According to PatentlyApple, the new Apple patent published by the USPTO today shows new GUI elements that could help improve the potentially confusing layout of a hybrid OS X/touchscreen UI. Specifically, Apple is trying to fix knobs with a “new” knob/slider control that’s easier to use and figure out. The effect is more visual and clearer in how the particular knob works (Patently Apple says there is a fill region that indicates the movement of a knob).
All this type of GUI isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but to elegantly transfer mouse and click actions to sensible touch and tap motion, well, the devil is in the details. Obviously, this little patent isn’t hard proof that the next generation iMac will have a touchscreen display but it’s clear that Apple sees touchscreen in the iMac (or at the very least, Mac OS X’s) future. Read more about knobs and how they related to touchscreen iMacs at Patently Apple. [Patently Apple]
Jester
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:55 PMI could be very far from the mark as I’m obviously not involved in the development of this UI tweak, nor am I a patent lawyer, but this seems to me to be the sort of arbitrary and stupid development that really isn’t deserving of a patent. I really wish companies would stop pushing this sort of nonsense, the resulting court battles are tiring and it in no way benefits the consumer.
/rant
Sam
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:15 PMOK I’ve now read the article, and yeah I agree with you. I personally think that patents should be for items that do a physical task – and NOT something that manipulates a human sense.
Patenting GUI features would be like a band patenting their song.
I reckon it should go the other way, treat GUI as being ARTISTIC intellectual property – after all, a GUI is a design element; design itself being art.
Hey look, I just solved half these dumb patent wars – the technology can move forward now, and those who are having their UI ideas stolen can receive royalties for other brands using their ideas.
Jackson Bison
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:37 PMOk, now I’ve not only read the article, but browsed the patent, which is proof of absolutely nothing… It’s all about hot the GUI responds to being interacted with – there’s nothing about touch, mouse or eyeball tracking…
This is merely proof that Apple are patenting stuff, and evidence that they’ll still patent anything…
Jackson Bison
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:38 PMhot = how
Sam
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:08 PMI’ll point out I haven’t read the article – but the title would be more apt if it read “New Apple Patent Is More Proof That Apple’s Working On A Touchscreen iMac”.
It’s not proven until we know it exists – all we know is that theres a patent. I’m not surprised this article came from Casey originall.
Sam
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 1:09 PMErmmm I meant if the title read “New Apple Patent Is More Evidence That Apple’s Working On A Touchscreen iMac”.
Didn’t proof read myself :(
WhiteDaemon666
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 6:25 PMMurhpy’s law: If you produce an article or comment relating to grammar, punctuation etc., there will be an error in your text. Always.
(and yes, I did spell intentionally Murhpy incorrectly)
MotorMouth
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 3:48 PMIts interesting that iMac was unrivalled by anything in the PC world for years but is now years behind – I bought a touchscreen all-in-one PC from Aldi two years ago, to use as a render machine/media centre.
Esophagus
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 12:08 AMInteresting, Jobs apparently thought a touch screen computer (not the iPad in this instance) was stupid, which means they just want to patent troll.