Folding iPhone is coming! Apple’s new patent exposed: touch-sensitive control on any surface

According to the latest list published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on September 20 
, Apple has obtained a new patent that envisions the design of future iPhones, including solid-state buttons that enable touch-sensitive control on all surfaces.

The patent is titled “Electronic device with display and touch sensor structure” and the design sketch of the patent is a foldable design.

Apple said there can be challenges in collecting touch input from users and efficiently displaying images to them.

For example, when a user provides touch input to a touch screen display, the user’s hand may obscure the image being displayed on the display.

To address this problem, Apple envisioned a design that would allow touch-sensitive controls on all surfaces of the device.

It is reported that Apple plans to build control circuits, batteries and other components into all surfaces of the device. The surface of the device can include opaque and transparent parts, and it is considering using opaque plastics, metals, fiber composites, and multi-layer structures containing fibers, ceramics and other opaque materials.

It is worth noting that Apple plans to achieve touch-sensitive control of any surface by laying fine metal wires (such as nanostructures) on the surface of the device.

Apple provides some examples in the patent that illustrate possible uses of this touch functionality in real-world applications.

For example, in gaming applications and other applications, users can use the touch sensor on the back of the device while displaying relevant visual information on the front display of the device, thereby achieving a richer interactive experience.