Apple has patented something intriguing: an iPhone Home button that pops out to become a joystick. Is this good news for gamers and the iPhone 7’s killer feature, or is it just one of Apple’s many mad ideas?
The thinking behind it is obvious enough – touch screens aren’t always the best input device for videogames – but there’s often a big difference between what Apple patents and what it actually makes.
Like many tech companies, Apple patents almost every idea it has. It’s a form of insurance – today’s mad idea could well be tomorrow’s massively popular product, and whoever owns the patent makes the money.
To date Apple has patented all kinds of things that it doesn’t make: magic pens, foldable phones, mad-looking bracelets, cameras, virtual reality headsets… you get the idea.
Would a home button that turns into a joystick be worth making?
We’re not convinced. First of all, it flies in the face of Apple’s ever-thinner designs. A recessed button that pops out needs somewhere to pop out from. Secondly, the home button is where Apple has its Touch ID sensor for unlocking the device and authorising payments…. see more
source: metro UK
Tags: iPhone 7, Joystick, technology
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