Apple is purportedly working on a follow-up to its 27-inch Studio Display; a newly granted patent suggests that it could have a curved screen.
The patent (number US 12085736B2) is for “Privacy Films for Curved Displays.” As far back as 2022, analyst Ross Young predicted that an “Apple Studio Pro”would, unlike the US$1,599 Studio Display, support ProMotion technology for refresh rates up to 120MHz in addition to a mini-LED panel.
Ross said the display will be promoted as a replacement for the $4,999, 6K Pro Display XDR. Still, the addition of mini-LED and ProMotion tech is likely to result in a higher price tag than that of the Studio Display, he added
If Apple is offering a third external monitor, I’d love to see a 30-inch or 32-inch model with ProMotion at a price no more than $1,999.
About the patent
The patent actually has more to do with the privacy film aspect rather than a curved display. Apple notes that, in some situations, privacy may be a concern for a user of an electronic device with a display. The user may, for example, wish to limit the viewing angle of the display to prevent neighboring people from viewing the display. In certain user scenarios, reducing the viewing angle may also offer a better user experience.
A privacy film may be used to reduce the viewing angle of a display. A privacy film may be a removable privacy film that is selectively placed over a display in an electronic device or a privacy film may be integrated within a display in an electronic device.
As for the curved display aspect of the patent, Apple notes that A privacy film for a curved display may also include a light-redirecting layer. The light-redirecting layer may redirect light towards the primary viewer of the display. In the edge of the display, light may be redirected by a larger angle than in the center of the display.
The light-redirecting layer may be a prism layer or a liquid crystal layer. A coherent fiber bundle may also be used in a privacy film to redirect light to a primary viewer of a curved display.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A privacy film may have a light-blocking layer that is interposed between first and second transparent substrates. The light-blocking layer may have a plurality of opaque portions and a plurality of transparent portions. The opaque portions may be shaped to ensure light from the display is directed only to the primary viewer of the display. Each opaque portion of the light-blocking layer may extend along a respective longitudinal axis between the first and second transparent substrates.
“Privacy films used to cover curved displays may have opaque portions that extend along longitudinal axes that have different angles relative to the transparent substrates. Opaque portions in the edge of the privacy film may have longitudinal axes that are at non-perpendicular angles with respect to the transparent substrates. A privacy film for a curved display may also include a light-redirecting layer such as a prism layer or a liquid crystal layer.”
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