An Apple patent has unveiled that upcoming iPhones could potentially include multiple Action buttons, allowing all three buttons on the left side of the device to be user-configurable.
This patent suggests that similar features may also reach other Apple products, including both iPads and Macs.
The patent, discovered by Patently Apple, contains dense language, starting with an incredibly complex opening sentence!
An electronic device identifies a first input in a separate input region from the device’s display, comprising the detection of a first part followed by a second part of the first input. Upon detecting the first input: if the first part meets specific criteria, the device shows a first preview related to the first function of the first application; and if the second part satisfies another set of criteria, the device executes the first function of the first application. Similarly, if the second part meets the second criteria, the device performs the second function of the second application.
The complexity doesn’t lessen afterward; it’s primarily the diagrams that clarify what Apple envisions.
One illustration depicts the actual phone, highlighting the Action button along with two volume buttons on the left side next to an on-screen 3D representation of the device.
This interface enables users to choose functions for each button, similar to the current capability with the Action button.
For instance, the volume-down button could be set to call a specific contact:
The documentation mentions the use of haptic motors to offer tactile feedback when the buttons are pressed.
While the drawings mainly illustrate iPhones, Apple points out that the patent applies to iPads and Macs as well.
In some implementations, the device may be a portable communication gadget, like a mobile phone that also performs other functions such as PDA and/or music playback. Examples of multifunctional portable devices include, but are not limited to, the iPhone […] and iPad models from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California. Other portable electronic devices, such as laptops or tablets with touch-sensitive surfaces (e.g., touch-screen displays and/or touchpads), can also be used optionally.
Enthusiasts for touchscreen Macs may find this mention thrilling, but it’s essential to note that the complete phrase references “laptops or tablet computers with touch-sensitive surfaces,” which also includes trackpads and physical capacitive buttons under that category.
As usual, we remind readers that Apple files patents for all sorts of concepts that may never come to fruition. However, considering the pattern of introducing first an Action button and subsequently the Camera Control feature, it appears more plausible that the trend will persist.
Images and diagrams: Apple
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