According to a patent application, Apple is working on a MacBook keyboard with a removable key that can be used as a precision-mouse.
Patently Apple first spotted the patent application titled "Deployable Key Mouse", and it was filed with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
A standard-looking MacBook scissor system keyboard is proposed in the filing. It would include a hidden removable key. The key would include a position sensor that can be used to point. Apple describes this system as providing "a comfortable, portable, and accurate pointer input for computer input systems."
According to the filing, some tasks such as graphic design, computer assisted design, modeling, and editing large and complex documents are better suited for a handheld mouse than a trackpad. Apple acknowledged that bringing a separate mouse to work can be burdensome and could be redundant if the computer has built-in pointing devices.
Apple suggests that a removable key could be a solution. Some embodiments of the key could work as normal, even without being deployed. They also have a small battery and can be used to charge the device.
Apple described various mechanical mechanisms to make it possible to remove the key. These included sliding one or more keys out of their housing vertically and sliding a key out of the side of the machine horizontally. The patent illustrations showed the deployable keyboard located towards the edge of the keyboard to ensure that it wouldn't be used frequently.
Although patent filings are not evidence of Apple's current plans, they can be used to indicate areas of interest and the work it is currently working on. Although the idea of a removable key for MacBooks may seem outlandish, it could be a useful feature that could be used by pro-users who need maximum portability and still require precise input.
