If the production of the next iPhone can be likened to "James Bond" movie flicks, Apple's Jony Ive might be playing the role of Q, the head of the R&D division of the spy agency that gives the famous British spy the coolest toys and weapons.
Aside from overhauling the user interface and the looks of the iPhone, there are also rumors that Apple is planning to equip the next iteration of its blockbuster handset with a display that can hide components such as a camera, strobe light, and a finger print reader. The said display has the capability of revealing them when needed by the user.
"Placing components that would typically be found on the surface of an electronic device enclosure behind a transparent display may increase the surface real-estate of the enclosure for a larger display or additional components," Patently Apple reported.
Hiding the components behind the display will also remove the physical clutter on enclosure of the device and will give it a seamless overall design.
Based on the images of the Apple patent, components like a biometric sensor and hidden camera could be embedded behind the display of the iPhone.
The invention refers to a transparent display to be used with the capability of revealing the components when an application calls for it. The camera is hidden behind the display but then pops up on the screen when the user cues the system via the user interface that it needs to shoot an image or record a video. The same is true for other compones such as biometric sensors. The display will again conceal the components when not in use. This technique may also mean bigger screen real estate for the users.
The reported images vary a little bit from patent images back in October where a finger print sensor is positioned next to the home button.
Apple gives the credit to Benjamin Rapporport, Fletcher Rothkop, Jeremy Franklin, Christopher Stringer, Stephen Lynch, John Ternus, Scott Myers, Julian Hoenig, and Richard Howarth for the invention of the new system.
Back in January, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst for KGI Securities, predicted that the purchase of Florida-based company AuthenTec by Apple will be reflected in its products such as the iPhone 5S this year. Kuo, who has been known to accurately predict Apple's moves, believes that a finger print sensor on the new iPhone will drop the need for usernames and passwords.
The concoction of rumors that the iPhone 5S will have a retina resolution, an upgraded camera, and now this, a high-technology display that can hide a biometric sensor, strobe and camera tickle the imagination of would-be Agent 007 among consumers.
