You may not need to even touch your next iPhone

iPhone 6s
iPhone 6s

3D Touch was the headline feature on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus with the aim to change how you interact with your phone and give you more options – and the latest patent from Apple suggests it wants to go further.

According to a patent filed in March 2015, Apple is looking into technology that would allow you to control your phone without having to touch the screen.

It would use the photodiodes in your screen and other proximity sensing hardware to detect hovering gestures.

The next level

The sensors within the LCD display would likely work in partnership with proximity sensors around the phone as well to combine and be able to tell when a finger, or your palm, is hovering over the display.

From there, it could narrow down to where you want to interact and mean you can get functionality without even tapping a button.

The possibilities with this technology are grand. It will allow you to control the screen, offer a new input for gaming and it would likely even mean the phone can lose the IR proximity sensor it uses to detect your head when on a phone call.

It all seems to be a little like Air View on the Samsung Galaxy S4, which when turned on allowed you to control certain features by hanging your finger half an inch away from the screen. But that all proved pretty useless and didn't make a return on the Samsung Galaxy S6.

If this feature does make its way to the iPhone 7, it's going to take some getting used to.

Quite often we hang our finger over the iPhone display when reading or looking for what app to open next – that may not be possible with this new technology. 3D Touch had a similar problem when it first launched as people weren't used to the feature popping up after a hard press.

Considering the patent was only introduced in early 2015 we expect we won't see the technology make its way onto the iPhone 7, expected in September this year.

But it might be ready for the iPhone 7S or iPhone 8 in coming years - and that's only if Apple sees fit to use the technology after its development.

Via Apple Insider

TOPICS
James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.

Latest in iPhone
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
The iPhone 17 Air looks impressively slim in this new comparison image, but that just makes me more worried about the specs
iPhone 16 Pro Desert Titanium in hand
I think the rumored iPhone 17 Pro redesign looks great – but is it Apple enough?
Apple iPhone 16 Review
New iPhone 17 report lends weight to rumors of major display and camera upgrades, and a pricey Apple foldable
Apple iPhone 16 Review
The latest iPhone 18 leak hints at a major chipset upgrade for all four models
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold main display opened
Apple is rumored to be prioritizing battery life on the foldable iPhone – which could also feature a liquid metal hinge for added durability
The home screen on an iPhone 16e smartphone
I think the iPhone 16e is too expensive – and as it turns out, so does nearly everybody else
Latest in News
A young woman is working on a laptop in a relaxed office space.
I’ll admit, Microsoft’s new Windows 11 update surprised me with its usefulness, providing accessibility fixes, a gamepad keyboard layout, and PC spec cards
inZOI promotional material.
inZOI has become the most wishlisted game on Steam, but I wouldn't get too caught up in the hype
Xbox Series X and Xbox wireless controller set to a green background
Xbox Insiders are currently testing a new Game Hub feature that looks useful, but I've got mixed feelings about it
A stylized depiction of a padlocked WiFi symbol sitting in the centre of an interlocking vault.
Broadcom warns of worrying security flaws affecting VMware tools
Nespresso Vertuo Pop machine in Candy Pink with coffee drinks and capsules
My favorite Nespresso coffee maker just got a fresh new makeover, and now I love it even more
Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices on a table.
Hate Windows 11’s search? Microsoft is fixing it with AI, and that almost makes me want to buy a Copilot+ PC