Apple Patent Details an iMac Touch, MacBook Touch!

Patently Apple has found a European patent filing which details an iMac Touch that can transition from Mac OS X to iOS.

Apple's method of transitioning from OS X to iOS is clearly outlined for both the iMac and MacBook – and it's a grand slam home run. Imagine having an iMac on your desktop one minute and a gigantic iPad the next. Imagine playing iGames on this dream machine - Wow! Imagine reading a double-page book on this - Unbelievable! Apple takes the mystery out of how OS X could finally co-exist with iOS on a Mac and you've got to see this one to believe it.

Apple notes that "while touch-based input is well suited to many applications, conventional styles of input, such as a mouse/keyboard input may be preferred in other applications."


To make the transition from OS X to touch-based iOS you will change the orientation of the iMac's display to make touch more natural. Hinges on the iMac stand will allow you to pull the screen closer and tilt it back so that it lays more flat. The change will be detected by touch sensors on the frame followed by a shift in orientation.

You'll be able to control the threshold which determines when the iMac transitions to iOS. For example, set the threshold angle to 60 degrees to call up iOS or at 90 degrees or higher to recall OS X.

Also included in the patent is a description of a MacBook Touch which would turn into a tablet. "The display could also be oriented for touch input. For example, the display 1130 may be rotated and laid flat against the keyboard 1134, with the backside of the display facing down against the keyboard so that the display screen is facing up, in an orientation for touch input."

Read More