18 November 2011 | Author: R Wood Media Intern
Clumsy smartphone users may soon have a fighting chance when their iPhone slips from their fingers, as it's emerged that Apple has filed for a patent that would provide smartphones with additional support.
According to CNET, Apple has filed for the rights to a shock mount system that would help the device withstand a fall.
Special pads underneath the smartphone's glass screens will be inflated when the device senses it's been dropped - to better shock absorb and screen save.
The design also makes it possible to switch shock mounts in the event they've been used, so the device could withstand another fall in future and stand a better chance at speedy repair.
The patent reads: "In general, the thicker the glass, the stronger it is. Unfortunately, however, with low-profile handheld devices, the glass cover is often relatively thin, and tends to be susceptible to damage when the small form factor device is stressed, as for example, when dropped on the floor."
Given that smartphones and tablets continue to grow in popularity and shrink in size, it inevitably makes devices more vulnerable to being damaged, cracked or broken when they hit the ground.
And apparently, Apple isn't the only technological titan searching for a solution to this problem - in August, news emerged Amazon head honcho Jeff Bezos filed a similar patent for an airbag that inflates around the device if dropped.
The Amazon airbag method makes use of the device's camera to sense it's been dropped, which then signals a "protection system" to absorb the shock of the fall.
The patent reads: "Upon detecting the risk of damage and prior to impact with the surface, the damage avoidance system activates a protection system having one or more protection elements that work in concert to reduce or prevent damage to the portable device upon impact with the surface."
While each rivals' patent proposals indicate these solutions are in their very initial stages, the filing indicates mobile phone and tablet users may soon have some added padding.
iPhones to get airbags - maybe
Clumsy smartphone users may soon have a fighting chance when their iPhone slips from their fingers, as it's emerged that Apple has filed for a patent that would provide smartphones with additional support.According to CNET, Apple has filed for the rights to a shock mount system that would help the device withstand a fall.
Special pads underneath the smartphone's glass screens will be inflated when the device senses it's been dropped - to better shock absorb and screen save.
The design also makes it possible to switch shock mounts in the event they've been used, so the device could withstand another fall in future and stand a better chance at speedy repair.
The patent reads: "In general, the thicker the glass, the stronger it is. Unfortunately, however, with low-profile handheld devices, the glass cover is often relatively thin, and tends to be susceptible to damage when the small form factor device is stressed, as for example, when dropped on the floor."
Given that smartphones and tablets continue to grow in popularity and shrink in size, it inevitably makes devices more vulnerable to being damaged, cracked or broken when they hit the ground.
And apparently, Apple isn't the only technological titan searching for a solution to this problem - in August, news emerged Amazon head honcho Jeff Bezos filed a similar patent for an airbag that inflates around the device if dropped.
The Amazon airbag method makes use of the device's camera to sense it's been dropped, which then signals a "protection system" to absorb the shock of the fall.
The patent reads: "Upon detecting the risk of damage and prior to impact with the surface, the damage avoidance system activates a protection system having one or more protection elements that work in concert to reduce or prevent damage to the portable device upon impact with the surface."
While each rivals' patent proposals indicate these solutions are in their very initial stages, the filing indicates mobile phone and tablet users may soon have some added padding.
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