A patent filing for Apple was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday March 28, indicating that Apple is pursuing a futuristic portable device featuring all-glass construction, wrap-around AMOLED display and face-tracking.
Through the device, Apple appears to take screen space to its full advantage. According to Apple Insider, the wrap-around display is fitted into the chassis by folding, inserting, and unfolding or "unrolling." Apple seems to think the wrap-around display style puts the device at an advantage over current smartphones, allowing for a broader range of graphics.
Portions of the filing indicate that the screen should be used as an input feature, given that no other buttons or switches are present on the device. Gestures take the place of hold and volume buttons. Other details include new technology like facial recognition and layers of transparent displays to imitate 3D screens.
Glass or other transparent material is mentioned as a suitable structure for the device and some embodiments are seamless. A user detection system is required, given that the screen wraps completely around the device. So, the phone tracks the user through facial recognition technology via on-board cameras.
In one iteration a glass tube is used, with mention of the glass's radio transparency, an important feature in internal wireless communications devices. Metal columns can be used in the chassis for extra support. Unlike the outside structure, the inside can vary from rectangular to pill-shaped. Both sides of the device are fastened with end caps, though some versions include removable end caps for connection between two devices.
Apple first filed a patent for a device with a wrap-around display in 2011, with Scott A. Myers credited as the inventor. A report surfaced on Tuesday indicating that Apple is attempting to build a new, ultra-sensitive touch screen into the iPhone 6.
