AppleInsider reports that Apple might have developed a certain means to display status indicators on the iPhone’s display, even when the handset is locked and the backlight of the screen turned off. This was recently revealed via a company filing to the US Pattern and Trademark Office. Similarly, another patent for a “today” screen was also recently revealed.
Most handsets used the traditional method of turning off its displays in order to conserve energy. However, this approach makes it difficult or impossible altogether for users to determine the status of their device, much less identify any pending notifications without having to turn the unit on.
You would have probably see how Nokia handsets display the clock when the handset is locked. Newer models also display other status like missed calls or incoming text messages. Those were done by switching the display into black and white mode and turning off the backlight, thus helping save power.
Apple’s method involves the implementation of a dual-backlight system, where a low-powered secondary backlight system would be positioned behind the primary backlight system. The light provided by the secondary system would be always-on and is to be projected through one or more of the transparent/semi-transparent regions of the primary backlight system to reach the display. This is done while the primary backlight remains switched off.
The filing further explains that the primary backlight may block light from the secondary backlight, except for one or more regions. Consequently, this arrangement gives way for the size and shape of the status indicator to be set thru sizing and shaping of the transparent or semitransparent regions on the primary backlight. In addition to that, the color of the icon can also be set simply by adjusting the color of the light that comes out of the secondary backlight system.
Nonetheless, the features here are all hardware dependent and will probably appear in a future version of the iPhone. Benefits galore, models featuring this enhancement will definitely have a longer lasting battery. Aside to that, Apple shall also have one less complaint to handle: users will now be able to check the status of their phones, answer to missed calls and reply to incoming text messages.
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