On Thursday the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a patent application from Apple that relates to magnetic accessory devices along the line of an advance MagSafe for an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, smart TVs and more. The magnetic accessory offers features like a rotatable dial and a user interface with icons representing features and functions of the device that could control the iPhone's backside camera for zoom, exposure compensation and more.

Apple's patent application covers a support accessory that is suitable for use with an iPhone, iPad or MacBook having a magnetic element.  The support accessory comprises a housing that defines an internal volume, and further comprises a magnetic attachment element that is housed within the internal volume and capable of a magnetic attachment with the magnetic element.

Further, the support accessory comprises an extendable support element that is carried by the housing within the internal volume and is capable of transitioning between a retracted state and an extended state. The retracted state comprises the extendable support element wholly disposed within the internal volume. Further, the extended state comprises the extendable support element at least partially extended outward through an opening in the housing such that, during the magnetic attachment, the extendable support element is capable of providing support to the handheld electronic device.

In addition, the housing may comprise a first housing part, a second housing part, and a rotatable control element positioned between the first housing part and the second housing part. The rotatable control element, when it is rotated, is capable of transitioning a state of the extendable support element between the retracted state and the extended state.

Also, the rotatable control element may comprise a contact surface that, upon a first degree of rotation of the rotatable control element, abuts a projecting portion of the extendable support element such that the extendable support element is in the extended state.

In addition, upon a second degree of rotation of the rotatable control element, the contact surface may be spaced away from the projecting portion of the extendable support element such that the extendable support element is in the retracted state.

Further, the extendable support element may comprise a connector element that is capable of coupling to a corresponding connector element of an auxiliary support structure.

Also, the magnetic attachment is such that an orientation of the handheld electronic device is adjustable during the magnetic attachment and while the connector element is coupled to the corresponding connector element of the auxiliary support structure. Further, the housing may be cylindrical.

Apple's patent FIG. 5A below provides a perspective view of the magnetic support accessory #300. The housing #301 is cylindrical and has a three-dimensional disc-like or “puck”-like shape. The magnetic support accessory comprises a rotatable control ring #306 that is configured to permit a user to control the extension and/or the retraction of the extendable connector #308 by manually rotating the control ring relative to the housing #301.

To assist a user in discerning between the rotatable control knob or actuator #315 and rotatable control ring #306, both visibly and by touch, a distinct texture or other tactile/visual element or feature may be applied to one or both of rotatable control knob or actuator and the rotatable control ring. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, a ridged surface #323 is applied, for example, along the outer circumference or surface of the rotatable control dial or actuator, where a user is most likely to touch and manipulate the rotatable control dial or actuator.

Apple's patent FIG. 8 above illustrates a side view of the magnetic support accessory of FIG. 5A, in which the magnetic support accessory is engaged or coupled with a portable electronic device;

Apple's patent FIG. 10 above illustrates a swiveling and/or a rotating movement of a portable electronic device in relation to the magnetic support accessory of FIG. 5A, while the portable electronic device is engaged or coupled with the magnetic support accessory.

Patent FIG. 11 above illustrates the magnetic support accessory of FIG. 5A while seated at, or coupled to, an underlying supporting structure or surface (in this example, a camera tripod), wherein the magnetic support accessory is engaged or coupled with a portable electronic device; and  FIG. 12 illustrates various examples of settings, parameters, and/or functions of a portable electronic device that may be controlled or selected by a user using a rotatable control knob or actuator component of the magnetic support accessory of FIG. 5A. The icons represent the following: 

• #500; Zoom
• #501: Volume
• #502: Focus
• #503: Video Scrubbing
• #504: Depth of Field
• #505: Cover Flow
• #506: Compensation
• #507; Tool Switcher
• #508: Filter Selector
• #510: Camera Mode

Although the accessory is focused on an iPhone in figures, Apple rarely limits a device like this to a single device. Apple notes that the accessory could be used with a tablet (iPad), laptop (MacBook), a camera tripod, a vehicle dashboard and even an article of clothing.

For full details, review Apple's patent application 20240106484. The lead inventor of this device is noted as being Tim Rasmussen, Product Design Engineering Manager.