The iPhone 5 could arrive as a substantially thinner package thanks to new, smaller conductive nodes to slip beneath its multi-touch screen. A patent application that just popped out of the tech innovation toaster that is the US Patent and Trademark Office with Apple’s name on it shows a new method for creating a thinner capacitive touchscreen. That could have a bearing on the iPad 2 but seems more likely to arrive in the iPhone 5 at the earliest. Regardless, the Apple tech is interesting as ever…
As well as opening up the possibility of thinner iPhone and iPad models, the suped-up capacitive tech could also offer major power savings boosted the battery life. As well as referencing the iPhone and iPad, Apple’s application also raises the prospect of bringing the technology to Macbook trackpads and, oddly, the click wheel still present in the iPod Classic.
Apple’s application notes that capacitive sensing technology works well in existing devices, but improvements can still be made. In addition to creating thinner versions of products like the iPhone and iPad, Apple’s proposed invention is said to also allow for power savings, potentially granting portable devices a longer battery life.
The proposals are credited to two of Apple’s most senior engineers, Steve Hotelling and Steve Zadesky. They were first filed by Apple in July of 2009. Hit the comments and let us know: are you itching for the iPad and iPhone to get skinnier or are there other design elements you want altered first?
Out TBC | £TBC | Apple (via AppleInsider)
