The iPad is popular. Will a touchscreen Mac be the next step?

WRITTEN BY CHARLOTTE HENRY

Whatever device you opt for, Apple silicon has made a vast difference.

Image rights: Apple Inc.

One of the most pertinent questions now asked by those looking to buy new Apple gear is whether they should splurge on an iPad or a Mac. Or, if you’re lucky, both. But the either/or dilemma became just that little bit harder to answer after Apple’s recent tablet upgrades, with the new iPad Pro and iPad Air (see p66 and p70).

And in the future, there may well be another type of device to consider. A patent has recently been granted to Apple for a “hinged keyboard accessory having multiple installation modes for a tablet computing device”. In other words, a hybrid tablet/ notebook. A similar patent for a hybrid device was also granted in July 2023.

Of course, companies like Apple file patents all the time. We’ve seen countless intriguing documents that have amounted to nothing in reality. However, this particular patent does show that Cupertino may be interested in developing a touchscreen notebook at some point in the future.

An interesting proposition. But should Apple be considering the move?

Plenty of people seem to like the versatility of two–in– ones, with manufacturers Asus, Dell, Microsoft and Samsung all selling Windows– based versions. Some of these tablet/notebook hybrids are pretty slick–looking and powerful too.