Apple patent filing hints at Apple Pencil support for iPhones (and perhaps Apple Watches)

Apple has filed for a patent (number 10,466,895) for a “handwriting keyboard for screens” that hints at future Apple Pencil support for iPhones and perhaps even Apple Watches.

In the patent filing, the tech giant notes that many wearable electronic devices include touch sensitive surfaces, but the screens are of such small size that it would be difficult to enter text on the device directly. Apple says that other methods of data entry, such as dictation are possible but have downsides as well. In the case of messaging, predefined messages are of some use for are only appropriate when one of the limited number of predefined messages applies the current situation. 

Apple says that some techniques for handwriting on small screens using electronic devices, however, are generally cumbersome and inefficient. For example, some existing techniques use a complex and time-consuming user interface, which may include multiple key presses or keystrokes. Existing techniques require more time than necessary, wasting user time and device energy. Apple thinks it can do better.

Here’s the summary of the invention: “The present disclosure generally relates to handwriting on touch sensitive surfaces. In some examples, text suggestions strokes entered on a touch sensitive surface are viewed and selected in response to a rotatable input mechanism. In some examples, text determined from a set of strokes on the touch sensitive surface is revised based on a subsequently entered stroke on the touch sensitive surface. 

“In some examples, a determination is made whether to include a stroke in a set of strokes based a time between the stroke and the previous stroke. In some examples, determining text based on a set of stroke is interrupted to determined revised text based on the set of strokes and a second stroke.”

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.