“On May 28, 2015, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to Force Touch and Intensity manipulation of objects on a display of an iDevice such an iPad,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“Apple tells us that this could be of importance in a future graphics and/or presentation applications,” Purcher reports. “The invention could apply to a using force of a finger or a future Apple or third party stylus.”
Purcher reports, “Apple also touches on ‘tactile output,'” Purcher reports. “Apple’s patent focuses on a ‘Virtual Brush’ as well a 3D buttons on a touch display.”
Red more, and see Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Force Touch, as we’ve just begin to see with Apple Watch and MacBooks, is already becoming a very powerful addition to the iOS, OS X, and Watch OS user interfaces. We can;t wait for Force Touch-enabled iPhones and iPads (and Magic Trackpads)!
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s forthcoming iOS 9 supports ‘iPhone 6s’ Force Touch – May 26, 2015
Apple patent application reveals work on Force Touch for iOS devices and more – March 5, 2015
Apple’s next-gen iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus to feature Force Touch – February 28, 2015
If Apple introduces a Bluetooth keyboard like the new iMac one, and a new Bluetooth touchpad that works with an iPad, I won’t need to buy any MacBook at all.
Theoretically, the Apple Magic Trackpad would work fine with the iPad, IF Apple wrote a driver into iOS. But I’m not sure they’ve taken that option seriously. Maybe with the big iPad Pro…
Apple applies for another stylus and drawing surface patent. Wacom is having another bad day. I wonder if Apple ever chatted with Wacom about buying them out.
As for the ‘3D’ buttons. I’ll believe they’re really 3D when I see it. Ideally, they’re vector 3D objects than can grow and shrink as needed. That’s where we should be, should have been, going. I don’t know why that’s such a hard step. – – But I am reminded that there are some 3D patent vultures out there waiting to chew on the livers of anyone who dares get remotely close to their IP. Wouldn’t it be sad if THAT is what’s been holding back 3D GUIs. I don’t want to think about it. 😛
Well now we see why a magic stylus has true logic in the Applesphere.
With the tech that Apple has in place….EyesFree, HandsFree, Siri….. “S•I•R•I”…. Nobody should have to touch even their watch!