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

Next-Generation iPhone to Offer Touch-Sensitive Casing?

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,179
38,960


In an interesting twist as fourth-generation iPhone rumors begin to gather steam in the new year, Bloomberg cites Goldman Sachs analyst Robert Chen, who predicts that Apple's next iPhone may take some cues from the company's new multi-touch Magic Mouse and incorporate a touch-sensitive casing in addition to the traditional touchscreen.
Magic Mouse, a computer mouse released in October, has a touch-sensitive solid plastic shell that replaces mechanical buttons. The technology may be replicated in the new iPhone to offer touch-sensitive features on the rear of the handset, Chen said.
Click to expand...
No evidence for Chen's claim is given beyond the citing of an unidentified source, however, and no specific suggestions of how the touch sensitivity might be utilized are offered.

Chen also claims that the new iPhone will make an appearance "as early as June" and will offer a 5-megapixel camera, up from the 3.2-megapixel camera found in the iPhone 3GS. A report late last month indicated that Apple had in fact placed orders for 5-megapixel camera sensors for the new iPhone, with another claim last week suggesting that Apple is looking to add an LED flash to the iPhone's camera capabilities.

Article Link: Next-Generation iPhone to Offer Touch-Sensitive Casing?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/13/next-generation-iphone-to-offer-touch-sensitive-casing/
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I highly doubt this and I see virtually no real use for it either. And yes, what about the case companies? Maybe a touch sensative home button, otherwise, it sounds silly.
 
I could see it be the space around the home button- which you might not need anymore where you have lots of space to do muti-touch stuff but not take screen real estate to do that- in fact, center the screen so there is two multi-touch pads on either side to use for gaming or other apps.
 
flyfish29 said:
This could be very cool! I could see it be the space around the home button- which you might not need anymore where you have lots of space to do muti-touch stuff but not take screen real estate to do that- in fact, center the screen so there is two multi-touch pads on either side to use for gaming or other apps.
Click to expand...

this i could see, like the palm pre sort of. But on the back, that would just be retarded lol
 
Yeah- my one big grips with using the iPod Touch for a game machine is that I dont' want my fingers/thumbs all over my screen- for some games it is great for (paper toss) but for others (racing or FPS) it stinks!
 
5 MP I can see being useful, could someone explain how multitouch gestures on the back of a phone could be useful at all? I like the idea and the tech, I just don't think it would work on the iPhone.
 
combat said:
5 MP I can see being useful, could someone explain how multitouch gestures on the back of a phone could be useful at all? I like the idea and the tech, I just don't think it would work on the iPhone.
Click to expand...

exactly - i too appreciate the tech, but rear-facing touch gestures would be difficult to manage with one or two hands - can't see this being a legitimate rumor.

always welcome a camera spec bump...
 
Maaaaybe for gaming it could be useful (to a certain level).
Otherwise I don't see too much use for a touch case at all...

WAIT A MINUTE!!! Maybe while I'm talking holding the phone I could...
...no... I can't think of anything I could do with it. :D:D

PS: maybe rubbing the phone while I'm using it will make it feel more appreciated...
 
Other then the awkwardly small shape (which thankfully, because of small hands, I'm growing use to) - I love my magic mouse. One of the best things ever.
 
eg: scroll

combat said:
5 MP I can see being useful, could someone explain how multitouch gestures on the back of a phone could be useful at all? I like the idea and the tech, I just don't think it would work on the iPhone.
Click to expand...


could be good. scroll through lists while holding phone in one hand, index finger controls scrolling on back of iphone, instead of using index finger of other hand on the screen.

it has become tiring that so many actions on the iphone require 2 hands instead of one.
 
combat said:
5 MP I can see being useful, could someone explain how multitouch gestures on the back of a phone could be useful at all? I like the idea and the tech, I just don't think it would work on the iPhone.
Click to expand...

In trying to keep an open mind I could justify utilizing the back surface for touch sensitivity in tasks that require full and uninterrupted use of the front facing screen. However, if there is not way to disengage rear input sensitivity, this may create more problems than it proposes to solve. There have been a few patents from Apple demonstrating utilization of the rear surface of an iPod Touch while watching movies and playing games. Perhaps such technology would be better suited for the rumored tablet, as holding the tablet while invoking rear surface multitouch controls would be more logical for such a form factor.

Berio said:
could be good. scroll through lists while holding phone in one hand, index finger controls scrolling on back of iphone, instead of using index finger of other hand on the screen.

it has become tiring that so many actions on the iphone require 2 hands instead of one.
Click to expand...

Using one hand to manipulate the device makes some sense. The index finger of the hand that holds the device allows for scrolling through a list. However, without being able to determine what your finger is selecting may propose difficulties for full functionality, requiring the other hand to select a song or contact, etc.
 
baslotto said:
Maaaaybe for gaming it could be useful (to a certain level).
Otherwise I don't see too much use for a touch case at all...

WAIT A MINUTE!!! Maybe while I'm talking holding the phone I could...
...no... I can't think of anything I could do with it. :D:D

PS: maybe rubbing the phone while I'm using it will make it feel more appreciated...
Click to expand...

I agree gaming would be useful- triggers, accelerators (like paddles on a steering wheel) for driving games, etc. Perhaps scrolling?


It would make cases odd shaped for sure.
 
Many people hold their phones with their index finger pressed to the back of the phone. Maybe stroking up or down can adjust speaker volume during a call, which is easier than pressing the small side buttons during a call.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Perhaps such technology would be better suited for the rumored tablet, etc.[/QUOTE]

You hit on it there. Why is this not a TABLET rumor rather 4G iPhone? Would work better with the larger form factor. You could see things like a scroll function at the screen edges (instead of flicking through long lists)....?
 
As someone who is very reluctant to use my phone without a case and have pretty much gone exclusively to the otter box for complete protection after breaking the glass...I don't see how this will work. At least for me. If they were to rubberize the corners and they absolutely Must add a WRIST STRAP...I may consider going caseless but only after some serious structural changes...
 
By the time the iphone comes out with its 5mp camera, all the other phones will have 8 or 10 mp cameras haha
 
bedifferent said:
Using one hand to manipulate the device makes some sense. The index finger of the hand that holds the device allows for scrolling through a list. However, without being able to determine what your finger is selecting may propose difficulties for full functionality, requiring the other hand to select a song or contact, etc.
Click to expand...

as your index finger moves across a sensitive area of the back of iphone, the list scrolls through a highlighted bar, when you stop scrolling, one song or contact appears selected, you tap the back of iphone, song or contact is activated. no need for second hand.

i have always used my mobile phones to store eg flight details. it's annoying to rush through an airport transit area, looking up flight info on the phone, having to pause, put down bag, and use second hand for scrolling through lists. one hand is all that should be necessary for selecting, info, scrolling pinching and zooming. making the casing touch sensitive would be a great idea, making areas user-definable would be very useful too.

for those who like their phone in a case: you can't have everything. but maybe we'll see new casings made of intelligent materials some day soon?
 
GwenGwen said:
Come on guys. Think creatively.:cool:

And how would you operate a front facing camera ?
Click to expand...

sorry, i have no idea,
never thought about front facing camera and its operation,
no idea what we can use front facing camera for, other than as toy for kids who like to make video chat.
 
A Floater

This rumor smells nothing more than floating an idea in the public/user community... or it's actually going to be on the back of the
10 inch 'MacPad iSlate'.:D
:rolleyes:
 
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
Back