Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180152551) for electronic devices with convex displays. It’s still another filing that hints at upcoming iPhones with curved screens (you can read about more such filings here).
What’s more, according to the patent filing, user interface components may be mounted under the flexible display or may be integrated into the flexible display. The nature of the screen may allow a user to interact with the user interface components by moving the display into contact with the user interface components or by otherwise allowing the display to locally flex (e.g., to allow sound to pass through the flexible display or to allow a barometric pressure measurements of the exterior environment to be made by an internal pressure sensor).
Apple says that it’s possible that a portion of the flexible display may form a membrane portion of an electrical component. Components that may be provided with a membrane that is formed from a portion of a flexible display include microphones, laser microphones, pressure sensors, speakers, etc.
According to the patent filing, a convex display may be used to maximize the internal volume of a device. Convex displays may be formed from one or more flexible layers. A flexible display layer may be mounted to a rigid support structure or a rigid cover layer. Flexible display layers that conform to the curved shape of a rigid structure may provide additional internal volume in which internal components of the device may be positioned.
Of course, Apple files for — and is granted — lots of patents by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Many are for inventions that never see the light of day. However, you never can tell which ones will materialize in a real product.
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