Apple awarded patent for “flexible electronic devices”

Apple has been awarded a patent for "flexible electronic devices," which is described in the patent as a mobile device that is fully flexible - inside (batteries) and out (screen), newseveryday.com reported.

Users would be able to bend, fold and squeeze the device and perform certain functions as a result of those actions according to the patent description.

The exterior of the "flexible electronic device" could have a flexible display cover under a flexible housing.  According to commentators with the interiors flexible, Apple could use a flexible OLED display, flexible batteries and flexible circuit boards.

However, this was not the first time "flexible" devices had been talked about.

Samsung Galaxy Round and LG's G Flex are already leveraging curved display even though these are nowhere near to being as flexible as the device described in the Apple's latest patent.

"Flexible electronic devices may include flex-sensing components for sensing deformations of the flexible electronic device," Apple notes in the patent.

"Deformations of the flexible electronic device that are sensed by flex-sensing components may provide user input to the electronic device. For example, twisting a flexible electronic device may change the operating mode of the device, may be interpreted by the device as a command to an electronic gaming system, may turn the device on or off, etc."

Meanwhile, CNET reported that Samsung and LG had both been researching flexible and bendable phones and Apple's patent showed that the iPhone maker was also keenly interested in the market.

So what was the big deal about flexible devices? According to Apple's patent, "Flexible electronic devices may be more resistant to damage during impact events, such as drops, because the flexible device may bend or deform while absorbing the impact.'' Apple added "Deformation of this type may increase the duration of an impact, thereby reducing the impulse received by other components of the flexible device."

A flexible phone could also allow different types of commands based on how one manipulated it.

"Flexible electronic devices may include flex-sensing components for sensing deformations of the flexible electronic device," Apple noted in the patent.

"Deformations of the flexible electronic device that are sensed by flex-sensing components may provide user input to the electronic device. For example, twisting a flexible electronic device may change the operating mode of the device, may be interpreted by the device as a command to an electronic gaming system, may turn the device on or off, etc."