Anúncios
If a new patent recently awarded by Apple is any indication, the foldable market could be heating up in a big way.
The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Apple a patent for a device that comes with a foldable display and a “self-healing display” that would use heat from a variety of sources, including light, current heat and external that will allow the surface of the screen to return to shape. The patent, which was earlier reported by Patently Apple, would also come with a layer on top of its display that would heal itself.
Anúncios
While Apple didn’t say exactly how the patent would work in practice, it certainly raises questions about Apple’s intentions in the mobile space after years of rumors suggesting it’s working on a foldable iPhone to compete in the wider iPhone market. stacked against Samsung and Google. According to some rumors, it’s also possible that Apple could offer a foldable iPad and avoid a foldable iPhone altogether.
Either way, offering a foldable device would be a first for Apple, which has stubbornly stuck to flat-panel phones since the iPhone launched nearly 20 years ago. However, the foldable market is still relatively slow, partly due to the small number of competitors in the space. Apple joining this fray could reboot the industry and challenge its competitors.
That said, adding a self-healing display to the device could ultimately be the most critical factor in the success of a future foldable iPhone. While foldable devices are generally well-received and well-reviewed, they tend to suffer from screen issues over time after extended use. A feature that allows them to heal themselves would be an important addition to Apple’s handsets and potentially help the company stake a claim in the market early on.
Anúncios
But before we get ahead, there are a few things to remember. For one, a patent award doesn’t mean the technology will ever make its way into a device. Like any big tech company, Apple files for patents all the time, and many of its patents never find their way into its hardware.
Furthermore, the patent itself is extremely vague. How the display could be heated included almost every option imaginable. Apple said the self-healing layer will be made of “polymer or any desired material that has self-healing properties.” What’s more, the company said it could “extend to the entire outer surface of the display cover” or possibly sit on a portion of the screen.
So while it’s fun to speculate what Apple might be thinking about foldable devices, don’t count on the technology described in the patent coming to a future handset.
More from Tom’s Guide
#Apple #patents #foldable #iPhone #selfhealing #screen
Image Source : www.tomsguide.com
