Apple Is Still Obsessed With the Idea of an All-Glass iPhone

[WarmWinterHat]

Are “defensive patents” really a thing?

I can hand sketch something without any proof that I can actually produce it, and this stops a potential competitor who actually can from doing it?

Crazy if that’s the case.

Yes, defensive patents are a thing. You can't just sketch something and patent it, though. You need very specific details, dimensions, materials, proposed manufacturing processes, what type of alloys, what type of glass, etc., and even then, if it's obvious, it will probably be rejected.

Additionally, filing a patent isn't cheap. It starts at $500 and can go up to $50k, and it's non-refundable if rejected.

 

[satchmo]

I wish Apple had a more simple, durable, less touch-driven option.

I loved the device from the movie, Her.
Of course that interface had a reliable smart assistant and, Siri is well...

 

[IIGS User]

Looks pretty neat. The implementation is the problem. Not sure how you make that happen.

Let's get back to basics. How about screen based Touch ID or getting rid of the notch.

I'm not a notch hater per se. But I know a lot of people don't like it. It would be NICE to see it gone. Given how commoditized smart phones have become, these would be welcome changes.

Given how much feedback I see on these two issues, they would be the quickest way to generate excitement in your loyal user base. It would sell a LOT of phone upgrades.

But it'll never happen. Timmy is too busy playing Quartermaster/logistics guru to think that far ahead. I wonder how much impact the tariff business is going to have.

Maybe we'll be calling him "Tariff Timmy" soon.

 

[victorvictoria]

I'm waiting until they produce a "heads up" display with no glass at all! You know, like R2D2's holographic display!

 

[bunce66]

Samsung had the Galaxy Edge back in 2014 or so. This is not an original idea really.

I'd rather a small screen on the back to use as a camera viewfinder for taking selfies with the big/better cameras.

 

[npmacuser5]

Day one of this device, purchase a case while bragging how cool my new iPhone looks.

 

[mannyvel]

The phones in "The Expanse" shows one expression of the all-glass concept.

An all-glass enclosure is a problem, but getting the electronics transparent/invisible is a few steps beyond that. And cooling is always a problem.

 

[rp2011]

This makes more sense for the need of a flexible display as it would curve around the edges for the virtual buttons.

 

[ataq]

Finally a durable iPhone.

 

[Jashar7]

If you think the rumored glassy redesign of iOS 19 could be a game-changer, check out Apple's latest granted U.S. patent detailing all-glass enclosures for future devices including the iPhone, Apple Watch, and even Mac Pro.

The patent envisions devices where all external surfaces (front, back, and sides) are made of glass, creating a seamless, transparent appearance with a roving interface that can be used from any angle.

Beyond aesthetics, the glass enclosures would introduce new interactive capabilities, according to the patent. Apple describes touch- and force-sensitive areas extending to the sides and back of devices, essentially creating multi-sided interfaces that could adapt based on how the user holds or orients the device. The embodiments also include mechanisms to take apart the devices for repairs.

For iPhones, the patent illustrates a six-sided glass design where displays could appear on any surface, with accommodations for components such as speakers and microphones. The user interface would dynamically shift depending on the device's orientation, allowing for contextual interactions regardless of which side faces the user.

The filing also includes concepts for other Apple products, including a glass Mac Pro tower with an octagonal prism shape, and an Apple Watch constructed almost entirely from transparent glass (a concept that we resurfaced last week).

Some designs feature deformable sides, enabling users to trigger actions by applying pressure, such as squeezing the sides of an iPhone to control media playback or adjust volume. Certain ideas also have echoes of Apple's previous experimentation with force-sensitive inputs like 3D Touch.

Apple's exploration of glass enclosures isn't exactly new. The company has been investigating this technology for over a decade – and former design chief Jony Ive famously wanted to create an iPhone out of a single seamless slab of glass.

Of course, patents don't guarantee we will actually see the products as consumer devices, but they do offer an insight into Apple's potential long-term vision for more immersive, interactive device designs across its product lines.

(Via Patently Apple.)

