Apple’s Electromagnet Patent Could Protect iPhones & iPads When Dropped

When you think about how expensive an iPhone and an iPad is, you probably get that sinking feeling in your heart when you drop either device. Sometimes you get lucky and there is no damage, but sometimes you get a bit unlucky and the damage can be pretty bad, resulting in the device being rendered unusable.

However in a patent discovered by AppleInsider, it seems that Apple is toying with the idea of using electromagnets within devices like the iPhone and iPad, where upon detection that the device is falling, it will be able to “pull” the device away from the impacted area, thus preventing them from receiving the brunt of the damage and potentially avoiding any damage at all.

This is done by encasing the device inside a case with electromagnets, although as you can see in the diagram above, there is a lot of wasted space which means that the case could be big and bulky, although we suppose that’s the sacrifice one would have to make if they want to protect their devices from damage.

That being said, this is merely a patent which means that there’s no telling if and when Apple will make it a reality. However the patent does describe potential uses for electromagnets beyond protection, such as connecting peripherals and accessories, so maybe part of it could still be realized.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Apple, Cellphones, Tablets
Tags: iPad, iPhone, Patent