We don’t normally get very excited about patents, but this latest one by Apple and uncovered by website Patently Apple is pretty darn intriguing to say the least.
As you may or may not be aware, smartphone cameras are kind of a big deal for the various manufacturers out there and they try to distinguish themselves from one another in that area among others. So, as you can imagine, any innovations, particularly the more novel ones, introduced in this area could have a huge impact if it catches on in the wider scene.
One trend that has some people complaining as loud as the industry will hear them is the under-the-screen front-facing camera. As the description implies, this is an elimination of the camera notch at the top of the smartphone and burying it underneath the screen for an unbroken display but what some say is compromised camera performance.
Apple’s solution for that is to put the front-facing camera underneath a display screen that rolls away upon activation. If that sounds like a lot of little moving parts for something that should otherwise be quite simple in execution, you’re not the only person that has noticed that.
From Patently Apple:
“Sliding display arrangements and other display arrangements that allow the movable portion of the display to selectively cover and uncover the window region may be used, if desired. An electrically adjustable actuator may move the movable display portion.”
Of course, from a repair perspective, adding more small stuff that could possibly break and require a visit to the Apple store is probably not a big downside for Cupertino but it’s something to think about from a consumer perspective. Then again, there’s no promise this will ever come to market and, given that, we applaud Apple for looking at interesting solutions to the ubiquitous camera notch.
What do you think of Apple’s solution to the camera notch? Does a tiny display window sound practical? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
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