Apple has received a patent for a portable device made from flexible components that supports force-based gesture input. This means that in the future we could see a flexible iPhone at some point, one that’s able to fold up into a smaller device.
The patent was awarded by the US Patent and Trademark Office and refers to “flexible electronic devices”. It describes a machine that can be flexed, bent, folded or deformed in other ways, without having a negative impact on the sensitive internal components inside the machine. Flexibility is important for Apple’s invention, since it also brings forth a new way of interacting with the device.
This includes twisting and bending or applying pressure in order to input various commands. The documents also mention malleable external parts, like the chassis or cover glass and that’s not exactly new from Apple, since they previously hinted at bendable displays, housings and hidden buttons. The patent suggests the use of plastic, thin glass, fiber composites or silicone instead of glass or metal in order to achieve better flexibility.
via apple insider
