Using your iPhone in the rain or taking pictures underwater is thanks to this technology that Apple is working on.
Apple’s new patent tells us more about an interesting technology the Californian company is working on. It’s about a new interface that changes when the iPhone screen comes into contact with water. A “wet method” And once “Submarine” Brand smartphones can change the way we use them.
iPhone changes interface when it comes in contact with water
All smartphone users have experienced problems when touchscreens get wet. This usually happens when you want to use it in the rain. The screen is no longer responsive or very bad, making it very difficult to use the device.
Recognizing this problem, a new patent from Apple offers an adaptive interface that changes the layout and size of the buttons displayed on the screen when it comes into contact with water. We’re talking splashes, rain, but also submersion while using the camera here.
The aim here is to eliminate “False Positives” It will enable the touchscreen by default. It’s moving or removing touch keys, but a new way to interact with the screen using pressure, Apple’s Force Touch technology and 3D Touch. Concretely, it is necessary to press more or less on the screen according to the amount of water in contact with the screen.
One way “Submarine” To take pictures underwater
Apple’s patent provides a real-world case showing the iPhone’s camera working in three modes: “dry”, “wet” And “Submarine”. Each mode has a dedicated interface.
in style “dry”, the phone works in the usual way. in style “wet”, some camera features will be disabled. Finally, in mode “Submarine”, all conventional controls are removed to create two large buttons for taking photos or videos. Since you can’t access settings in this last mode, the phone will take care of using the best settings for underwater photography or filming.
We also observe the display of the depth at which the phone is located, so as not to exceed the acceptable limit. As a reminder, three modelsiPhone 13 IP68 waterproof certification for resistance to submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
Changing the software interface can be confusing for users, but providing the ability to use your phone in a way that has been so difficult up until now will give future iPhones an advantage if this technology comes to fruition.
USPTO