Apple Researching Flexible iPhone Displays with Under-Surface Speakers, Tactile Feedback, Laser Microphones

[blackhand1001]

Originally Posted by Mal

Don't knock the home button. I've got a Samsung phone with those stupid capacitive buttons along the bottom of the screen, and if an app locks up or is running poorly, my only recourse is to restart the whole phone (or wait it out). With a physical button, I'm not dependent on the buttons being recognized and I can force quit the app. Plus, it simply looks and feels nicer.

jW

That has nothing to do with whether or not the button is physical or capacitive. All the button is is a switch that tells the os to perform an option. If the thread that controls the operation of the physical button hangs then clicking the button won't do anything either.

[linkgx1]

Hm....looks like Samsung beat them to the punch.

[iOsDroid]

samsung already has already researched flexible screens and have shown prototypes.

[Avatar74]

Originally Posted by iOsDroid

samsung already has already researched flexible screens and have shown prototypes.

They're just waiting for Apple to tell them how to design a releasable product...

[Glideslope]

Originally Posted by Johnf1285

I just want some iMac news already!

October Event. Be patient. You'll like it.

----------

Originally Posted by iOsDroid

samsung already has already researched flexible screens and have shown prototypes.

...and they will be running WIN8.

[irv0735]

Samsung may already have researched flexible displays, but everything appears limited in the way it can bend (the entire screen similar to the images included in the patent filing)

This article mentions pop-up buttons that would be more localized, however I'm surprised that they mention a mechanical aspect underneath to push the screen up forming the button...That would most certainly result in an increase in thickness.

This however, looks awesome!
Tactus

If someone could pull this off and the screen did not feel "rubbery" or lose shape over time, it would be pretty neat.

EDIT: I went and reviewed the patent (should have to start with) and the patent mentions that it could use actuators to pop-up the screen, so it wasn't just the write-up. I still hope Apple could work with Tactus and develop something that does not require them.

[Lark.Landon]

Originally Posted by doelcm82

First we have to end hunger. When no child goes to bed hungry in the world, we can start looking at iOS 6 battery life.

If you're going to focus on one thing at a time, get your priorities straight.

This is a forum where people discuss iProducts, not world issues.

http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org - If you want to discuss hungry children.

----------

Originally Posted by Cyberius11

If you really want to get priorities straight, maybe the benefits of abstinence should be promoted. If you can't afford to feed your kids, why should the rest of the world have to worry about keeping them from going to bed hungry? Sorry, maybe I am a cold-hearted ass, but fixing world hunger isn't my problem. The population is exploding and when people are pretty much stacked on top of each other in massively poor and overcrowded areas, I can't possibly see it being a good idea to procreate if you can barely sustain yourself, and then expect others to help your situation.

That is a bit cold and callous, but very true. /agree

----------

Originally Posted by mike-sr29

Apple dump the home button. Instead, "Siri, open sesame".

I like the home button.

----------

Originally Posted by doelcm82

Now we're getting somewhere!

1. Promote abstinence
2. Feed the world
3. Fix iOS 6 battery-life issues
4. Develop phones with flexible displays

Sounds like a game plan.[COLOR="#808080"]

lulz

----------

Originally Posted by mdelvecchio

yeah? so where's your engineering degree from? what labs do you work in?

or are you just some dude on the internet w/ no relevant data?[COLOR="#808080"]

He's probably a dude on the internet without "any relevant data". He's making a hypothesis. Hence the phrase, "..at least I think. "

Humans have oily skin

Oily fingers rub over the holes depositing small amounts of oil over the course of the iPhone's life

Dirt/Dust sticks to skin oil

Derp derp derp.

----------

Originally Posted by linkgx1

Hm....looks like Samsung beat them to the punch.


Image

You so racist.

[aolbites]

Originally Posted by BornAgainMac

Any iPhone with a laser will be an instant buy for me but I don't want that next to the Mic.

You didn't read the article. It's not next to the Mic, it's replacing the Mic.

[Macintosh-HD]

Originally Posted by attila

THIS is the iPhone 6!

Let's be real. I don't see this "flexible iPhone" as feasible for at least another 10 years... if that. But, on the other hand, you never know these days...

[hchung]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Before anyone says "others always follow Apple" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsIjfy8g2Pk

CES 2011 says Hi!

Glad Apple is also researching this. Flexible displays are going to really make device design explode as multiple shapes will be possible now instead of a flat surface.

Transparent display is also another area vendors need to start exploring.

Apple's patent application is NOT claiming that they're inventing or manufacturing flexible displays. The patent application's abstract is talking about the use of speaker/voicecoil technology to deform a flexible screen in order to provide physical feedback much like irv0735 mentioned referring to Tactus. Or to use the movement of the flexible display as a speaker, a microphone, or both.

So if I hear another "Apple didn't invent flexible displays" battle cry, this is a preemptive "duh. now read."

[tdtran1025]

They certainly race to put ideas patented to lock out competitors. It does not mean the idea can be carried out successfully. What a world we are living in!

[slimbek]

I feel like flexible and curved displays will end up creating an orgy of smartphone designs that end up closely resembling WinAmp skins of the late 90's...

oh the horror!

