Ok, not really.
However, it seems like this week there were numerous articles that popped up all over the interwebs with the headlines: “Apple Patents [insert cool Apple-like invention here].”
The three Apple patents that have surfaced most recently are:
- A touch-based cover for iPad with trackpad
- Smudge-resistant sapphire coating
- Transparent texting to help people who walk and text (ha!)
Touch-Based Cover
Most of us have seen Microsoft’s Surface, which is a tablet that can pair with a cover-like super thin keyboard. However, in true Apple fashion, their patent contains a unique twist that makes it very different from anything that is out on the market currently: the whole cover acts as a trackpad and supports Multi-Touch gestures. Gestures would include the ones we currently use to operate our iOS devices, but there might be more added as well. I think this is definitely the right direction to go for the future of our iOS devices.
Smudge-Resistant Sapphire Coating
Apple also filed a patent for “Oleophobic coating on sapphire” which adds further evidence to back up the claim that Apple will use sapphire glass for their future device displays. Oleophobic, which is an oil-repelling coating, would be added to the displays to help reduce fingerprints on the glass. There are a few hiccups that need to be worked out as some oleophobic treatments do not mix well when applied directly to the sapphire glass, but the $578 million deal that Apple signed with sapphire producer GT Advanced Technologies is a good indication that sapphire displays are joining the Apple family.
Transparent Texting
How many YouTube videos have you seen where people are walking and texting and run straight into a lamp post or telephone pole? Yeah, there are a lot. I don’t necessarily agree with this patent as I think people need to unglue their faces from their phones from time-to-time, but hey, times have changed.
Apple would like to help those who would like to walk and text. This would be a transparent texting system and would replace the background on the phone’s text app. Using the rear camera, the user would be able to see what obstacles are ahead.
I’m wondering how well this would work as a lot of people have their phone facing towards the ground and therefore you might not necessarily see what is up ahead. While I appreciate Apple trying to think ahead, I’m going to go all old school here and say that people might need to stop walking while texting and pull themselves away from technology for a hot second — but that’s just me.
It’ll be interesting to see what comes of these patents — hopefully we’ll find out more in September when Apple announces new products!