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| A rendering of an iPhone 6 concept that is quite similar to the SixthSense device. |
The tech community is raising its eyebrows over a recently filed Apple patent that shows detailed specs for a pico projector that could end up on the iPhone 5. But is Apple ripping off next-generation mobile device concepts like the SixthSense?
As the iPhone release inches ever-closer, and with the announcement month seemingly decided to be Septemeber, iPhone enthusiasts are shifting their attention once again to what to expect on the next iPhone in terms of new features. Much has been made about the name of the next iPhone — whether it will be the iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, iPhone 4Gs, or some other permutation — since the name of the next iPhone is likely to denote whether or not it is a simple refresh of the iPhone 4 or groundbreaking revamp worthy of the “iPhone 5″ moniker.
Another prevailing concern is that the iPhone 5 (or whatever name it is given), which will ostensibly be the flagship device for the iOS 5, will turn out to offer very few new, novel features that have not already found their way onto the Android OS.
It is for these reasons that the tech community has recently embraced hopes of a novel, new feature that has been virtually ignored until this week: the addition of a “pico projector” onto the iPhone 5. According to Patently Apple, Apple filed a detailed patent for an onboard pico projector for the iPhone and similar mobile-styled devices. MacRumors followed up on this story by noting Apple recently purchased the domain name applepico.com.
You can read more about this story here on the iPhone 5 News Ticker.
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| Pranav Mistry's SixthSense device |
While we have observed that patents typically take a year ow more to find their way into production, Apple Patents believes that the level of detail in this patents suggests that Apple may be ready to roll out a pico projector for the iPhone 5. We are inclined to believe that it may be a more likely technology for the iPhone 6.
But before you get excited about this new feature as something completely unique and novel, it’s important to note that, once again, Android has already tested the waters with onboard pico projectors. The Independent notes that “Apple is not the first company to try integrating pico projectors into its smartphones. Samsung showed off an Android smartphone called the Galaxy Beam back in 2010, LG strapped a projector accessory to the back of its LG Expo smartphone in 2009, and camera maker Nikon started shipping its Coolpix S100pj digital camera with a built-in 10 lumen LED pico projector during the same year.” On top of that, other elements of the patent suggest that Apple may be looking to steal the groundbreaking concept of an even more audacious concept device — the SixthSense.
In case you are unfamiliar with the SixthSense device, it is quite possibly the next-generation mobile device concept that could easily replace the laptop, tablet, and smartphone in one fell swoop. developed by M.I.T. prodigy Pranav Mistry, SixthSense is essentially the conflation of a compact CPU, digital camera, and pico projector. Rather than relying on a fixed touch screen, the SixthSense uses a pico projector to project the display onto virtually any surface: the pal of your hand, a wall, a piece of paper, or a desk. The camera will interpret gestures that you make against the projection of the screen so that you can manipulate it in 3D. The camera will also allow the CPU to detect certain media types — such as a newspaper — and project hyperlinks and video onto the paper itself to augment the story. Here is Pranav Mistry’s presentation of the SixthSense at TED:
source: iPhone5NewsBlog
