Tag: Apple Patent

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Mobile Syrup

Apple reportedly developing a foldable with unique screen protection mechanism

Apple has long been rumoured to be working on a foldable version of its iPhone, but the Cupertino-based company has never provided any official confirmation about development.

A new patent, reviewed by Business Insider indicates that the company is indeed exploring the possibility of a foldable iPhone, and is also looking for ways to protect the foldable’s screen from damage if it is dropped.

The patent application is titled “Self-retracting display device and techniques for protecting screen using drop detection,” and it shows a device that includes a fall detector or accelerometer that triggers a release mechanism to automatically retract the foldable display when the device is dropped. The patent does include a limitation for the technology, saying that the foldable’s display might not fully retract when it is dropped close to the ground/from a low altitude.

To address this issue, the patent application proposes that even folding the display to an angle less than 180 degrees can still offer some protection to the device. This is because the mobile device can strike edges of the mobile device instead of the display itself.

While this latest patent application doesn’t necessarily confirm that Apple is actively developing a foldable iPhone, it does indicate that the company is still exploring the idea.

Via: Business Insider

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Mobile Syrup

Apple patent shows next-gen hinged keyboard for iPad, with possible macOS UI integration

Apple has been granted a new patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an in-development hinged keyboard for the iPad. This accessory is said to offer “superior flexibility” and enable the iPad to offer a macOS UI.

The patent’s description reads as “Hinged keyboard accessory having multiple installation modes for a tablet computing device.” The patent was filed on July 29th, 2020 and subsequently granted on May 3rd, 2022.

Boiling it down, the accessory includes a base portion and a coupling mechanism to attach to an iPad. The base may include a keyboard with electromagnetic keys. The coupling mechanism positions itself along a side of the keyboard. It may be configured to rotate the base portion to the tablet.

There may ultimately be various installation modes. The mechanism could define the attachment interface for the iPad to the base portion. Once coupled, the iPad may be able to run a UI similar to or identical to macOS.

The patent also covers a possible merging of an iPad and a MacBook. Once detached from the iPad, the device serves as an iPad with an Apple Pencil. However, once it attaches to the keyboard, the device works as a functioning Mac device with touchscreen support.

Theoretically, this keyboard could provide the bridge between Apple’s iPad products and the Mac line. Apple has never been too adamant about developing a Mac with touchscreen functions. This may be the most logical way to support a feature set without fully committing to a touchscreen MacBook.

Of course, Apple regularly files patents for products it is experimenting with. Reports of this keyboard are far from confirmation that this will end up on the market. However, it’s always interesting to catch a glimpse behind the curtain and see where Apple’s innovations lay.

Image credit: PatentlyApple

Source: PatentlyApple

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Apple might be working on a device holder for vehicles

A new Apple patent might offer clues regarding what the Cupertino, California-based company is working on.

According to PatentlyApple, the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) published a new patent (20220089100) that refers to “attachment devices for securing a phone in a vehicle.”

According to the patent, the device holder contains a moving magnetic structure secured in a housing that allows it to hold onto your phone, and other devices magnetically while you’re in a vehicle, owing to MagSafe support.

The holder might also feature a built-in powerbank, or connect to the vehicle’s power to charge the device it is holding in place.

The device holder will feature what the patent refers to as a “differential-pressure-based holding structure” that includes a flexible membrane to form a seal on the surface of the device. The internal pressure in the sealed area is less than the ambient air pressure, resulting in the holder holding your device in place securely.

The device might also feature a suction cup to hold onto your device, or the suction cup might be used to attach the device holder to your vehicle’s dashboard.

For more information about the patented device, check out patent application number 20220089100 on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website.

Images credit: PatentlyApple

Source: PatentlyApple