If someone can get that right; it would be amazing. Though I’d prefer e-ink if possible. Not just legends but full keycap coverage. The challenge would mainly be in the stem. Ideally, the stem would probably have to change to something like 4 contacts with plastic in the center then use sliders same as always but now they transmit info and have metal on metal contact. Not the cheapest of switches.

However then some interesting things could begin. Shape and design become two separate things. Imagine in the future using rgb e-ink being able to completely change out keycap colors, legends etc. just upload a new design into qmk. Instead of artificial scarcity, designers can now provide a marketplace and sell new designs for $20 a pop with minimal investment. Legend sets vs colors can now be a thing so you can customise what you want. Heck, rgb backlighting of legends can now be done at the cost of a heavier, thicker, more expensive keycap as it would need to include the matrix behind the e-ink screen.

It would be a manufacturing nightmare at first but it would also be a crazy level of enhancement to keyboard customisation. Did you add a red stripe going down the keyboard? Now you can make it go all the way top to bottom!

I don’t think their idea was bad. The execution and timing was more the challenge. I think a new venture into that, taking into account the current market could actually succeed. But, it would need to conform as far as possible to existing products. Getting it right also may have use outside of just keyboards too. The challenge is, this won’t be cheap to attempt. ROI would be a real challenge as that’s not getting returns in 2-4 years most likely etc. etc.