Is Google planning on bringing a back panel with touch controls to the X Phone? A new patent from Google says it will be used on upcoming Android smartphones and tablets. This could be a killer feature that has not appeared on any smartphones and would be a great way for Google to add such an innovative feature to the first smartphone it will release since its acquisition of Motorola.
It looks like Google wants this patent before Apple gets it, even though Apple applied for a similar patent for future tablets back in 2006. Google appears to be pushing for this patent before Apple succeeds in getting it and reportedly wants to bring a smartphone to market using this technology before Apple implements it on its iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.
Patent Bolt came across this patent and posted images of the patent and description. Google describes the feature as "simple backside device touch controls that will be applied to future Android devices." The smartphone will be able to identify an operation to carry out in response to not-touchscreen contact on the back of the device. Users would be able to navigate and perform certain functions without ever needing to touch the display on the front of the smartphone. This is similar to the way Sony's PlayStation Vita has a touch-enabled backside in order to add functionality to the portable gaming console in a unique way.
Google's patent also shows a "Preview Mode" that would show the user a preview of an operation through four different points. The device would also provide visual, audible and tactile feedback to the users, letting them know that the rear panel detected the user's tap.
The Google / Motorola X Phone has been described as a game-changer smartphone that should have Samsung and Apple worried. This new patent sounds like a feature that would not only set the X Phone apart from current smartphones, but Google would probably open up the API so developers could create even more uses for the rear touch controls.
It will be interesting to see if this feature ends up in the X Phone or if Google is just trying to increase its patent portfolio. Is this the kind of feature you'd like to see on your smartphone in the future? Let us know in the comments.
