Apple patent hints at even slimmer iOS devices

Apple has recently filed for some patents for audio-plug sockets that smaller in diameter than the thickness of the device in which it would be used. These patents essentially describe sockets that are thinner in diameter than the 3.5mm or 2.5mm headset jack, but are still able to make use of those standard audio connections. These sockets could work in a few ways – a socket that’s less than fully circular, so that a portion of the jack would protrude out from the socket; a semi-flexible material that covers the top so that it can expand when a plug is inserted; and the third method makes use of a “hinged housing” – two doors that swing open to accommodate the inserted plug. Usage of these sockets can make Apple’s future devices already slimmer than they already are, though it’s unclear how much thinner a device can get before it becomes uncomfortable to use or extremely fragile. What do you think about devices getting slimmer in the future?

George Wong
Categories: Apple, Audio
Tags: Apple Inc, iOS, Patent, plug