Apple has been awarded a patent for including a mini projector in future iOS devices. The idea is to project a display from the side of the device without the need for external accessories or wires.
More impressively, users can use gesture controls on the projected screen by way of a mini camera, adding far more functionality than in similar devices, such as the Samsung Galaxy Beam.
What’s the point?
A projector on a portable device, especially a smartphone, would have fantastic benefits. The ability to temporarily increase screen size without altering the dimensions of the handset is a great feature, even if only used for viewing movies and pictures.
Add motion sensors and cameras for gesture control and you have yourself a pretty futuristic interface.
The projector is most likely based on laser technology, much like the pico projector in the Galaxy Beam. In simple projectors this allows for higher resolution projections from a smaller system. As a projector with gesture-recognition we might be finally looking at the laser-projected keyboard for easy on-desk typing.
With Air Drop on iOS7, users would be able to enjoy high levels of integration between devices. Two side-by-side screens could be used to drag and drop files, or even play multiplayer games.
When do we get it?
The patent was filed back in 2012, but there’s little chance of seeing it in the next generation of iPhone or iPads.
The iPhone 5S is almost definitely the next iPhone we’ll see out of Apple. The “S” range of iPhones have always been an upgrade on the previous model, rather than a totally new device. Always evolutionary; never revolutionary.
We wouldn’t dare to guess about the iPhone 6. We’re fairly certain that if we don’t see it on the 6 then we wouldn’t even see it on the 6S, which would be a real shame.
Unlike the iPhone, the iPad line is upgraded whenever Apple feels like it. As such there’s a chance that the minute Apple feels the projector is ready for consumer sales then a new iPad will hit shelves, complete with the potentially revolutionary tech.
And iPad would be well-suited to test out a mini projector on thanks to its already large size and its much larger battery.
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