Apple Files iPhone Nano Patent?
New Patent Reveals Next Generation Devices
Apple’s latest patent is a strong indicator of where the company is taking their next generation iPod’s or a possible iPhone Nano. Featuring a full touch screen and a touch panel, the latest patent describes a device that not only resembles the much anticipated iPhone, but also the current generation of iPods and the video iPod. Here is a snippet from the patent:
An electronic device uses separate surfaces for input and output. One of the surfaces (e.g., the bottom) includes a force-sensitive touch-surface through which a user provides input (e.g., cursor manipulation and control element selection). On a second surface (e.g., the top), a display element is used to present information appropriate to the device’s function (e.g., video information), one or more control elements and a cursor. The cursor is controlled through manipulation of the back-side touch-surface. The cursor identifies where on the back-side touch-surface the user’s finger has made contact. When the cursor is positioned over the desired control element, the user selects or activates the function associated with the control element by applying pressure to the force-sensitive touch-surface with their finger. Accordingly, the electronic device may be operated with a single hand, wherein cursor movement and control element selection may be accomplished without lifting one’s finger.
Looking at the pictures below, it looks like the device has the legendary Apple scroll wheel, in addition to, a touchpad keyboard, dialpad, and of course, the easy to use Apple menus. What I think would really kill the spirits of cellular and mp3 device manufacturers, would be the inclusion of a VGA camera for taking pictures, recording videos, and possible video cell phone calls. Now that would be a killer device!
