Devices that fold up are getting more and more common. A brand-new business releases a foldable smartphone almost daily. These devices do, however, have a significant flaw: their flexible OLED screens are extremely fragile and are easily broken by light pressure. Apple is creating a protective system especially for foldable iPhone and iPad screens to address this problem and protect them from drops.
Apple has submitted a new patent application called “Self-Retracting Display Device And Techniques For Protecting Screen Using Drop Detection” to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), indicating the tech giant’s ongoing efforts to protect foldable or rollable screens from being damaged by drops. The application proposes the use of sensors that can detect when a device is falling and automatically close or partly retract the screen to prevent damage.
According to the patent application, even folding the screen to an angle less than 180 degrees could help protect it by ensuring that the edges of the device hit the ground first, not the screen. The application also suggests that a rollable screen could pull the display back automatically if the device falls too fast.
Although the idea of a foldable iPad has been floating around, Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with a proven track record of predicting Apple products, has recently speculated that a foldable iPad could be released in 2025. Kuo had earlier predicted that a foldable iPhone would be launched in 2023 and sell 20 million units, but he has now revised his estimate.
In addition to the idea of a foldable iPad, Kuo has also proposed the use of a carbon fiber kickstand that would allow users to set the device at an angle that’s better for viewing content on the screen without having to hold it. However, it’s important to note that these ideas are still in the patent application stage and may not necessarily materialize.
It’s clear that Apple is working tirelessly to find ways to protect foldable devices’ screens from being damaged by drops, and this latest patent application is just one of many steps the company is taking towards that goal.
