The United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Apple a new patent for a new "multi-function input device" that allows the iPhone and iPad button to turn into a joystick when needed.
The patent was filed on July 9, 2013 by Apple product design executives Colin Ely and Fletcher Rothkopf and was awarded by the patent office on Jan. 15 this year.
The goal of the application is to overcome the "shortcomings" posed by touchscreen devices that limit the gaming experience. Although touchscreens, which have largely taken over keyboard-equipped mobile devices, are useful in a variety of applications, such as web browsing, they are not without problems during gaming.
For instance, the user's finger may block a part of the screen being controlled, which means the user won't be able to see all parts of the game being played. Additionally, touchscreen surfaces lack the ability to provide tactile feedback to gamers, which often enhance the gaming experience.
With the new patent, Apple is looking into an iPhone button that can be used in two modes. The first mode, the button is flush with the surface of the device, as can be seen in the current models of the iPhone and iPad. This mode allows the user to access the normal functions of the iPhone button, including unlocking the device using the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, activating Siri by holding down the button, and opening the home screen by tapping on the button.
The second mode, on the other hand, is the joystick mode. Users can easily switch from the first to the second mode by pushing down the home button. A spring mechanism underneath the button will push the button out so that it pops out a few millimeters from the surface of the iPhone. When the user is done gaming on his iPhone, he simply pushes the button back down to switch it back to the first mode.
According to its patent, Apple believes that a two-in-one input device is the best solution for gaming on the iPhone. Although some users may want a separate home button and joystick, Apple says it can be "complicated, expensive, and may not be possible with space constraints." Additionally, having a joystick sticking out of the surface of the iPhone may expose the device's internal components or "otherwise compromise the aesthetics" of the iPhone.
"Providing multiple different kinds of input devices may frustrate other users who never utilize applications that are suited to one or more of the input devices and have to work around those input devices when utilizing one or more of the other input devices," Apple adds.
The new patent is no indication of Apple's plans on the next iteration of the iPhone. The company has filed several patents in the past whose applications have never come to fruition. However, it at least shows that Apple has been considering adding a home button that can transition into a joystick anytime.
