“The race is on. The next wave of tablet computers, smartphones and wrist watches will not only have multitouch interfaces but also multitouch embodiments,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “A new patent that has surfaced from a mysterious Apple competitor shows us how they’re working on devices that will incorporate electrostatic touch sensors right into a device casing to give users access to UI features quicker and easier. Will Apple’s competitors get the leap on them or will they have a response inkind in the not-too-distant future? If you want to take a peek at one of the next crazes in smart devices, then you’ve come to the right place.”
“Recently I stumbled upon a new patent application from a possible future competitor of Apple’s,” Purcher reports. “The invention was devised by two Japanese engineers yet the patent carried no known assignee. Is this a secret patent from a well known competitor – or is it just two dreamers hoping to sell their invention to the highest bidder? I don’t know the answer to that question but I can say that their patent is worth noting.”
Purcher reports, “These engineers point to Apple’s iPhone specifically, and then describe how to create a better device by using electrostatic touch sensors. That was enough to catch my eye and this report will present you with some of the finer points of this patent – and perhaps better yet, point to how this could play out for Apple.”
Much more in the full article here.
