A timeline of IBM keyboard history
This page is considered work-in-progress and should be treated as such. The design and layout of this page are subject to tweaks, and a lot of content (events) are still to be added and fleshed out. If you have any feedback or suggestions for the design and/or particular events, feel free to contact me and let me know your thoughts.
The IBM and family keyboard timeline is an illustrated overview of some of the most important events affecting IBM, Lexmark, Unicomp, Lenovo and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions keyboards. This includes notable keyboard releases and withdrawals, corporate history like company founding, divestures and change in OEMs, and patents. Due to their relationship and impact on the keyboards around them, host devices such as personal computers, terminals, consoles and typewriters also appear throughout the timeline. 143 events have been recorded for the "show all" versions of the timeline.
[1] IBM announces the 4680 Store System, its first POS solution based around PC-based terminals. At launch, it included the 4683 POS Terminal, IBM 5170 Model 839 or 5170 Model 899 Personal Computer AT/Store Controller, and the 4680 50-Key Modifiable Keyboard (pictured). The keyboard is made by SMK and uses SMK discrete rubber dome keyswitches.
[2] IBM announces the Model M-based 4680 POS Alphanumeric Keyboard for the IBM 4683 and later 4684 POS Terminals. Its complete sub-assembly is based on the IBM 6770/6780's, but with a new cover set, POS-specific features and RS-485 electronics. It also has a more traditional AT-style layout, though with some added relegendable keys. It is the only buckling-spring IBM POS keyboard known.
[ASK] IBM introduces the 4680 POS Matrix Keyboard for 4683 and 4684 POS Terminals. It is one of IBM's most functional keyboards, purposely designed for "applications requiring a large number of pre-defined keys." It has a manager's keylock and 139 keys, of which 126 comprise its main relegendable area. It is made by Key Tronic and uses Key Tronic capacitive foam and foil (tactile variant) keyswitches.
[3] IBM introduces the 4680 50-Key Modifiable Keyboard/Operator Display for 4683 and 4684 POS Terminals. It is based on the existing IBM 4680 50-Key Modifiable Keyboard, likewise made by SMK and using SMK discrete rubber dome keyswitches but now sporting a tilting LCD.
[4] IBM introduces the 4680 ANPOS Keyboard for 4683 and 4684 POS Terminals. It has 115 keys and an integrated manager's keylock. Like previous 4680 keyboards, it is made by SMK and uses SMK discrete rubber dome keyswitches.
[5] IBM announces the 4693 and 4694 POS Terminals. To go with them, IBM also introduces the Retail POS (RPOS) series of buckling-sleeve Model Ms (M7, M7-1, M8, M9 and M11). RPOS keyboards are derived from a common platform and usually made by a single OEM at a given time, which contrasts the IBM 4680 era's fractured keyboard ecosystem made by IBM itself, SMK or Key Tronic.
[5] IBM introduces the 4820 SurePoint Solution Flat Panel Display, an attachment originally for IBM 4694 POS Terminals. The display in turn could support a 32-key keypad attachment that was originally called the IBM SurePoint 4820 Monitor Keypad and MSR Extension. This keypad is considered to be the beginning of the Pre-Modular POS (PMPOS) series of buckling-sleeve Model Ms. 4 types of 4820-style keypads would eventually be introduced.
[6] IBM introduces the original Compact ANPOS Keyboard (CANPOS). It is a 133/134-key keyboard with an integrated pointing device and optionally an MSR that manages to pack all this functionality into a form-factor that is roughly as wide as a TKL. It is considered to be within the PMPOS series of buckling-sleeve Model Ms.
IBM introduces the Modular POS (MPOS) series of buckling-sleeve Model Ms as successors to RPOS, finally shaking up IBM POS keyboard design for the first time since 1993. MPOS at this point includes the IBM Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard, IBM MANPOS Keyboard and IBM MCANPOS Keyboard. The "modular" in their names refers to how some of the keyboard's extra functionality is user removable and replaceable.
[ASK] The IBM Modular 67-Key POS Keyboard with LCD Display is introduced as the fourth and final member of the MPOS series of buckling-sleeve Model Ms, replacing the RPOS-era Model M8 and thus sometimes known as the "M8-e". It is presently the latest known IBM buckling sleeve keyboard design.
- ASK Keyboard Archive Photos - P/N 4783896 (198X, SMK) [accessed 2025-03-28]. License/note: photos archived from Recycled Goods, used under fair dealing.
- taylorswiftttttt - IBM Model M AT - 76X0035 - POS Keyboard [accessed 2022-04-09]. License/note: permission requested and explicitly given via direct correspondence.
- IBM - IBM 4693/4694 Store Systems Hardware Service Manual for Point-of-Sale Input/Output Devices [accessed 2022-04-24].
- themk - donated photo. License/note: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
- IBM - ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com [accessed 2025-03-05]. License/note: archived from IBM public FTP & used under fair dealing.
- doomsday_device - donated photos.