“On August 11, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of the possible next chapters for Apple’s iOS,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “Apple’s patent application focuses on advancing iOS metaphors to a higher level.”
“In this application we see that Apple is working on new ways of working with a 3D user interface,” Purcher reports. “One example shows us that a user will be able to creatively design a hole, tunnel or even a trap door in their UI that could send files to their work or home office like a portal in seconds. In the not-too-distant future, a user will be able to shred documents on their iOS devices by simply using a new shredding gesture. And if that wasn’t enough, users will be able to one day create 3D objects with a simple finger gesture.”
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Purcher reports, “Considering that OS X Lion just introduced iOS-like features into our desktop experience, we’re likely to see some of these future metaphors spill over to our desktops as well. Just when Apple’s competition thought that they’ve safely figured out how to copy the iOS experience, we see that Apple is preparing to take iOS to the next level.”
Much more, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
