Apple has reportedly acquired two new patents that will help it compete with some feature and technology found on some Samsung products like the Galaxy Note II.
The first is a "touch and hover" display that will allow users to interact with their iPhone or iPad without actually having to touch the screen. Users can simply hold their finger or stylus over a desired app and then that app will open as though you had pressed down on the screen.
According to reports from Apple Insider, the patent focuses on a way for the iPhone or iPads to discern between whether you want to open an app or simply have waved your finger above the screen unintentionally. The idea will be to have a sensor detect how long you're hovering your finger over a certain spot and how far away your finger is from the screen.
While this function comes directly from the Samsung playbook, the second patent is a little bit more creative and focuses on a way for the iPhone and iPad to decipher information based on monitoring your heart rate. The new feature will add an EKG data scanner to your device allowing it to determine different users holding the device based on very slight differences and irregularities found in heartbeats. This will likely be a way for the device to ensure that no one other than the phone's owner is able to use it. Apple has been taking steps toward becoming a more secure phone ever since it came out with the biometric fingerprint scanner found on the new iPhone 5S.
While an EKG scanner might be useful for security, Apple has reportedly been getting itself into the realm of fitness as well. Reports have been coming out of the company over a rumored iWatch device that would have fitness-tracking features. It's unclear how a built-in EKG device on a smartphone will help with a wearable wrist accessory but it's unlikely that the two would have nothing to do with each other.
Would you be interested in either of these new features coming to the iPhone 6? Comment and share your thoughts on these new patents with us below.
