Apple Pencil could get radical new functions for MacBooks

For years, location has been speculation astir whether Apple will yet make a touchscreen MacBook. Touchscreen laptops and 2-in-1 devices person go celebrated again successful caller years, and astir of nan large manufacturers person jumped connected nan trend. 

Like pinch folding phones, Apple has remained supra nan trend, apparently preferring to attraction connected areas wherever it tin innovate (e.g., nan Vision Pro) alternatively than adopt features utilized by competitors. But a caller patent filing suggests that it's astatine slightest considering nan intriguing anticipation of a touchscreen MacBook pinch Apple Pencil support.

As reported by Patently Apple,  the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a caller patent that appears to picture a MacBook pinch a built-in Apple Pencil holder supra nan keyboard. But it's an Apple Pencil pinch a twist, since it would person a show that could switch nan laptop usability keys.

Sound bizarre? It's a caller idea. The image mightiness look not dissimilar nan measurement nan Microsoft Surface Pro Type Cover has a recess to accommodate its Surface Slim Pen. But crucially, Apple's stylus would would service 2 different kinds of input roles. It could beryllium utilized arsenic pencil erstwhile removed from nan chassis but besides utilized arsenic simulated keyboard keys, a touch pad aliases a mechanical input interface erstwhile stowed.

In this sense, patent US-11893171-B2 leaves unfastened respective possibilities for nan functioning of nan pencil. Its outer surfaces could beryllium tap, touch, aliases press-sensitive whether aliases not it is mounted connected nan laptop. When mounted successful nan chassis, it could beryllium utilized to replicate F keys, to alteration keyboard usability settings aliases to activate a cardinal that's missing from nan keyboard itself. It could besides person a show to show accusation to nan user, frankincense performing immoderate of nan functions of a 2nd touch surface while besides serving arsenic a stylus.

As always, location is nary certainty that Apple is moving connected nan instrumentality described successful nan patent filing. Patents are sometimes revenge simply to protect an thought from being utilized by a competitor. However, pinch Apple still lacking a touchscreen instrumentality pinch a desktop operating system, galore will beryllium hoping that this is simply a motion that a touchscreen MacBook could beryllium connected nan way.

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