Apple’s new Home Button will serve as a gaming joystick

A simple push makes the button pop out and transform into a gaming joystick

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have published an Apple patent application which has revealed that the company is working for such a home button for the iPhone or iPad which can also transform into a gaming joystick. This “multi-function input device” is going to serve as the normal Home button known to the Apple products and would have all those features including the Touch ID and everything else but it will have something in addition which is the; a simple pressure click would pop up the button and transform it into a slightly elevated thumb joystick.

Another push would put the button back into its original form after the gaming. The application also included some diagrams a very low-profile joystick but it is obvious that it would give some level of physical control even though it is considerably smaller than the traditional game controller joysticks because it had to fit inside the thin bodies of iOS devices.

The patent application also hints towards Apple’s idea of introducing this joystick as they felt that most users wouldn’t consider serious mobile gaming since all the controls would be on the screen which can be a bit uncomfortable. Also, playing with the controls on the screen hides a significant portion of the game. The fruit company the only acceptable and gaming friendly option would be to introduce something that is built in and also handy to bring out.

source: uspto