Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What is Apple Planning on Making with this 3x3cm Touch Screen?

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,537
30,847



064133-2_201007091757341_500.jpg



064134-2_201007091757271_500.jpg


Tw.apple.pro posts a few images of an Apple-branded touch screen that only measures 3x3 centimeters. The site has been a source of early parts for Apple products in the past, including white iPhone 4 parts and MacBook Pro enclosures. Based on the machine translation they aren't quite sure what the part is for. Though, they speculate about an iPod Touch nano, iPod Touch shuffle and even a touch-screen wrist-watch.

We're not sure what to make of it. The screen isn't the right proportion to be used in the current iPod nano, though Apple could change the design. We're also taking their word on it that it's even a touch screen.

Article Link: What is Apple Planning on Making with this 3x3cm Touch Screen?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/07/09/what-is-apple-planning-on-making-with-this-3x3cm-touch-screen/
whooleytoo

whooleytoo

macrumors 604
Aug 2, 2002
6,607
716
Cork, Ireland.
Touchscreen in lieu of a trackpad on MacBooks/MacBook Pros?

Edit - obviously way too small. Maybe the "new AppleTV" will have a small touch-screen?
 
jayducharme

jayducharme

macrumors 601
Jun 22, 2006
4,533
5,980
The thick of it
That's really bizarre. The square proportion makes it look like an old Philco television. Maybe it's going to be a new type of touchpad. Is it a "retina" display? If it's standard resolution, it would be too small to be visually useful.
 
N

newdeal

macrumors 68030
Oct 21, 2009
2,510
1,769
...

How the he'll would you read or touch anything on such a small screen. It probably is just a prototype for something that they didn't make full size due to cost. Perhaps a prototype retina display just to see if the pixel density would work or something
 
A

Alexwithad

macrumors 6502
May 27, 2009
323
1
USA
3x3 cm is ridiculously small, what could possibly function on 3x3 cm with a touch screen? What about people with large fingers...
 
Arran

Arran

macrumors 601
Mar 7, 2008
4,847
3,779
Atlanta, USA
Apple TV remote?

It needs to be a small screen to fit in a small device. And it needs to be a small, rigid and lightweight device to survive being; sat on, dropped on the floor, thrown across the room, and all the other indignities a TV remote suffers.

The display will function mostly as a thumb operated trackpad for the new Apple TV. Buttons, etc., will appear on its surface as needed.

Remote body will likely be aluminum (lightweight and rigid).

All IMHO.
 
M

Mal67

macrumors 6502a
Apr 2, 2006
519
36
West Oz
Dick Tracey wrist watch:) cool or Blake's Seven wrist communicator cool too. Or itouch nano :) sweet. One way or the other looks like touch screen is the way to go.
 
N

Nieval

Suspended
Mar 13, 2008
534
93
iPod classic with the same classic body and click wheel but a touch screen as well. That's my bet.
 
F

fluentinsix

macrumors newbie
Jun 17, 2010
5
0
Given Apple's tendency to stick rigidly to its design principles, I can't see it dropping the home button from an ios device.
 
C

Christianlom

macrumors newbie
Jul 9, 2010
1
0
I might know what the screen is going to be used for.

I'm quite a Apple fanboy, and yesterday I was searching the web for news about a upcomming TomTom car-kit for the iPhone 4, when i suddently stumpled over this video. I know the title on the system menu says "iPod" but who knows?

It looks like apple are creating a car or sound system that's going to be using a new UI, which might just fit this little screen perfectly.

I'm really hoping that they'll create a car-kit, would be so awesome.


/ChristianLom
 
S

samdale

macrumors newbie
Jun 16, 2009
12
0
I'm think appe tv remote. Maybe with limited controls/some sort of cover flow (although that would be on the tv screen so not sure).

An ipod Shuffle with a touch screen would be useless. Don't most people use them whilst running/at the gym. You need physical buttons for that. And ipod Touch Nano would surely have a screen with a similar ratio to the ipod touch/iPhone, no? Square seems odd
 
M

milo

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2003
6,891
522
I don't think it's likely we'll see it on any apple product, and at that size I'm skeptical that it's a touch screen, but if it is real, most likely possibilities are shuffle, a much cheaper/simpler phone (probably unlikely), or a fancy remote for TV etc.

Considering how small and low resolution the displays are on the smallest and most basic phones and mp3 players, even without a really high resolution, this would be a step up for the shuffle (touchscreen or otherwise).
 
Mkz

Mkz

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2007
158
2
Manchester, UK
Would be amazing if it was a watch but it wont be because it's something thats become more useless as everyone has a phone with the time on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom