Apple's New Focus on Touch

**Paul Daniel Ash** · 10-02-2009, 06:32 PM

image via AppleInsider

A patent application filed by Apple back in June that was discovered by AppleInsider today shows plans for a revolutionary new touch interface that would be used on a device with a touch screen large enough to accommodate two hands. In addition to being yet another piece of news that will be seized upon as evidence that Apple is working on bringing a new tablet device to market, the plans are further indication that the company is focused on making touch-sensitive interfaces a big part of its future products.

The application refers to a need for "pointing methods with higher resolution, larger movement range, and more degrees of freedom yet which are easily accessible from typing hand positions." Apple notes that pointing devices embedded in keyboards were difficult to control optimally, and are presenting a touch interface with multiple modes as a solution to that need.

The invention Apple is seeking a patent for is both the hardware details of the touch screen as well as interface design and the specific motions that will be recognized. The plans are for a system that will sense such things as whether someone is resting their hands on the screen, the duration between when a hand or fingers touch the surface and when they are picked up, whether one finger or multiple fingers are tapped, interpreting the movement of two hands together as two-dimensional manipulation, and more.

Apple is clearly looking to be an industry leader in the new field of touch computing, and like any basic technology it's hard if not impossible to predict with certainty how the new interface will change the way we interact with technology. However, just as the mouse revolutionized not only human-computer interaction, but allowed for fields like desktop publishing to emerge, it's apparent that the new multi-touch interface has the potential to enable developers to create new applications. Ultimately, these tactile screens could extend the current point-and-click flatland of our desktops into something that more closely resembles our real world. And that's much more interesting than a ten-inch tablet.

**rico3459** · 10-02-2009, 06:41 PM

Can't wait to see the future when I'm 80 hahaha

**i32a45d** · 10-02-2009, 06:45 PM

Actually it looks more like a blend between a future keyboard and mouse. Not so much a screen/tablet pc.

**law111** · 10-02-2009, 07:16 PM

If Apple comes out with a legit tablet, not a overside iPod Touch or iPhone, I'm definitely will be waiting in line to get one of them.

**Cowboy** · 10-02-2009, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by i32a45d

Actually it looks more like a blend between a future keyboard and mouse. Not so much a screen/tablet pc.

I agree with you it looks like maybe a keyboard or something

**rbjscv** · 10-02-2009, 07:34 PM

anyone notice how that resembles a Ouija board?

**dale1v** · 10-02-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by rbjscv

anyone notice how that resembles a Ouija board?

**jdm.accord** · 10-02-2009, 09:43 PM

WTF, can we please give the "Apple Tablet" thing a rest already? Who gives a rat's *** about this anyway? "Oh wow, you can get digital newspapers on it!" Whooptie-facking-doo! I'm so sick of hearing rumors about a completely irrelevant piece of technology that may or may not even exist.

If it ever does arrive, its gonna be the second-coming of AppleTV.

**cellmate75** · 10-02-2009, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by jdm.accord

WTF, can we please give the "Apple Tablet" thing a rest already? Who gives a rat's *** about this anyway? "Oh wow, you can get digital newspapers on it!" Whooptie-facking-doo! I'm so sick of hearing rumors about a completely irrelevant piece of technology that may or may not even exist.

If it ever does arrive, its gonna be the second-coming of AppleTV.

+1

**kaaroFC** · 10-02-2009, 10:53 PM

It would be nice to have a touch-keyboard

**JustinPizzle** · 10-03-2009, 12:24 AM

touch keyboard FTW

one that can change the image on it.
AND have a nice little haptic response..
maybe even changing texture for keys...

**SirTimothy1** · 10-03-2009, 07:06 AM

Virtual keyboard maybe, with mouse touch movements too?

**AAAARRRRRRGGGGG** · 10-03-2009, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by jdm.accord

WTF, can we please give the "Apple Tablet" thing a rest already? Who gives a rat's *** about this anyway? "Oh wow, you can get digital newspapers on it!" Whooptie-facking-doo! I'm so sick of hearing rumors about a completely irrelevant piece of technology that may or may not even exist.

If it ever does arrive, its gonna be the second-coming of AppleTV.

i'm not sure what freaking out is accomplishing here. were you going somewhere with this or should i just call you a waaahhhmbulance already?

clearly some new technology DOES exist. patents were put in. it's been said already but this looks more like new keyboard technology than a tablet so what the heck are you bellyaching about?

**jdm.accord** · 10-03-2009, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by AAAARRRRRRGGGGG

i'm not sure what freaking out is accomplishing here. were you going somewhere with this or should i just call you a waaahhhmbulance already?

clearly some new technology DOES exist. patents were put in. it's been said already but this looks more like new keyboard technology than a tablet so what the heck are you bellyaching about?

I was bellyaching about the tablet, not a touch-keyboard.

What purpose will a tablet serve? Someone explain that to me. Seriously, all this fuss over something that may not even be in the works. What will it accomplish that a MacBook can't? I just don't understand the hype for something that seems so worthless.

And I've got an MBP, iPhone 3GS, and an iPod Nano so I'm not anti-Apple at all. I honestly just don't get it.

**spazturtle** · 10-03-2009, 02:11 PM

Multi touch keyboards with screens all ready exist Optimus Tactus keyboard

**techrider62** · 10-03-2009, 02:26 PM

Sounds like the touch surface microsoft is working on.

**AAAARRRRRRGGGGG** · 10-03-2009, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by jdm.accord

I was bellyaching about the tablet, not a touch-keyboard.

What purpose will a tablet serve? Someone explain that to me. Seriously, all this fuss over something that may not even be in the works. What will it accomplish that a MacBook can't? I just don't understand the hype for something that seems so worthless.

And I've got an MBP, iPhone 3GS, and an iPod Nano so I'm not anti-Apple at all. I honestly just don't get it.

well, i have no real opinion on the tablet one way or the other. i'm not against it, but i won't be first in line to buy one either. i think the applications would reveal themselves as developers get a chance to work with the new medium. and that might be a big fat nothing. although it might find itself a nice niche in a market yet to be discovered. i think it's too early to pass a judgement one way or the other since it's all just speculation anyway.

**jdm.accord** · 10-03-2009, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by AAAARRRRRRGGGGG

well, i have no real opinion on the tablet one way or the other. i'm not against it, but i won't be first in line to buy one either. i think the applications would reveal themselves as developers get a chance to work with the new medium. and that might be a big fat nothing. although it might find itself a nice niche in a market yet to be discovered. i think it's too early to pass a judgement one way or the other since it's all just speculation anyway.

I agree completely. My point is that nearly half of the news focuses on this "tablet" even though there is little hard evidence that Apple plans on releasing it. I just don't understand the hype over something that 1) has yet to be produced and 2) that no one knows what it'll be useful for if it ever does come to fruition.

Just give it a rest with the useless stories already

**AAAARRRRRRGGGGG** · 10-03-2009, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by jdm.accord

I just don't understand the hype

i do. it's called "there's nothing better to talk about right now and we want to keep our readers from losing interest".

**staterunner180** · 10-03-2009, 10:22 PM

It might not even be the tablet. Everyone is saying how this is a patent for the design of a tablet Mac, but to me it looks like a keyboard. And plus, how many patents has Apple made that they never used or acted upon. Just recently there was a post on this site where Apple might put to use ideas from patents that they filed in 2006!

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Thread: Apple's New Focus on Touch

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image via AppleInsider A patent application filed by Apple back in June that was discovered by AppleInsider today shows plans for a revolutionary new touch interface that would be used

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