As a final note in the recent flurry of Apple Tablet and Gesture patents, one user points out some interesting possible relationships between Apple's recent patents.
One video has received a lot of attention. It is a video by Jeff Han on his research into Multi-Touch displays. The impressive display shows a user using multiple fingers/hands in manipulating objects on the screen. A closer look at technology behind the demonstration reveals that it is a very intricate setup.
The system shown uses a technique called Frustrated Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) to accomplish the tasks shown. It involves the use of a transparent screen with the images rear-projected onto it. For touch-sensing, a camera is placed behind the screen to detect the user interaction. A diagram of the setup is shown here.
The use of both a projector and rear-camera, of course, is not feasible in any potential laptop or tablet device from Apple... but conveniently enough, Apple has recently applied for a patent on an Integrated Sensing Display (diagram) providing a screen that can be used both as a display and as a camera:
The integrated sensing display includes both display elements and image sensing elements. As a result, the integrated sensing device can not only output images but also input images.
At the time, many users dismissed the need for such an elaborate display when the built-in iSights offer a reasonable solution for video-conferencing needs. Of course, the use of this "integrated sensing" display would not likely use the FTIR method as described above, but could offer similar multi-touch functionality.
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