Article Link: Apple Is Still Obsessed With the Idea of an All-Glass iPhone

Using this during winter outside would be a nightmare

 

[mlayer]

My first screen protector for an iPhone 3GS was a ZAGG full body wrap, basically a condom that took 20 minutes to apply at a mall kiosk. I shudder to think what this design might require besides an Otterbox.

 

[vantelimus]

A sizeable chunk of this feels like defensive patents to me, designed to protect Apple from a competitor coming out with a revolutionary product that makes their existing products look dated.

The all glass, multi-sided phone concept in particular feels like a solution in search of a problem - with the increased issue of greater fragility all for the benefit of users who apparently can't hold their device the right way round so they can see the screen.

The patent system is broken. It no longer requires an actual invention. I doubt Apple even has a prototype. I bet most of the claims are software and/or business process — which should never have been allowed to be patentable.

 

[chickenpiccata]

Alright fair enough but riddle me this. When all the edges are active screens, where do I hold it?

There are new and innovative approaches to old problems, but some things are limited by physics and anatomy.

Note to Apple Support: I have your new iPhone 36 Plus Pro Clear. I picked it up the other day and accidentally called my mom and woke her up. How can I avoid this?

Apple Support: You’re holding it wrong.

 

[raindogg]

The repairs alone will make Apple another trillion dollars.

 

[Lyula]

Total glass is not quite what sounds reliable and not quite sustainable. At least it would be funny to see the price of such devices.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Note to Apple Support: I have your new iPhone 36 Plus Pro Clear. I picked it up the other day and accidentally called my mom and woke her up. How can I avoid this?

Apple Support: You’re holding it wrong.

Literally “avoid holding it in that way.”

 

[SactoGuy18]

Samsung tried the curved edge screen with some Galaxy S6 to S10 models but pretty much abandoned the idea starting with the Galaxy S20 model.

 

[dunkin06]

If they’re out of ideas, so is everyone else, because whatever marginal new feature the iPhone has, everyone copies.

Oh okay. Let's never do anything then.

 

[dannyyankou]

Oh okay. Let's never do anything then.

To be fair, what innovation is left with phones? The market has matured. Any time I ask someone what they would like to see added, they can’t give me anything specific. I would like to see innovative new features that improve the experience as much as anyone, but there has to be an existing problem to provide a solution. Otherwise, it’s just change for change sake.

 

[10anta]

To be fair, what innovation is left with phones? The market has matured. Any time I ask someone what they would like to see added, they can’t give me anything specific. I would like to see innovative new features that improve the experience as much as anyone, but there has to be an existing problem to provide a solution. Otherwise, it’s just change for change sake.

All I really want beyond what we already have is significantly improved battery life (per charge, and long term viability), and increased durability (especially the screen).

On the iPad/Apple TV I want proper multiuser support and improved parental controls.

Finally, on a software side I want a buy once pricing model like the old days with no subscriptions, no ads, and no in app purchases.

 

[dunkin06]

To be fair, what innovation is left with phones? The market has matured. Any time I ask someone what they would like to see added, they can’t give me anything specific. I would like to see innovative new features that improve the experience as much as anyone, but there has to be an existing problem to provide a solution. Otherwise, it’s just change for change sake.

And so we are back to my original point.

 

[dannyyankou]

And so we are back to my original point.

What would you like added?

I think there came a certain point with laptops when people realized “there’s not really much more we can change about these”. And as you’re probably aware, they’ve stayed roughly the same for the past 10 or so years. All the big improvements have been primarily with performance and battery life. If Apple puts all their energy in that, I won’t complain.

 

[TechRunner]

To be fair, what innovation is left with phones? The market has matured. Any time I ask someone what they would like to see added, they can’t give me anything specific. I would like to see innovative new features that improve the experience as much as anyone, but there has to be an existing problem to provide a solution. Otherwise, it’s just change for change sake.

I would like to see 1" camera sensors become the standard on phones. Beyond that, I agree with you that we've entered an era of maturity.

 

[SFjohn]

Those rounded corners would be so much more comfortable to hold… 👍🏻

 

[DefNotAnLLM]

Too many entrenched affordances with current form factor for a phone. Being able to place a phone screen face down on a table is a specific social signal that the device is not in use.

This could be an interesting accessory device for a VR/AR headset or TV/Smart Home remote where orientation matters less than immediate interactivity.