The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published an Apple patent application revealing the company's interest in an iPhone or iPad home button that transitions form its normal functionality into a small joystick for gaming (via Patently Apple). 

The "multi-function input device" would serve its normal home button functions, ostensibily with Touch ID and all other current features, but with a simple pressure click would pop up and transform into a slightly elevated thumb joystick. 

Home button mode (left) and joystick mode (right)

A simple push of the elevated home button back into a flush position with the body of the iPhone would return it to its original state when done gaming. Diagrams included in the application show a very low-profile joystick , allowing for some level of physical control while being much smaller than traditional game controller joysticks in order to fit into the thin bodies of iOS devices. 

Apple's claims within the patent application note some gamers' hesitancy to play seriously on a smartphone due to the entire set of controls resting on the screen, with their fingers blocking a significant portion of the game's content. The company thinks a built-in solution in form of this new home button could be an acceptable option for those unable or unwilling to carry additional gaming accessories. 


As noted by Patently Apple, the patent, with inventor credit going to Colin Ely and Fletcher Rothkopf, was originally filed by the company in the summer of 2013. Though it's highly unlikely this particular technology will show up on the company's next iPhone, presumably launching later this year, like most patents it's still interesting to see what possibilities Apple has considered in the past and the possible directions it may choose to go in the future.

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/01/15/iphone-home-button-joystick/

Could this be the final nail in the coffin for dedicated handhelds if Apple actually goes through with it? Because, really, an analog stick is pretty much all that's holding ios and android phones from challenging Nintendo imo. Yeah, I know Nintendo has the IP, but the moment an Iphone, a device that dwarfs the 3DS in sales, has the ability to play core games with an actual analog stick? Pretty much ALL third party developers are going to jump ship. It's going to be a mass exodus imo.

What do you guys think?

End of discussion everyone.

Is it me, or does that button look like it could break easily? If it's pushed by accident (and being a phone, it could be pushed by being on your pocket while walking) and it gets moved around too much? Let's remember all of the last iPhone and the bending problems.

Dual analog or gtfo :P

This is why I'm hoping Nintendo indeed fuses its console and mobile operations into a platform it can develop exclusive games for.

A single analog stick? With no Physical Buttons?

Lol.

A better innovation than gimmicky fingerprint recognition. But as already mentioned, lacking buttons severely limits this innovation as a handheld console killer.

5. Pokemon exists.

How is that gonna change from the current market share? It's not like the Nintendo HH fanbase will simply ignore the next DS for another iPhone iteration. And a worse gaming system.

Waste of time to patent that.
Though it may make sense for apple to release a proper handheld in future when mobile will reach the saturation point and demand will be for specialized devices again.