switches, Cherry is now pioneering inductive switching technology that promises to revolutionize keyboard manufacturing economics while delivering superior performance.
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| Cherry's innovative mechanical keyboard switches, showcasing the evolution in switch technology |
The Breakthrough: Cherry IK Inductive Switch
Cherry's newly announced IK switch represents a fundamental departure from traditional mechanical keyboard technology. Unlike conventional switches that rely on physical contact for actuation, the IK utilizes patented inductive sensing technology to detect electromagnetic changes, enabling completely contactless operation. This breakthrough was unveiled at Computex 2025, where Cherry proclaimed it as the beginning of a bold new chapter in the company's storied history. According to Gunnar Schreck, Cherry's global product manager, this innovation marks the transition from what he calls the old era of mechanical switches—their combustion engine—to something entirely new.
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| A close-up view of Cherry's newly designed IK inductive switches, emphasizing their innovative internal structure |
Economic Revolution in Switch Manufacturing
Perhaps most surprisingly, Cherry claims the IK switch costs half as much to manufacture as their traditional MX mechanical switches. This economic advantage stems from the IK's simplified design that eliminates the need for expensive sensors. So if you have a TMR or the old generation Hall effect switches, you need a sensor to read out the signal. And these sensors make those solutions very expensive, explained Schreck. Instead, the IK uses a basic electronic component called a comparator, shifting the processing workload to the keyboard's microcontroller (MCU). This approach dramatically reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining or improving performance.
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| A hands-on look at Cherry's mechanical keyboard switch, illustrating user experience in modern keyboard technology |
Power Efficiency and Battery Life
The IK switch doesn't just save on manufacturing costs—it's also remarkably power efficient. Cherry reports that compared to traditional magnetic switches, the IK consumes 50 percent less power. Even more impressive, it uses just 5 percent of what Hall effect switches consume, representing a substantial advancement for wireless keyboard battery life. This efficiency could be transformative for portable keyboards and other battery-powered input devices, potentially extending usage time between charges by orders of magnitude.
Durability and Feel Improvements
Beyond cost and power benefits, the IK switch offers improved durability and feel. Without mechanical contacts experiencing abrasion during each keystroke, the switches should last significantly longer. Schreck also noted that traditional mechanical switches experience sideward pressure against the stem during actuation, creating friction that affects feel. The contactless nature of the IK eliminates this issue entirely. Additionally, the new technology allows Cherry to explore different materials previously unsuitable for mechanical switches due to heat constraints during soldering, such as POM (Polyoxymethylene), which could further enhance the typing experience.
Market Positioning and Availability
While Cherry's MX switches have been favorites among gaming enthusiasts, the company is positioning the IK primarily for the mass market. This suggests Cherry sees potential to finally replace membrane keyboards in office environments with more satisfying, reliable, and now economically competitive alternatives. The IK switch is scheduled for release in Fall 2025, though it remains to be seen which keyboard manufacturers will be first to adopt the technology.
Gaming Potential Remains Open
For gaming applications, Cherry hasn't ruled out the IK's potential but acknowledges that implementation depends largely on keyboard manufacturers. The switch itself is dumb—the capabilities for features like rapid trigger or analog actuation depend on the processing power of the microcontroller chosen by keyboard makers. For dedicated gaming features, Cherry has simultaneously announced a new MK Series of magnetic switches specifically designed for gaming applications, suggesting they expect Hall effect technology to remain dominant in that segment for now.
Expanding the Cherry Portfolio
Alongside the revolutionary IK, Cherry also introduced three new MX mechanical switches targeting different user preferences. The MX Honey offers silent tactile feedback for office environments, the MX Blossom provides ultra-light linear actuation requiring just 35 centinewtons of force, and the MX Falcon delivers a strong tactile experience with Cherry's first long-pole stem design. These switches will debut in prebuilt keyboards this June, with standalone kits to follow, showing that Cherry isn't abandoning its mechanical heritage even as it pushes forward with new technology.
Learning From Past Attempts
Cherry's IK isn't their first attempt at induction switch technology. At Computex 2024, the company displayed MX Multipoint switches, which subsequently disappeared from the market. Addressing this history, Schreck acknowledged that the earlier design relied on a very specific sensor, which made the whole solution pretty expensive and delivered underwhelming results regarding actuation points. The new IK design has a much, much better response curve with more precision, and much earlier activation, suggesting Cherry has learned valuable lessons from its previous efforts.