14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is working on a bezel-less iPad Pro that could launch as soon as next month, but Microsoft seems to be doing the opposite thing, if a recently-discovered patent is adopted for mass production.
The so-called Touch Sensitive Bezel Techniques patent application (via MSPU), filed for the software giant by Steven Bathiche, Vice President of Microsoft Hardware and Microsoft Surface engineer, describes a new technology that allows the traditional and now super-annoying device bezels to transform into one of the essential features of each tablet or 2-in-1 by performing a series of active tasks.
Surface news coming on May 23
The patent explains that the bezel can come with sensors that would make it possible to run specific actions, such as triggering the launch of a menu whenever the user wants. With features such as palm detection, a bezel’s touch input sensors can determine gestures and display menus accordingly.
“A computing device includes touch sensors in a display portion of a display device and in a display capable bezel portion of the display device. The touch sensors can detect a touch input, and based on one or more characteristics of the touch input, a likelihood that a user intends or does not intend to interact with the computing device can be determined,” the abstract section of the patent reads.
“A location of a centroid of the touch input is one such characteristic that can be utilized. In at least some implementations, the display capable bezel portion has display capabilities such that when a touch input is detected, the display capabilities in a region of the bezel portion can be activated, such as to display a menu in the region of the bezel portion of the display device.”
Apple, on the other hand, is planning to eliminate bezels on the next-generation iPad, with the company trying to fit a bigger display on the same chassis. The device could be unveiled in June at WWDC, even though this is mostly a software event, with mass production to begin in Q2.
As far as the future of the Surface lineup is concerned, there’s still no evidence that this patent is being adopted for new models, though more information is projected to be unveiled by the company itself on May 23 in Shanghai.