Apple patent for touchscreen iPod
Apple has filed a patent for an iPod with a display on top and touch sensitive input on the bottom.
The patent was filed on 5 January this year and states that the screen on handheld devices like the iPod is too small for effective touch control.
“Although a touch-screen interface could be embedded in or overlaid on the display, the use of even a single finger for input may occlude a significant portion of the display or cover more than a single operational control element,” the filing states, as reported by AppleInsider.
“While this problem could be mitigated by limiting the touch area to a portion of the display screen (e.g., the display edges where horizontal or vertical motion could emulate slider controls), a single finger could still cover a substantial amount of the useful display area.”
In order to tackle the problem – and also avoid greasy finger marks on the display – the filing proposes using the underside of the device for input. “A force-sensitive touch-surface is provided on a first or back-side surface of the device through which a user provides input (e.g., cursor manipulation and control element selection/activation),” the company wrote. “On a second or front-side surface, a display element is used to present one or more control elements and a cursor that is controlled through manipulation of the back-side touch-surface.”
The filing states that the software could overlay a click wheel on the display, which corresponds to the area beneath the device where you need to move your finger to operate it.
One thought on “Apple patent for touchscreen iPod”
Boring. Sony Clie TH55 (I think that’s the model number). Had controls on the back. So what if they weren’t touchscreen: Apple didn’t invent that.
But another thing for the iSheep and sycophantic tech sites to claim as another Jobs revolution.
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