Apple Files Patent Application for Advanced Multitouch Tech

Fueling the fire of ongoing multitouch rumors surrounding upcoming MacBook and MacBook Pro models, Apple has filed another patent application, this time to protect its multitouch technology (similar to the features available with the MacBook Air's trackpad). However, mockups show that Mac OS X users may be using as many as four fingers in "chords" to execute tasks such as opening up the Dashboard, managing application windows, copy/cut & paste and more.

This exciting story comes via macrumors.com, who reveals that a Wayne Westerman of Fingerworks has disclosed the recent Apple patent application, complete with mockups of a Mac OS X gesturing control panel. The options of configuring a standard trackpad, basic multitouch, and advanced multitouch settings are depicted.

Needless to say, Apple's patent application again feeds rumors of multitouch tech being implemented with MacBook and MacBook pro models, as it depicts how users could customize advanced gestures for Expose and Dashboard, "by using four finger swipes up/down/left/right," according to MacRumors.

Other file operations possible through the new trackpad include Open, New, Save and Close, as shown in the image to the left (click to enlarge), which can be activated based on Thumb and Forefinger gestures. However, there's more to the editing, as the patent application makes a reference to operations such as Copy, Cut, Paste, Undo, Select All, Tab, and Cancel with other kinds of gestures using your Thumb and Two Fingers this time.

But check this out! According to the application, new trackpads are said to be able to actually distinguish between various combinations of fingers, such as non-adjacent finger presses. They add that the pinky finger could generate a unique pattern and could be used for a customizable function, when applied sideways to the trackpad.

Great stuff, what can I say? Still, no one needs a reminder of exactly how many patent applications materialize in the end, and in their original form too, so don't get your hopes up for a very soon release. It does however confirm that multitouch is one of Apple's top priorities.