Apple acquires patents on technology to realize 'turning iPhone'

ByMark Mathosian

On January 6, 2015 local time local time Apple announced that it is "Flexible electronic devices"I got a patent. Not only display and case, it can be bent to internal parts, it has become quite epoch-making content.

Apple wins extensive patent for foldable, flexible iPhone with force gesture controls
http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/01/06/apple-wins-extensive-patent-for-foldable-flexible-iphone-with-force-controls

According to the database of the US Patent and Trademark Office, the patent acquired by Apple contains the contents that "display and housing and internal parts are flexible and deformable", and it bends not only to the outside of the device, but also to the battery and board It was supposed to be the content. Apple has never beenBending displayAnd a patent such as a housing, but at last we took a patent of "bending device" that integrated everything, including internal parts.


If the turning iPhone is released, the flexible OLED display will be used or the case will be totally different from the current specification as plastic cases and fiber materials are used instead of aluminum case. Generally speaking, it is difficult to strongly fix internal parts with screws or soldering when the case is made of plastic or silicon, but while using conventional technology such as screws and soldering, If you have a chassis to keep, you can think that you can realize a turning iPhone.

According to the patent contents, there seems to be a hard part in the flexible board to protect important parts such as CPU.


Moreover, if it is "curved iPhone", it is also possible to develop a new user interface which has never existed before. For example, with a force sensor on the iPhone, you can turn on the power or launch the application by grasping the main unit.


In addition, as shown in the figure below, the device is supposed to collapse like a wallet. A band that can be bent and stretched in the 1990's "Slap braceletAlthough it was popular, Apple initially planned to apply the technology of folding devices as a watch type device like a slap bracelet.


This patent was filed in 2011, and it is not necessarily the case that such an iPhone will be released as a result of acquiring a patent, but after a few years it will be "bent and caught in a pocket Even if it's like an iPhone ", there is no wonder at all.