back to article Apple granted patent for two-faced iPhone with wraparound touchscreen

Just under one year after a nearly identical application was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, Apple has been granted a patent for a "consumer electronic product" – read: smartphone – with a curving display that wraps completely around the device. Illustration from Apple patent 'Electronic device with wrap …

COMMENTS

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Flattened oval?

    Looks more like flattened toilet paper tube. I don't see it ever being produced.

    1. Eddy Ito

      Re: Flattened oval?

      Not just a flattened oval but, OMG, one with sharp corners!!!

      So how long until the case made from toilet paper shows up?

    2. big_D Silver badge

      Re: Flattened oval?

      Sort of passes to Apple, after the ridicule they got in the USA for using the Pad name for their tablet, the desktop rubbish bin called Mac Pro, now a squashed toilet roll...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This seems to herald the era of the "smart", touch sensitive, warp around digital display BOG ROLL..... Hmmm does it vibrate too?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Soon to be seen on a Samsung handset then?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yes, with tacky fake 'plastique leather' and 'stitching'.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Soon to be seen on a Samsung handset then?

      Well, who actually makes the AMOLEDs referenced in the patent?

      Samsung or LG, not Apple.

    3. Graham Dawson Silver badge

      Samsung had patented and were tossing around similar ideas - including mock-up prototypes - over a year ago.

      Nice try though.

    4. Jyve

      Seeing as they were showing these things off at trade shows...2+ years ago? Yeah, most likely.

    5. Craigness

      This does look like the sort of thing Samsung would make, so it's probably just Apple using the state to prevent innovation again. I can't see apple making anything so ridiculous.

  4. KMJA

    Nonsense

    So if I hold the phone incorrectly I start accidently clicking icons? If I have a case does this hinder my access?

    Sounds like a dumb idea.

    1. JetSetJim

      Re: Nonsense

      Ah - but think of the scratches. Think of the screen replacement revenue...

  5. BrownishMonstr

    This is a stupid idea!

    Until they actually produce something similar and, to our surprise, it sells, then it's a great idea and, like, so totally obvious.

  6. sandholme

    So what's the inventive step here, using 2 screens has been done before, putting a flexible screen on a curved surface is the whole point of them.

    In fact I would have expected a system using flexible screens to use only one and wrap it all around the object, displaying only on the parts that were needed at the time. Hardly rocket science and pretty obvious even to someone not in the industry.

    1. Frankee Llonnygog

      Re: So what's the inventive step here

      Hang on, I'll just go and read the patent for you...

      1. Craigness

        Re: So what's the inventive step here

        You've had 8 hours, Frankee. I take you didn't find anything innovative.

  7. saif

    Transparently Two-faced

    I have got eyes at the back of my head, but can still see one screen at a time...if have to flip the phone over anyway then...what's the point? It may save money having a front and a rear camera as the same camera...but then Apple != economy. Oh hang on...the first screen is transparent so you can see the second screen THROUGH the first screen? Genius!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So apple are taking it to the next level for people who are unable to figure out the phone is the wrong way around and flip it over. Marketing and project management types will be very very happy!

  9. Neoc

    I foresee...

    ...a resurgence of the "you're holding it wrong" advice.

  10. Eddy Ito
    Coat

    You all know what this means

    The next patent will be for a cylindrical phone to match the Mac Pro. If they call it the iCan the advertisements will write themselves. "Can you?" "iCan!"

  11. paulc

    Yet again...

    USPTO lets Apple get away with patenting an idea and not an implementation... there would be far fewer of these stupid patents if they had to lodge a working model with the patent office when filing it...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Innovate, don't patent !

    Seems to me that Apple are patenting most innovation out the future.

    They seldom intend to innovate, but they seem to want to simply stop any one else from doing it.

    1. Frankee Llonnygog

      Re: Innovate, don't patent !

      So, if Apple patent it, it's not innovation. If someone else does, it is innovative.

      Damn you Apple for copying ideas before others have had the chance to originate them.

      1. Craigness

        Re: Innovate, don't patent !

        If Apple don't put this into production, and don't allow others to...

  13. John 110
    WTF?

    Optional

    ?Slippery when wet?

  14. Nameless Faceless Computer User
    FAIL

    Great design

    Guaranteed to crack the first time you drop it while no case can fit it. Design inspiration brought to us by the chicken egg.

  15. Toastan Buttar

    Good for two-player Battleships

    but not much else. Maybe previewing selfies on the rear-facing camera?

  16. Purlieu

    You heard it here first

    iMirror so that you can read the back screen while looking at the front.

    (display on back screen would be, erm, mirrored to enable this)

    Cheque to the usual please

  17. Mark Reed
    Coat

    If its touch sensitive all the way round...

    How on earth do you hold it without accidentally launching apps?

  18. MooseNC

    I've patented a medical device that continually repairs human cells. When it's finally created by some university, I will become rich by suing the hell out of them.

    USPTO, I love you.

  19. Field Marshal Von Krakenfart

    Still, it should be easy to create a new game that will keep the iSheep happy for hours, just create an icon on each screen that says "Please Turn Over".

    There, I've said it first, if anyone creates this game I'll sue them...

    1. Craigness

      I've seen that idea before, but never On A Mobile Device. You're a genius!

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