Apple's Smart Cover accessory, however, would go well beyond such concepts. One example of more versatile functionality detailed in the application shows a user holding a stylus pen to draw an Apple on the secondary display, turning the Smart Cover into a graphics tablet. Another example features the secondary display on the outside of the iPad when the Smart Cover is closed, providing the user with system-saved reminders, calendar alerts, social networking updates, and other notifications. The touchscreen functionality in this case would also allow users to add new reminders without having to open the Smart Cover.

The application was filed in Aug. 2011 and names Fletcher R. Rothkops, a manager of product design at Apple, as the inventor. Bear in mind, however, that patent applications do not guarantee the concepts in question will turn into actual products. Many don't see the light of day, but hopefully Apple is working to make this technology a reality. The iPad is already the most popular tablet on the market, but a new Smart Cover with added functionality would certainly make it even more attractive.