“The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 44 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover Apple’s possible future hybrid notebook that at present they’ve decided to shelf until needed,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“Apple’s newly granted patent covers their invention relating to a hybrid form of computer that includes a base and a display that is selectively removable from the base,” Purcher reports. “The base includes a processor, a base wireless chip, and a power source. The display includes a screen for displaying a video output, a display wireless chip in communication with the base wireless chip, and a power wireless chip in communication with the power source.”
Purcher writes, “While Apple has currently chosen to go with the iPad Pro design with a soft keyboard cover option, today’s granted patent allows Apple the option of launching such a hybrid notebook should this category become a hot trend over time.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Imagine, any iOS-based iPad would become a high quality display when docked into a “MacBook” (running OS X, and providing keyboard, trackpad, processor, etcetera). Such a convertible device would negate having to carry both an iPad (car) and a MacBook (truck) around. They’d be one thing, but able to be separated into two, each providing the best capabilities of their respective form factors. — MacDailyNews Take, March 4, 2013
SEE ALSO:
Tim Cook is right: Here’s why Apple merging iOS, OS X is a bad idea – October 13, 2015
MacPad: Apple’s 12.9-inch MacBook/iPad may offer OS X and iOS operating systems, rumors claim – October 7, 2014
Why Apple is creating a giant iPad – August 27, 2014
Apple’s ‘iPad Pro’ a larger model, or a laptop/tablet ‘MacPad’ hybrid? – April 16, 2014
MacPad: 8 signs that Apple is prepping a 13-inch iPad-laptop hybrid – October 12, 2013
MacPad? Apple patent application reveals hybrid MacBook+iPad details – April 4, 2013
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
Yes, but I happen to know that Science has finally figured out why cats do these 25 things and I know which lingerie company a/b tests the world’s hottest women to see who makes you click buy. I bet you didn’t know there’s 10 Quarterbacks who shouldn’t have super bowl rings. I’m checking out some Interracial celebrity couples too. Ohhh 25 stars who actually married fans! I’m all over that.
Dear Jenna Coleman…
lol! MDN ads…
Lots of dropped jaws.
MDN: “They’d be one thing, but able to be separated into two, each providing the best capabilities of their respective form factors.”
No, they’d be one thing (macbook) able to be turned into ONE other thing (iPad). When separate, they don’t both function.
Unless your headless Macbook can be connected to an hdmi, display port or wireless display. Now we’re onto something.
What would make sense to, would be to have essentially a iPad Pro attach to the lower half of a Mac Book Pro.
So attached with the iPad Pro active the trackpad and keyboard would function and files on the MBP be accessible. With the iPad Pro inactive, and the MBP active, it would act as the monitor for the MBP and files on the iPad Pro would be accessible to the MBP. Each would use its own OS and chip set etc.
The drawback being the MBP half couldn’t function without a monitor, not having its own. 🖖😀⌚️
All files on both devices would be accessible regardless of which device is functional. 🖖😀⌚️
I know I’m diving into the usual hornets nest of wasted rants and flames around here, but here are my assumptions about such a device at this time:
1) ARM processors.
2) iOS
3) Potentially some added OS X capabilities. But NOT the full show, specifically because of the ARM processors, which are RISC, not CISC.
And yes, it’s entirely fair to yell “Surface ripoff”. But not that there’s nothing Microsoft about it apart from the added keyboard, which was something that has been done via third party providers from way before the Surface ever surfaced. So mellow out would be ranters.
Could these touch/keyboard laptops catch on with time? Sure, just as they have already, that being BARELY.
One thing to remember is that this patent was granted today but was filed in 2011 so Apple has been thinking about this for a long time just in case people are thinking Apple is copying MS
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2015/11/apple-granted-patents-for-a-hybrid-notebook-with-detachable-display-and-future-magic-keyboard-with-3d-touch.html
“Apple’s granted patent 9,176,536 was originally filed in Q3 2011 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office.”
Now can they sue Microsoft for patent infringement?
The Cook Toaster Refrigerator. Nice.
I wonder if it makes a clicking sound.
I like the optical drive bay!
…Pointing out how deadly slow the USPTO is to grant patents. #MyStupidGovernment earning my hashtag, as usual.
Hey MDN you know Apple patents lots of things that may or may not see the light of day,
You’re right. But this is one patent I think Apple should pull the trigger on.
I love the idea