Apple patents SmartCover with secondary screen

[garyopa]

More interaction for iPad user's



Apple has filled a patent for a new SmartCover with an embedded screen and keyboard/drawing area

A recent patent claim filled by Apple has revealed the company's intention's or release (in a near future) a new SmartCover with a secondary screen and a big tactile area to fit a keyboard and a drawing surface.

According to Engadget:

Apple believes it's possible to build a flexible display into an iPad cover in order to "greatly enhance" the functionality of the tablet itself. Taking power and data from a dedicated connector on the side of the slate, at least one segment of the name-deserving Smart Cover could be used to augment the main display with space for extra icons, or operate as a separate media control interface, or simply display notifications. Patent also hints at using the entire inner surface of the cover as a keyboard (ala Microsoft Surface) or as a drawing area.

In the link below you can take a look at the official USPO claim for the patent.

NEWS SOURCE #1: Apple smart cover display patent application (via) EnGadget
NEWS SOURCE #2: Apple #20120802 (via) US Patent & Trademark Office

Our thanks to 'Kaos2K' for this news item!

[mrx1]

Apple Trapper Keeper.

[wiggim]

Why stop there and just make the tablet foldable? Right.. batteries...

So they are making their tablets smaller by the sounds of it. 3rd revision may be something major... A6 chip?