Apple envisions iPhones and iPads as MacBook "brains"?

Lots of companies have been trying to bridge the gap between smartphones and regular computers, and it seems Apple has also some ideas about it for the future.

We have seen Windows and Android devices trying to work out as desktop computers when you connect a smartphone or tablet to a keyboard and monitor; and Apple is also thinking about doing something similar with the iPhone and iPad.

In one patent request  we  can see an iPhone drop into a trackpad slot in a laptop design, becoming not only the trackpad but the entire brains of the system. Should you upgrade your iPhone, you'd upgrade your laptop as well.

There's also a similar concept for the iPad, but in this case the iPad takes the place of the brains and screen of the laptop.

Sure, all these things have been tried in the past (remember the Asus Padfone?) but we all know Apple is an expert in picking up things that have been tried, and sort them out - which, by itself, would mean this sort of interest is something we should keep an eye on.

... And if we consider Apple might be looking into creating an ARM powered MacBook... then this all makes even more sense, and could mean we'll see something real pop up sooner rather than later.