apple: Apple may have plans for a keyboard with a removable key as mouse – Times of India

Apple has filed a new patent application with the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). This time, the patent is related to having a removable key or set of keys in the MacBook or a desktop keyboard which could be taken out and used as a handheld mouse, remote or joystick, as per a report by Patently Apple.
The tech giant reportedly notes in the patent application that pointing devices like trackpads, pointing sticks like the “eraser head” mice, trackballs, etc. can cause work-related strain if used for long periods of time and are unsuitable for a certain type of work with a computer. Apple also said that they also take up a lot of space in the keyboard. An external mouse can be a better choice but as per the tech giant, they are also large in size and need a particular work environment like ones with a proper mouse tracking surface to work properly. Hence the new idea of a removable key as a mouse.
As per the patent application, Apple is thinking of putting in at least one input unit in the keyboard which can be removed and deployed as a separate input unit just like a handheld mouse or remote. It could have both the input and sensor features configured to get a ‘click’ input and to keep a track on the movement of the key across a tracking surface from the users
For example, the specialised key can be detachable from the keyboard and can comprise input and sensor features configured to receive a “click” input from a user and to track the position or movement of the deployed key as it moved across a tracking surface. For the ‘click’ input, the key may be given a button, touch sensor or some similar mechanism to sense the clicks made.