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Patent suggests Apple is considering an iPhone with joystick

Apple has patented an iPhone with a pop-out joystick in the home key.

iphone_with_joystick

Patents are not a guarantee of things actually happening, but IGN turned up a July 2013 Apple filing with the US Patent & Trademark Office for a new kind of iPhone.

Described as a “multi-function input device", the joystick usually lives inside the iPhone's body, flush with the surface, and functions like the Home button. When pressed it pops out.

Apple specifically calls out the potential use of the joystick in gaming, mentioning the "shortcomings" of touchscreen controls.

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Brenna Hillier avatar

Brenna Hillier

Contributor

Based in Australia and having come from a lengthy career in the Aussie games media, Brenna worked as VG247's remote Deputy Editor for several years, covering news and events from the other side of the planet to the rest of the team. After leaving VG247, Brenna retired from games media and crossed over to development, working as a writer on several video games.

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