In Q4, Apple delivered the best Performance for iPad Since 2014
According to a report posted by Canalys, Apple furthered its dominance in the tablet market, with Q4 shipments growing 40% to 19.2 million, its best iPad performance since Q4 2014. Samsung s tablet shipments were a distant second with 9.9 million tablets shipped, up 41% from Q4 2019
Statement by Canalys Analyst Ishan Dutt: The growth momentum enjoyed by tablets shows just how important easy access to computing power has become in the current time. Their versatility across, not just different form factors and price points, but also connectivity options, make them an ideal device across a variety of use-cases, from simple slates for e-learning and content consumption all the way to high-performance detachables for productivity users who are adapting to spending a larger proportion of time at home.
Apple updates and refines their VR Headset Finger Accessories Invention
In October 2019 Patently Apple posted a patent application report titled Apple Patent Reveals Finger Sensory Devices that will Work with a Future Headset and Designed to be Stored Together. While VR headset designs on the market today may use VR gloves or handheld accessory devices to assist users playing games and interacting in VR environments, one of Apple s creative leading engineers, Paul X. Wang, patented finger future devices that could be placed on one or more fingers so as to accomplish the same thing.
On Thursday a rumor from Bloomberg claimed that Apple s first crack at a future headset will be in the form of a VR Head-Mounted-Device like Facebook s Oculus and not AR Glasses. This makes it more important than ever to stay updated on all current and future Apple patents on this subject matter so as to glean what features and accessories could be part of their first and subsequent VR Headsets
Apple may integrate multiple cameras in future devices with flexible housings to assist users in capturing vastly superior panoramic photos
Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to future foldable devices with multiple cameras integrated into the flexible housing that could capture vastly superior panoramic photos by having the cameras in different locations on the housing providing different angles.
Apple notes that it can be challenging to capture panoramic images with a traditional wide-angle camera on an iPhone. The images may likely become blurred due to camera movement and/or portions of a scene may move during image capture operations. Alignment issues may also arise causing desired portions of an image to be cut off unintentionally.
Apple Invents Object Tracking and Recognition of Objects, Including In-Air hand Gestures, for Future HMD & Glasses
Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to a future mixed reality headset device and more specifically to object tracking for an HMD. A future HMD or Glasses will use sensors that could recognize and track objects, surfaces and in-air gesture commands.
Apple s invention covers Head-mounted devices, such as head-mounted displays, headsets, visors, smartglasses, head-up display, etc., can perform a range of functions that are managed by the components (e.g., sensors, circuitry, and other hardware) included with the wearable device.
Apple s 3rd Patent Application for Future MacBooks and iDevices using a Titan Base and a Polymer or Glass Cover was Published last week
Apple s R&D regarding the possible use of titanium for future Apple devices, with a particular focus on a MacBook, began back in April 2015 with a provisional patent. We covered this patent once it became a full patent application in April 2017 in a report titled Apple explores the use of Titanium, Titanium Alloys and Hybrid Plastics for Future Devices. In March 2018 we posted a second patent on this subject matter titled Apple Inventions cover Devices that may use Titanium, Chemically Resistant Compounds & Protective Enzymes. Apple won their first granted patent related to the use of titanium in a MacBook in June 2020.