“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.]