Apple is a company very focused on innovation, constantly make patent applications that allow devices to be improved and created. Among his latest patents is a glass iMac that many of us would like to see come true, but this time he has focused again on the Apple Pencil.
New Patents
Before the end of 2019, it was learned of two new improvements that the Apple Pencil could have, one consisted of improving the simulation of the paper for this device and another one would bring a touch panel in the user's natural grip. But a few hours ago Apple has filed two new applications before the US Patent Office. USA
Glass with sensor
The first patent talks about a new accessory for the Apple Pensil, basically add a glass material to the flat side with which this device has. The objective is that this material helps the pencil to last longer and in better condition, in addition to adding a basic screen that is visible to the user. Yes, something very similar to what we found with the Touch Bar of the MacBook.
"Current materials and coating layers are generally porous and susceptible to debris infiltration" … "With the glass in place it provides a durable outer surface along a section of the pencil to resist debris infiltration and reduce effects of wear ”, he continues. "… It can also facilitate touch input detection with a capacitive touch sensor inside the pen."
Also, this screen will show and add other functions to Apple Pencil, such as displaying a selected color or selecting the stroke thickness. All through gestures that can be captured by this side of glass.
"It can be used to detect a touch, double touch, triple touch or other touch gesture by the user." "Also … the touch sensor can be used to detect a sliding gesture by the user or a rotating gesture."
Another benefit that glass will have is the possibility of view any part hindered for the user, the semi-transparency will help to replicate a part of the visualization hidden by the use of the pencil.
"The pencil and / or the host device can estimate how much of the glass member is between the user and the representation shown," the patent mentions. "Such an estimate may be based on the position and / or orientation of the pencil and / or the host device … The resulting representation displayed through the glass member may give the appearance of the underlying representation so that the user can see the part of representation that is otherwise blocked by the user by the optical pencil. ”
Optical
Another patent in application No. 20200089360 deals with the optics applied in the Apple Pencil to make the feedback between devices allow to create a push that designates a function between the two.
"In some examples, feedback from the liver can guide the input device (eg, with lateral force). The haptic feedback described here can be used to write, draw, or operate virtual input controls (eg, buttons, sliders, keys, etc.) in the user interface. "
For example, guidance can be provided to help the user draw straight lines or other shapes.
This optic could serve at the time of writing, the key would serve as an anchor point and the pencil when dragged could lead to the next letter that would be the most common to use and vice versa. As shown in the image below, the sequence will be naturally designated among the letters that correspond to continue the sentences.
This kind of prediction we can find it in various devices Although not in the same way, for example, on some Smart TVs, pressing a key immediately displays the continuous ones so that they can be selected with the arrows on the same remote control.
These new patents could be the beginning of a much more productive and intuitive Apple Pencil, allowing the user to expand this tool as an extension of the application and its abilities.