New technology from Apple: touchless control and curved screen

Aurel Dragan 05/04/2018 | 10:38

Finding the innovation that will difference you from the competitors is a never ending battle that smartphone producers are having all the time. Now, Apple, the maker of iPhone, is working on touchless gesture control and curved screen for future models, according to sources close to the company, cited by Bloomberg.

The control feature would allow the use of the phone by moving the finger close to the screen but without tapping it. If Apple will choose to go on with the technology, it should take two years before entering the market.

The feature would not be new for Apple, which has long embraced new ways for humans to interact with computers. One of the oldest is Steve Jobs decision to popularize the mouse in 1980s, while one of the newest is 3D Touch on iPhone, that makes the phone to respond differently depending on the finger pressure. Whether you are a claw grip player or a palm grip player, there are some good fingertip mouse for you.

Apple is also developing a display that curve inward gradually from top to bottom, a difference from Samsung screens that curve down at the edges. The iPhone X’s OLED screen also curves slightly at the bottom, but the shape is invisible to the human eye. A curved screen was used in LG phones few years ago, but with no success. Apple is also working on new screen technology, known as MicroLED, that is three to five years away.

The features are in early research and development and an Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.

The Cupertino-based company had a 20 percent market share in the last quarter of 2017, after the launch of iPhone X and iPhone 8, getting on top of Samsung and Huawei. Meanwhile, Samsung is working on foldable smartphone and Huawei has more and more success in Asia.