Concept designs for future Apple iPhone models have been released, showing some of the outlandish features that could become a reality in the near future.
The tech giant is hoping to bring screens that stretch and bend to the market, according to a report by Patently Apple. The outlet published drawings of of the flexible displays, which would be able to roll up like a scroll. The company hopes this will make tablets that much more portable, and therefore more practical for people on the go.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Right now, it looks like the devices would lose no functionality in order to gain the stretchability. Touch sensitivity would remain the same, and the electrical components would all be made into a mesh-like design that would still recognize inputs, and even have stretchable LED backlights.
Samsung is reportedly working on similar concepts, though Apple is already applying the tech to more and more uses. For example, the company is reportedly hoping to make smart clothing with flexible screens stitched into it. This would allow for activity tracking and medical monitoring, some speculate. The company is also rumored to be using the designs in their quest to break into the self-driving car market.
The company is also reportedly working on features that would allow users to control devices with their eyes. The function is being called “gaze detection,” and would essentially use the camera to track where your pupils are focused.
Gaze detection would also know when you look away from your phone, and you could set it to lock automatically when you do so. This could save a lot of battery life depending on how people decide to use it.
The most impressive part of the function might be its discretion. Gaze detection would somehow know when it was appropriate in certain apps, and it would turn off otherwise. There would be no running back and forth to the settings menu to tinker with it.
Apple reportedly picked up a patent for gaze detection back in 2013, hoping to get ahead of the competition.
Finally, the company is locking in designs for iPhone cases. It looks like the company itself is hoping to offer more options in this arena, where most people opt for a third party seller.
There is no word on when any of these designs might make it to the market.
