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Worst idea in 76,000 years. How would a case work? How would it charge? What would the battery life be like?
Case would like now, just covers the glass, charge through charging port or MagSafe, glass doesn’t effect battery life in any way.
 
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Just like every futuristic device in movies that are entirely transparent...apparently no one ever drops anything in the future.
The same future with artificial gravity in space craft, perhaps this iPhone would have some module that adjusts the gravitational pull, can't physically drop it!
 
The same future with artificial gravity in space craft, perhaps this iPhone would have some module that adjusts the gravitational pull, can't physically drop it!
You know, that's not a bad idea. If they can ever simplify hover to be as basic a module as other components, then they can make drop prevention kick in automatically. You'd never break it again because it would prevent itself from hitting the ground hard.
 
Neat. That’s exactly the design I mentioned on here a month ago. From a design perspective this would be the next logical step, before the entire watch converges with another category (think iPod turned to an app on iPhone).

Aesthetically, I think this would be the most epic innovation Apple has ever done in the category of wearables and could insert a new design paradigm for amorphous displays.
 
Worst idea in 76,000 years. How would a case work? How would it charge? What would the battery life be like?
It'd charge through the glass, just like Qi and MagSafe do now. Battery life would probably be about the same (Apple tends to aim for the same battery life over successive generations of a product).

And what is the even worse idea that you're alluding to a bit over 76,000 years ago? That number seems awfully specific.
 


Apple has furthered its research on devices with all-glass enclosures, a newly granted patent filing shows.

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The patent, first spotted by Patently Apple, is titled "Electronic device with glass enclosure" and was granted to Apple by the United States Patent and Trademark Office earlier today. The research focuses on electronic devices with six-sided glass enclosures and glass casings that extend all of the way around a device.

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For devices such as the iPhone, Apple's patent covers how touchscreen displays are enclosed "within the interior volume and positioned adjacent at least a portion of each of the six sides of the six-sided glass enclosure." These displays are flexible to accommodate the internal curves of the enclosure and can provide additional touch input regions.

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The patent explains how glass may be curved, tapered, and overlapped to create an all-glass enclosure, featuring accommodations for components such as speakers and microphones. Apple also suggests that some of the glass surfaces may feature different textures to differentiate them from nearby input regions.

Apple outlined various implementations for allowing access to the device's internals, presumably for manufacturing and repairs, such as by removing a window or what Apple calls a "cap" section. This would allow internal components to be slid out in a way that is similar to the latest Apple TV's Siri Remote.

apple-glass-enclosures-patent-internal-access.jpg

The filing also shows how the device's software could integrate with an all-glass design to dynamically adapt based on how the user holds and orients the device, such as additional information being shown on the outer edges and UI elements that move around to the surface being interacted with.

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Beyond the iPhone, which appears to be the main focus of the patent, the filing also demonstrates how other devices, such as the Apple Watch, a cylindrical Mac Pro, and a Mac Pro tower, could feature all-glass enclosures and utilise their internal surfaces.

apple-glass-enclosures-patent-other-devices.jpg

Devices with all-glass enclosures have long been idealized by some, including former Apple designer Sir Jony Ive, as the natural conclusion of Apple design. Apple's patent filings do not demonstrate the company's immediate plans, but they do show some of the company's specific areas of research and development.

The Apple Watch Series 7 features an all-new, thicker front crystal. Combined with larger display sizes, the refractive curved edge of the Apple Watch's glass gives the impression of the display almost meeting the casing, in what may be a small iteration toward reaching the sort of design envisioned in this filing.

Article Link: Apple Researching All-Glass iPhone and Apple Watch Designs
Will they come with the new concrete proximity sensor?
 
I'd be highly wary of glass, but an unapologetically transparent plastic enclosure I would be cool with.
 
It all does sound crazy. But I have been using glass plates made by Corelle for a few years now and have dropped a few on wood floors. I've accidentally slammed them against the edge of the granite counter when lifting them out of the dishwasher. I've been pretty clumsy with them and haven't so much as nicked one yet. It would be interesting to see what becomes of this.
 
It all does sound crazy. But I have been using glass plates made by Corelle for a few years now and have dropped a few on wood floors. I've accidentally slammed them against the edge of the granite counter when lifting them out of the dishwasher. I've been pretty clumsy with them and haven't so much as nicked one yet. It would be interesting to see what becomes of this.
My parents had those, when I was growing up. Used them for decades. Only managed to break one piece ever, and mom sent it in and they replaced it. It's impressively strong stuff.
 
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"Oh, they wanna be able to repair things themselves? Well, let's give them something to repair!"

I know it's not new and that everyone has similar patents but the timing of it just made me giggle.
 
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