iPhone Transformation into Full-Fledged Touchscreen Laptop via New Apple Patent
The latest advancements in integrating iPhones and iPads as laptop-like devices are primarily focused on the iPad, with the release of iPadOS 26 at WWDC 2025 marking a significant step forward.
iPadOS 26 significantly enhances the iPad's potential as a laptop replacement. The updated operating system delivers extensive multitasking improvements, a better external monitor experience, improved mouse and trackpad support, and stronger background app performance. Features like an evolved Stage Manager enable genuinely useful multi-window management, while external display support now feels native rather than a tacked-on addition.
The Files app on iPadOS 26 is much more robust, with enhanced list views, custom folders, dock integration, and drag-and-drop. These updates address longstanding productivity concerns and bring the iPad closer to replacing traditional laptops for many users.
Apple has also made efforts to bring more "pro" level apps like Final Cut Pro to iPads. iPadOS 26 introduces a new design language called Liquid Glass, offering a visually fresh and more immersive interface especially on larger OLED displays.
These updates continue Apple's gradual transformation of the iPad into a true productivity machine. However, some professional and workflow limitations remain as of 2025.
Despite the progress made with iPads, there is no new public indication of direct iPhone-as-a-laptop integration equivalent to iPads, nor a further evolution of the 2017 patent concept specifically for iPhones beyond iPadOS enhancements. The focus has been on software and usability improvements for iPad hardware to enable laptop-like functionality.
It's important to note that iBooks 2, an updated e-book software introduced by Apple for iOS devices in 2012, is not related to the patent for a laptop dock for a cell phone published by Apple in 2017.
In summary, the strongest recent progress is the software-driven evolution of iPads toward laptop-like versatility with iPadOS 26, featuring multitasking, external monitor support, more powerful file management, and pro apps. This development pushes the iPad closer to replacing traditional laptops, but without an equivalent breakthrough on the iPhone side as of mid-2025.
[1] Macworld. (2025, June 7). iPadOS 26: All the new features announced at WWDC 2025. Retrieved from https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/ipados-26-all-the-new-features-announced-at-wwdc-2025-4250440/
[2] CNET. (2017, March 23). Apple files patent for laptop dock for iPhone and iPad. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-files-patent-for-laptop-dock-for-iphone-and-ipad/
[3] TechCrunch. (2025, June 7). iPadOS 26: Apple's latest step towards making the iPad a true laptop replacement. Retrieved from https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/07/ipados-26-apples-latest-step-towards-making-the-ipad-a-true-laptop-replacement/
The latest software updates on iPads, such as iPadOS 26, are enhancing its capability to replace traditional laptops, with improvements in multitasking, external monitor support, and file management. On the other hand, there has been no equivalent advancement in directly integrating iPhones as laptop-like devices, as seen primarily on the iPad, with no new public announcements or patent evolutions specifically for iPhones beyond iPadOS enhancements.
