Hrmph reports on a recently released patent filed by Apple for a configurable input system that is shown to be applicable for an iPod and a laptop computer.
Apple seems to propose that you take a blank iPod and add a wheel for a standard iPod, add a keypad to make it a phone - add a joystick to make it a game machine. The overlays are identified by the computer/device and it reacts accordingly. Imagine adding a nice volume control to your iPod. The blank iPod can be made into a PDA, cell phone, game machine, handtop or remote control.
Add a joystick to your MacBook? How about a mixing desk? Presumably, this would allow third-party vendors to design their on interfaces for the iPod/MacBook- this would make an extremely versatile machine. Examples mention by Apple include surfaces to make your MacBook a music/video editing machine or even overlays allowing you to add two buttons to your MacBooks touchpad.
The concept is based around adding physical/tactile controls over a touch-sensitive pad. By having such a modular system, an iPod or laptop could become even more multi-functional. The following image depicts several different modules that could be used on a laptop.
As a grain of salt, readers are reminded that Apple routinely patents technology that never makes it into shipping products.
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model.
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Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
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