“Patently Apple has been the only one that has been pounding the table for a notebook tablet hybrid going all the way back to 2008 and prior to any talk of this from the Intel camp who is now preparing their Ultrabook Convertible for release this summer,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“In February we posted another report that discussed integrated touch displays coming to Macs eventually and the naysayers surfaced once again to say that it was a brain dead idea,” Purcher reports. “Well, today the US Patent and Trademark Office revealed Apple’s patent that is in fact about a true hybrid notebook tablet in all its glory.”
Purcher reports, “The patent filing includes details of a very cool display with a retractable magnetic mechanism that hides itself once detached from the MacBook’s main body. Today, on paper at least, Apple has finally revealed their first patent filing about a hybrid notebook-tablet with actual details.”
Read more, and see Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: No less than Tim Bajarin has predicted a hybrid Mac+iPad for 2013.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Apple’s big secret: The iOS MacBook? – March 22, 2013
Tim Bajarin’s tech industry predictions for 2013 include hybrid Mac+iPad – December 14, 2012
Glad to see it. I just wish that Apple wasn’t so far behind (timing-wise) Android and Windows with the hybrid idea. But hopefully Apple will do it right where others haven’t. They are currently way ahead in both laptops and tablets, so I’m optimistic that they can design and build a fantastic hybrid.
“Way behind”? The other side’s offerings as in Ultrabooks have been a resounding failure for the most part. All they know how to build is tacky junk and it’s doubtful Windows hybrid PC’s will be anything beyond this. Apple’s hybrid, if it comes, will be the one to beat.
Not true. The Ultrabook “Convertible” isn’t out officially until sometime this summer. So it can’t be a failure. Once Intel’s haswell is out in Convertibles, these devices will take off by the end of the year. A MacBook-like notebook + a Tablet via a detachable display at a price of just a MacBook Air? It’ll fly.
If this happens it will be an annoying few months when the Windows lovers go mad about Apple implementing the same ideas Windows 8 stuff had.
The difference between “doing it” and “doing it right” are years apart.
Witness the early smartphones versus the Jan 2007 iPhone.
Yes, but does it Click and can you dance with it?
There’s an App for that!
If Apple has patented it, does that mean that the Surface is doomed?
There’s already been a doomed ‘Surface’- The Big-Ass Table. As for the new one, no-one in that sinking ship can overcome his pride to say it.
This product idea is the logical progression towards Apple’s intention to merge OS X and iOS. But a patent filing protects the product: it is not an official announcement of the product itself. Apple may certainly be prototyping it. But until they officially announce it, it’s speculation. We will have to wait to see what they come up with.
Which OS will it run? Both the iPad/display component and the MacBook/keyboard component will require processors, connectivity, power and storage capability. Will the MacBook component function with any display and will the iPad component be fully functional without the MacBook component? How big will the iPad part be? Camera configuration? Is the base essentially a Mac mini with a built in keyboard? Questions abound.
This will be a fantastic device, done right, IMHO.
“Which OS” is going to be the biggest key to this critter’s success, imo.
No standard Finder? I’ll just keep my iPad with a keyboard, thanks. (Okay, I don’t actually own an iPad yet, but it is in the plans. Probably full size.)
No iOS? Then detaching it is pointless. I’ll just keep my iBook. (Yes, I still have and use an ancient, pre 21st century iBook.)
Seemless integration of both? Now you have my attention. 🙂
It will run both iOS and OSX and it will only have a single arm processor. All the Ram, SSD, graphics etc will be housed behind the screen, just as with the current iPad.
When the screen is connected to the keyboard, the processor will switch to OSX, when disconnected it becomes an iPad. I’ve been predicting this product on this site for a couple of years now. Apple have just been waiting for Arm processors to become powerful enough to run a full desktop OS.
The real genius of this product is that Samsung cannot copy it as Google don’t have a fully featured desktop OS. Microsoft have shown their hand and as usual made a right old dogs dinner by mixing two OS’s. Apple won’t be making the same mistake as they will keep the OS’s seperate.
For casual use, the user will have the worlds most advanced touch based OS, for serious work the user will have the world’s most advanced desktop OS. This product is actually pretty much unbeatable and uncatchable for at least 5 years and by then it’ll be game set and match to Apple. This will be the biggest product of 2013 if it finally gets launched.
Seeings as though tablet sized things are getting so powerful now its bound to happen.
It may well patent it but Apple are blatantly copying Microsoft.
well if so — apple is behind the curve on this
Said it before, I’ll say it again, within 5 years Apple will release a version of the MacBook Air that is, in essence, two iPads with a hinge.
iCal it!
Where is that link that showed the double decker hinged hybrid?
It showed two pads. in the Apple patent. Anyone?