MacBook Pro Latest News & Update: Touchpad Could Be Replaced By A Thin Portable Hardware Accessory For iPhone, iPads

For MacBook Pro followers, seeing an upgrade in terms of power is being awaited. While that could happen in 2017, Apple could be up to something else in an effort to enhance the faltering notebook. Much of that was spurred by a recently published patent which could see an iPhone or iPad ported into the laptop’s touchpad area.

The Apple patent was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademarks Office recently. This is in reference to the “Electronic accessory device” which can only function with a host. Based on the diagrams over at Apple Insider, an iPhone or an iPad could be slotted in to fill the role of a CPU. It could be possible that this is another MacBook Pro-like solution and something that has been suggested before.

The whole thing springs a number of possibilities. That includes seeing a MacBook Pro offering docking provisions for its sister devices or plainly something to expand usability. Seeing the rise in integrating mobile phones to act as actual PCs, an iPhone or an iPad could act as the meat of the suggested device if feasible.

It could mimic what HP is currently preaching with the HP Elite X3. Microsoft has a flexible solution in the Surface Pro series, particularly the detachable keyboard that transforms it from a laptop to a tablet. If Apple does go this route, it could cater to two different slots seeing how the size of the iPhone and the iPad differs.

Though it poses something new, it may take time before Apple gets this far. Right now, it is all about fine-tuning what they have in tow like the iPhone, iPad and the MacBook Pro. The basic premise right now is seeing a more powerful laptop as most hope to see one powered by an Intel Kaby Lake chipset.