It seems that Apple is soon joining the "curved phone" bandwagon. The tech giant has just been granted patent for bendable technology on January 6.
According to ZDNet, the patent is called, "Flexible Electronic Devices," and it sketched a handset of which parts are bendable and could be molded into various steady positions. With the new patent, rumors abound that Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 would probably model the technology.
While a bendable smartphone from Apple is not a first in the mobile industry, with LG pioneering the said design, the company's patent described in further detail how the Tim Cook-led company is seeking to revolutionize the "curved phone phenomenon" even more, reported Master Herald.
In the patent, the six makers of the bendable phone technology mentioned not just flexible housing for the new device but also listed down flexible batteries, displays, touch screens and printed circuits for the planned new device.
But while curved phones are known for its style, the people from Apple had a much deeper reason for eyeing the technology. According to the patent, the technology was created to lessen the effects and soften the blow on the device if ever it falls from a high place. It also added that foldable designs are better at absorbing impact than straight-designed ones.
Not only that, the bendable feature the company is looking at would do well in saving space, with the form making the Apple phone more compact for keeping.
Meanwhile, CNET reported that another possible advantage of having a bendable phone is the probability of having further features and commands based on how it is formed. Apple reportedly noted in the patent that, "Flexible electronic devices may include flex-sensing components for sensing deformations of the flexible electronic device."
It also added that, "Deformations of the flexible electronic device that are sensed by flex-sensing components may provide user input to the electronic device. For example, twisting a flexible electronic device may change the operating mode of he device, may be interpreted by the device as a command to an electronic gaming system, may turn the device on or off, etc."
Apple has not made mention of any specific products the company would use to create this device. ZD Net noted that only general descriptions were made such as "deformable materials such as plastic, thin glass, fiber composites, thin metal, fabric, silicone, other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials."
With such features, speculation on the futuristic phone's price is set to be at a high rate. However, Apple has not made any anouncements on the possible price range for the said device.
Also, while the patent may have been granted to the company, it is not yet clear when Apple would incorporate it into their products. However, as the iPhone 7 is set to come out in the latter part of the year, it remains to be seen if the company that brought it to the market would soon launch a bendable version in the future.
