Neil Hughes
The details were unveiled in a new patent application published on Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and discovered by AppleInsider. The filing, entitled "Cover Attachment with Flexible Display," shows an iPad Smart Cover that would feature a MagSafe-like magnetic connection to the iPad, sharing data that would be shown on the external display.
Apple's filing presents a number of unique ideas how a touch-capable Smart Cover display could add new functionality to the iPad. In the most basic example, the cover shows an additional row of icons on the home screen, while a more complex concept shows movie playback controls at a user's fingertips on the rear of the device while in use.
Another example shows the Smart Cover acting as a touch keyboard for the iPad, a feature that would be very similar to Microsoft's "Touch Cover" keyboard for its forthcoming Windows 8 Surface tablets.
But Apple's Smart Cover display would go many steps further, and could allow even more versatile functionality. One example in the application shows a user wielding a stylus to draw an Apple on the secondary display.
In another example, the secondary display is on the outside of the iPad when the Smart Cover is closed. There, the user is presented with system-saved reminders such as daily appointments, but the touchscreen functionality would also allow users to write in new reminders without the need to open the Smart Cover.
The concept, made public this week by the USPTO, was first filed by Apple in August of 2011. It is credited to Fletcher R. Rothkopf.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
78 Comments
And.....cue the fanboys who try to say this is not stealing MSFT ideas. Listen, I love Apple as much as anyone, but lets call a spade a spade here, they got beat to the punch.
Already the losers at Engadget are saying Apple copied MS. But this patent was filed back in August of 2011, so clearly this is something Apple has been thinking about for a while. Plus who knows what will ever become of it? Has MS filed for a patent on their touch cover?
I guess they patent every idea they come up... This seems overcomplicated to me and not very "Apple-like".
Already the losers at Engadget are saying Apple copied MS. But this patent was filed back in August of 2011, so clearly this is something Apple has been thinking about for a while. Plus who knows what will ever become of it? Has MS filed for a patent on their touch cover?
"Back in August of 2011" isn't that long ago. :)
For years Apple has been aggressive about applying for patents on everything they work on. It doesn't mean it's anything they actually planned to create, or even spent much time on investigating. They're covering all bases. It's just the way Apple does things, and it's helped them immensely. Competitors were way too slow in taking note of it, tho I think they've all received the memos now on the virtues of applying for patent protection on every little improvement or creation they think might be as least minimally unique.
[quote name="John Wright" url="/t/151693/apple-investigating-ipad-smart-cover-with-secondary-display#post_2160063"]And.....cue the fanboys who try to say this is not stealing MSFT ideas. Listen, I love Apple as much as anyone, but lets call a spade a spade here, they got beat to the punch. [/quote] This is just a patent application, we have no idea if the patent will ever be approved and if it is if Apple will ever do anything with it. Also if MS already has something like this patented would this application even get approved?