Revealed: Apple’s Idea For A Laptop Turntable

What you’re looking at here is an Apple patent image, showing a modular screen attached to a base with a turntable sitting on top.

The wider patent this image is taken from was approved a few weeks ago, and talks about “modularized (sic) computing and input devices”. The base of the laptop-type device in the picture is able to accept keyboards and other devices, including an Apple turntable. Apparently, the base would be hinged to allow these devices to turn.

When it comes to the turntable element, Apple describes it as like a vinyl turntable, but not actually as one – in other words, it’s a controller, or to put it their way, an “input device” – something that can provide information to the base.

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“Essentially, the base would allow physical or wireless communication with the attached device, in this case, a turntable usable by disc jockeys, or anybody working the decks on their device.” says Apple.

It continues: “The computing device can be utilised by a music producer, a disc jockey, an audio engineer, or the like to generate music in one configuration while also being modular to permit the user to remove the input device.”

Our Thoughts

Don’t think just because an idea is patented, it’ll happen (and by the way, the patent is not for the turntable, rather for the modular attachment system. There is actually zero new thinking in the turntable drawing). But it is interesting, not least because it shows Apple knows what a turntable controller is. However, let=s be honest here – that would be a very big laptop, or a pretty kitsch shrunken turntable!

We’ve always wondered if Apple will eventually buy Algoriddim – if it did, this kind of hardware would sit very nicely alongside Algoriddim’s djay Pro AI software, as Apple-esque a DJing app as you’re ever likely to see.

What do you think of this? Let us know in the comments.