Apple has won their second Patent for MacBook-Like Accessories supporting both an iPhone and iPad
Patently Apple covered Apple's original patent application for MacBook-like accessories back in March 2017. We then covered Apple's first granted patent for this invention back in September 2018. Today, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 52 newly granted patents for Apple and in this particular report we cover Apple's second granted patent for this same invention.
In patent FIG. 1 below we're able to see the MacBook-Like Accessory provide an iPhone dock for charging; in patent FIG. 4 we're able to see the display of the MacBook-like accessory being a detachable iPad.
This could be a nice alternative to Apple's current soft Smart Keyboard Folio accessory with a solid keyboard and being able to use an iPhone as the trackpad.
Additions to Apple's original granted patent takes place only in the emphasis it places in the patent claims from the previous granted patent. This time around Apple places emphasis on the MacBook-like accessory's driving devices (iPhone, iPad) as an "input device" wherein the input device is a "keyboard or a touchpad." The other additions relate to first and second orientations that differ from the first granted patent.
For those wanting to know exactly what changed line-by-line, you could compare the 2018 patent claims here with today's granted patent claims here. Veteran Apple designer Brett Degner is credited as the sole inventor.
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