Mikey Campbell
Among the multitude of patents Apple was awarded on Tuesday were two design properties for the page-turning animation seen in iOS apps like iBooks, and IP for the third-generation iPad's full-body case.
The page turning animation IP was first filed for in December 2011 as an ornamental design for a display screen. Much like other Apple design patents, the basic line drawing is adequate enough to get the basic feel for the animation. Users can interact with graphical elements closely resembling a piece of paper, using a finger to slowly curl the page over, or quickly turn the page with a swiping motion. The animation even allows for users to move their finger vertically, revealing the top or bottom portion of the next page much like a real binded book.
With iOS 6, Apple has a number of first-party apps that use such a "page curling" animation, including Maps and Calendar for iPad. Most recently, the animation was displayed prominently in an iPad mini ad that featured iBooks.
Apple Smart Case for iPad.
The second design patent issued to Apple on Tuesday was for the iPad Smart Case first debuted alongside the third-generation tablet in 2011. Like the original Smart Cover, the Smart Case turns the attached iPad on and off by using magnetic sensors in the iPad that interact with magnets embedded in the top cover, but adds an extra layer of protection for the tablet's aluminum chassis.
When the newest fourth-generation iPad was unveiled in October, Apple announced that the design of the new tablet was identical to the previous iteration, making accessory swapping a non-issue.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
32 Comments
WTH? What are they gonna patent next, touch ripple water effect?
I'm in a bit of a Bind here, a book is never 'binded' but 'bound'. Sorry to be picky and all that.
Apple have done great work on both of these. Page turning on the iPad, is real and elegant and you can tell a lot of work has gone into it. The iPad cover also is a great idea. They've put a lot of R&D into these things and have every right to protect them under the patent system. If anyone can't deal with it, then cry to the bureaucrats, they make the laws, not Apple.
I remember very well seeing this on a NeXT computer with a Motorola 68040 (25 or 33 MHz not sure) with a video playing on the page.
Steve Jobs Left Apple with NeXt and then he brought it back to Apple when he return.
Could be a variation of the same patent.
Update: and on the back on the page we could see the video still playing but from the back. Very impressive for the CPU (but I admit the video was small and low resolution but still impressive for the time.
Both great technology's already on current iPads there great.