

Apple patents smart bezel technology

Apple has been granted a patent for touch-sensitive smart bezel technology that works as a secondary input mode for smaller iOS devices.

The patent, entitled “Electronic device, display and touch-sensitive user interface”, was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office and will enable Apple to create a smart bezel.

A smart bezel would extend over a portion of the tablet or smartphone display and would be touch-sensitive. It would be either partially or entirely light-transmissive that can hide or reveal that section of the screen on command.


Embedded sensors would apparently be able to sense when the user’s finger is coming close to the smart bezel portion. That section of the screen would then be illuminated by a touch or a hovered finger over the display.

“A sensor system senses when a person is close to touching the bezel or when a person is in touch with the bezel and generates a sensor signal”, reads the patent.  “A controller is operable to adjust the appearance of the active area in the part of the second portion when the controller determines that a person has touched the bezel or is close to touching the bezel.”

According to the patent the smart bezel section could be used to display additional text or graphics beyond the main screen to create a second form of input.


Could the technology be used for wearable technology devices like the highly rumoured Apple Watch?


Next, tell us which Apple iWatch features you’d like to see.

Apple smart bezelApple smart bezel

Via: AppleInsider
