“Since the summer of 2010 Patently Apple has been covering Apple’s patent applications regarding a strong trend towards the development of a future MacBook with cellular-data capabilities,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“Just this past week, Patently Apple has discovered yet another new patent application on this subject in a filing that came to light in Europe earlier this year,” Purcher reports. “This time around, Apple has brilliantly invented cellular antennas that could be integrated into a MacBook’s Multi-Touch trackpad or directly into the display of an iOS device like an iPhone.”
Purcher reports, “That’s important if Apple decides to design a future iPhone with a metal back… Apple states that it could be difficult to incorporate antennas successfully into an electronic device. Some electronic devices are manufactured with small form factors, so space for antennas is limited. Antenna operation could also be blocked by intervening metal structures. This could make it difficult to implement an antenna in an electronic device that contains conductive display structures, conductive housing walls, or other conductive structures that can potentially block radio-frequency signals. It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved antennas for wireless electronic devices… Now that the iPad offers 4G, the idea of the MacBook offering similar cellular-data capabilities sounds not only reasonable but inevitable.”
Much more in the full article, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, here.
Related articles:
Apple wins key multi-antenna patent covering LTE and more – April 10, 2012
Apple wins iPhone patents for location tracking, hybrid antenna, and more – January 31, 2012
Apple patent app details next-gen microstrip cellular antenna for future MacBooks, iWatch and beyond – October 25, 2011
Apple patent application reveals newly-designed iPhone antenna window – September 1, 2011
Apple wins patent for integrating cellular antennas into MacBook, iMac keyboards – August 17, 2011
Telephonic MacBooks? Apple granted U.S. patent for ‘Antennas for Electronic Devices’ – March 22, 2011
Apple patent application details ‘logo antenna’ for MacBooks, iOS and other devices – December 23, 2010