Apple Working On Removable Key Mouse, Here’s How It Could Work
While a removable key that can be used as a computer mouse sounds weird, it seems Apple might be working on this very concept. In the recent past, the Cupertino-based tech giant has received a lot of patents. For instance, the company recently received a patent where it describes multiple ways to fit all the processing components of a Mac into a keyboard. The design has some practical benefits, but it is highly unlikely that users will see this product in the market any time soon.
In February 2022, Apple patented a new type of sunroof for a car. The patent describes an adjustable tinting system that enables the pilot to set the amount of sunlight that enters a car. There is another Apple patent that describes how an iPhone can create the bobblehead image of its owner. It could then be used to generate 3D avatars for Apple's mixed reality headset and perhaps in the metaverse.
Related: Apple Goes Back To The Future With Self-Lacing Shoes Patent
Apple has reportedly been working on a foldable iPhone and a mixed reality headset, and a new patent now suggests that the company could also be working on a removable key that acts as a mouse. The patent was filed by Apple with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (viaPatently Apple) back in February 2020, and has now been officially granted. It is titled "Deployable key mouse" and explains how a single key or a set of keys in a keyboard can be removed from their housing and used as a joystick, pointing stick, or a mouse.
As the patent explains, the removable key can have two applications. It can be used as a regular key that can be pressed to provide a defined input, like normal keys on a MacBook or an Apple Keyboard. However, the second application involves using the key
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