A patent awarded to Apple this week depicts one example of how an edge-to-edge display smartphone could work.
Apple was awarded a patent for “Electronic devices having displays with openings” by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Components like the front-facing camera and ambient-light sensor could be mounted behind small openings in the edge-to-edge display.
These small openings would not be perceptible to the human eye, but would still allow unimpeded access to microphones, cameras, antennas, light sensors and other components, AppleInsider said.
Technology featured in the patent may also be used by Apple for augmented reality. A built-in heads-up display, in a region of the smartphone with a transparent glass back, would allow images to be overlaid on a real-world view. The company is expected to announce AR plans in 2017 or 2018.
With Apple rumoured to be releasing an edge-to-edge display iPhone this year, some of the concepts featured in this patent could reveal how the iPhone would work. On the other hand, Apple initially filed for the patent in February 2015, and since then may have abandoned the patented concept altogether.
