Apple has developed an idea of reducing shipping and packaging costs by selling software on smaller discs which could then be used in slot-loading optical drives built for standard 12 cm CDs and DVDs a new patent filing reveals.

The filing which was made in May 2006 but only revealed last Thursday explains that conventional rotating memory storage discs such as CDs and DVDs are currently produced in standard 12 cm and reduced diameter 8 cm configurations.

However slot loading drives live those used on the MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac are incapable of taking advantage of the smaller medium.

“In such situations it would be advantageous to use a reduced diameter (lower storage capacity) disc,” the filing explained. “Such advantages include reduced shipping costs, reduced production costs, etc.”

The solution appears to be an adapter capable of folding half that can hold the 8cm discs and allow them to be placed into a slot loading drive.

Diagram of compactable memory disc adapterDiagram of compactable memory disc adapter

“However, this solution does nothing to reduce shipping costs since the rigid adapter (with its larger footprint) must be shipped with the reduced diameter disc and therefore a standard sized shipping container must be used to accommodate both the rigid adapter and reduced diameter disc,” writes the patent author. “What is needed is a cost effective method and apparatus for shipping reduced diameter discs that assures the end user will be able to use the reduced diameter disc in a slot drive designed exclusively for a standard diameter disc.”

The invention is currently dubbed a “compactable memory disc adapter” that can be shipped in a compact form and expanded by the customer once extracted from the retail packaging.