On July 6th the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a new Apple patent, The patent is entitled "Modifying functionality of an electronic device during a Moisture exposure Event". According to the patent, users will be able to perform interactions such as typing while the iPhone's screen is wet, effectively reducing accidental touch. The patent will also improve the experience of using electronic devices exposed to water.
According to the patent, the method would add a "protective layer" to the phone's screen that would be linked to Apple's touch detection system. With a protective layer, the system can detect forces applied to the display panel and also detect the presence of moisture on the screen. When the amount of moisture on the screen exceeds a preset threshold, the algorithm will adjust the digital converter to respond to the user's actions, taking into account the extra pressure generated by the moisture. In addition, the iPhone UI changes when the user uses the iPhone underwater. For example, the App icon becomes larger and easier to press when using the camera underwater.
The feature is likely to be turned on by default and activated automatically when moisture is detected. But the patent also suggests there could be an option in the iPhone in the future that would allow users to manually switch the feature on and off. As a patent, it is unclear whether Apple will introduce this feature in future iphones, but the patent is very useful.
