Apple has won a patent that shows they might be planning on a future generation of MacBooks that contain a removable mouse within the keyboard.

The patent proposal is titled “Deployable Key Mouse” and details this feature.

“The removable key can have a position sensor,” the patent explains, “wherein in the first configuration, the removable key structure is operable to provide a key-based typing input, and, in the second configuration, the removable key structure is operable as a computer pointing device using the position sensor.

“The removable key structure can therefore allow comfortable, portable, and precise pointer input for a computer input system.”

Given that the patent was only filed last week, this innovation is likely to be years away, if they proceed with it at all.

But it’s a nifty idea – and one we’d like to see.