Apple has developed a technique that could allow for a smaller iPhone with all the controls but half the size, according to a recent but not yet fully public US Patent Office filing. Described as a “dual sided trackpad,” the primary variant on the invention would have a translucent cover with a capacitive, multi-touch trackpad that accepts input on either side and can activate controls depending on the pad’s position. The pad could therefore be attached to a small handheld device through a hinge and switch its functionality depending on whether it was open or closed: while a closed trackpad would simply serve as a substitute for the main touchscreen, an open position could provide a separate pad for dialing numbers or an interface for gestures and scrolling. This touchscreen could have its own basic display for these features. It's not yet known when can we see a handset like this and it's neither clear how much will the transparent touchscreen ruin the picture of the main display, especially when it's full of smudges and fingerprints.
Translated by Szaszati
