Apple has been granted a patent (number 20160320806) that will add fuel to the speculation that the company is planning an iPhone with a curved display, perhaps next year. Actually, it could also apply to Macs and iPads.
In the patent filing, Apple says devices such as computers, media players, and smartphones typically contain displays. Conventional display configurations such as these may be satisfactory in certain situations, but can be unnecessarily limiting, the company says, adding that “it would therefore be desirable to provide electronic devices with improved displays.”
Here’s Apple’s summary of the invention: “An electronic device may have a hollow display cover structure. The hollow display cover structure may be formed from a structure having an inner surface. The structure may be an elongated member having a longitudinal axis. A material such as sapphire, other crystalline materials, or other transparent materials may be used in forming the hollow display cover structure.
“A flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting diode display layer or other flexible display structure may be wrapped around the longitudinal axis to cover the interior surface of the hollow display cover structure. The electronic device may have a touch sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and other sensors for gathering input such as user input. The electronic device may use one or more sensors to gather information on rotational motion of the device and can display content on the flexible display layer accordingly.”
