In May last year patent applications were uncovered showing ideas and designs for an “iPen” dating from the era of the original iPad. That document was from 2010. Now it seems like Apple are pushing some more pen-based ideas to re-invent the stylus with its “Active Stylus” patent application. This new application was published at the end of 2012 according to Patently Apple. Interestingly the patent wasn’t filed in Apple’s name but “sneakily” by two Apple employed engineers under their own names.
Just like Steve Jobs was said to be against the idea of a 7-inch iPad (mini); calling it a “Tweener device”, being neither one thing nor another, he also looked down upon the idea of using styli. The Telegraph quotes him as saying, in 2007, “Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away, you lose them, yuck! Nobody wants a stylus.” To this date styli are still not available in Apple Stores as accessories, even though they are popular with punters. Also the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Note range of devices might have shown Apple a thing or two, including the fact that integrated stylus controls can be seen as a bonus, a selling point.
Apple’s new “Active Stylus” has a powered electrode in the tip to communicate with the touchscreen device. The patent says that the new stylus will be more accurate and less “finger-like”. In this way Apple can still insist that styli should be unnecessary for device interface usage but can be of great utility to artistic content creators, for example. This new patent combined with previous stylus ideas patented by Apple, such as haptic feedback within the pen, could make an appealing and accurate input device that could “feel” the textures of paper, wood or canvas etc.
As with all patent applications like this nothing may come to market using the technology. However Patently Apple observes that this “sneaky” practice of filing patents under engineer names often goes along with products that do get realised in manufacture.