[linkgx1]

Originally Posted by Lark.Landon

This is a forum where people discuss iProducts, not world issues.

http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org - If you want to discuss hungry children.

----------



That is a bit cold and callous, but very true. /agree

----------



I like the home button.

----------



lulz

----------



He's probably a dude on the internet without "any relevant data". He's making a hypothesis. Hence the phrase, "..at least I think. "

Humans have oily skin

Oily fingers rub over the holes depositing small amounts of oil over the course of the iPhone's life

Dirt/Dust sticks to skin oil

Derp derp derp.

----------



You so racist.

Omg, lol, how does that make me racist?

[Thex1138]

Now that sounds interesting!


They want to ditch all the openings in the screen. Excellent...

2 years until iPhone [6]

[Lark.Landon]

Originally Posted by linkgx1

Omg, lol, how does that make me racist?

Jus' cuz he azn you callin' him Sam-sunggggg! Ooooo u so racizzzst! <3 I'm just kidding around. <3 <3

[sparkso]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Before anyone says "others always follow Apple" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsIjfy8g2Pk

CES 2011 says Hi!

Glad Apple is also researching this. Flexible displays are going to really make device design explode as multiple shapes will be possible now instead of a flat surface.

Transparent display is also another area vendors need to start exploring.

The problem is no one else dares to go-to-market with new tech until after Apple spent millions in deeper research and refining into an actual product, and then everyone starts doing the same once they've proven the market for it.

[AppleScruff1]

Maybe they should concentrate on making a working map app and a phone that doesn't come scratched from the factory first.

[Bladers]

Originally Posted by sparkso

The problem is no one else dares to go-to-market with new tech until after Apple spent millions in deeper research and refining into an actual product, and then everyone starts doing the same once they've proven the market for it.

Seeing that Both samsung and Nokia have flexible and stretchable displays prototypes out already in the public.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLD8RbKJwBw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zto6aTZM9t0

Samsung:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k6r2HQY9Ws
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJEHp15Hoo0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU2nG9qy6vs

You need to put down the apple and smell the coffee.

[tuyylihk]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Before anyone says "others always follow Apple" :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsIjfy8g2Pk

CES 2011 says Hi!

Glad Apple is also researching this. Flexible displays are going to really make device design explode as multiple shapes will be possible now instead of a flat surface.

Transparent display is also another area vendors need to start exploring.

Seems the flexible display is the way apple can put "Under-Surface Speakers, Tactile Feedback, Laser Microphones" into their devices.
So the flexible display is not the most important thing this time.

Everyone know the flexible display is not something new.
It is not possible that Apple can get the patent only with this.

I am confused how can the flexible display be used in the past.
Apple may be answering me this time.

[KnightWRX]

Originally Posted by sparkso

The problem is no one else dares to go-to-market with new tech until after Apple spent millions in deeper research and refining into an actual product, and then everyone starts doing the same once they've proven the market for it.

Yeah, I guess you're right. Especially with display tech. It's not like anyone had the Retina display before Apple did it on iPhone 4... Or in-cell touch technology before the iPhone 5.

Oh wait... That's not even remotely true. 300+ ppi phones were available before iPhone 4 (Toshiba shipped the Protege G900 in June 2007 with a 315 ppi screen) and Super AMOLED incorporated a form of in cell touch on the first phone to ship with it, the Samsung Galaxy S (yes, the original model!).

Oh geez, there goes your theory.

[FieldingMellish]

iPhone 5 is already flexible. Some are bent from having sat on them in a back pocket.

[BvizioN]

Originally Posted by Rot'nApple

A product that used to be refreshed by a company called Apple COMPUTER, Inc.!
/
/

Not anymore. Just Apple inc

[Bezetos]

I wonder how this differs from what Samsung and other companies are doing, because the description pretty much matches what other companies have been experimenting with (laser microphones, in-display speakers, tactile feedback etc.).

Nokia had a concept video many years ago describing those ideas and many more.

----------

Originally Posted by sparkso

The problem is no one else dares to go-to-market with new tech until after Apple spent millions in deeper research and refining into an actual product, and then everyone starts doing the same once they've proven the market for it.

I really don't understand where people are getting the idea that Apple is spending "millions in deeper research", and this statement is usually accompanied by the argument that other companies are "stealing from Apple".

[gpat]

Originally Posted by wovel

September 2013:

Apple has announced the new iPhone 6. This is phone is completely flexible and water proof! Phill Schiller and Tim Cook climb into a water tank and play underwater hand-ball with their phone. They climb out of the water and call each other by accessing Siri using telepathy.


Here are the headlines we would see:

Engadget: iPhone 6 Disappoints
BGR: iPhone 6 is Boring
AI: Analysts Concerned with Apple's Ability to Innovate
MacRumors: Does the iPhone 6 Disappoint?
Android Police: iPhone still trying to catch Android.

3/5 of the sites you mentioned have been licking on Apple's backside for as long as I can recall.

[wimdows]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

Glad Apple is also researching this. Flexible displays are going to really make device design explode as multiple shapes will be possible now instead of a flat surface.

iTransformer anyone? iTransphone?