The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 46 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover Apple's invention for an iPhone with a wraparound glass display. There's been a long standing rumor this year that Apple will release an all-new curved glass iPhone in 2017 that could either represent a special anniversary iPhone or a new iPhone Pro model. The reports linked to above illustrate one possible form factor design and today's granted patent illustrates a second glass form factor. 

Granted Patent: iPhone with Wraparound Display

Apple's newly granted patent covers their invention relating to a consumer electronic product such as an iPhone that includes at least a transparent housing and a flexible display assembly enclosed within the transparent housing. In the described embodiment, the flexible display assembly is configured to present visual content at any portion of the transparent housing.

Apple's patent FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of portable electronic device in operation. Notice how the wrap around display substantially increases the available display area that can be used for display of icons, data, images, video and such.

Apple notes that utilizing a flexible display can provide additional viewing area without increasing either the size or shape of the electronic device. For example, a flexible display can be folded in such a way as to form a continuous loop such that images (still or video) can be presented in a wrap-around manner in which the images appear to be presented in a continuous loop.

The flexible display can be folded into a tightly wound configuration and placed within an enclosure at least a portion of which is transparent. In some cases, the enclosure can be formed of glass at least a portion of which is made opaque (at least translucent) by the addition of ink or other masking material.

For more information on this invention see Apple's granted patent 9,367,095 or one of our previous reports. The original patent application was covered in a 2013 report and Apple's first granted patent was covered back in July 2015.

Apple kick started their WWDC 2016 yesterday and a number of Apple's patents came to life. Check out our report for details. 

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