Apple is a technology that, despite many thinking otherwise, Yes, it is innovative and constantly researches new technological solutions, although it is true that, as in the case of other technologies, part of the tests carried out will never manifest themselves in concrete solutions on the market. And this is something we know in most cases by closely following the patents that are registered.

There can be many reasons why a proprietary technology is retired: high production costs, problems with its development, low market expectations… In other words, when we see a company like Apple decide to patent a technology, it’s a sign that it’s studying it, but it’s never a guarantee that sooner or later we’ll see a product based on it hit the market.

Even so, it’s always interesting because it tells us what they might be working on and thus what rumors we should be most vigilant about in the future. And thanks to this type of information, we already knew about some of the company’s interests well in advance. For example, over the years and leading up to the Apple Vision Pro, there have been some interesting leaks in the form of registered patents. And the same can be said for some of the technology that eventually made its way into the iPhone.

While we’re still waiting to see if the foldable iPhone, a recurring rumor for years, will come true, today in Mashable we can read that Apple has filed a patent for a scrolling screen. This patent was registered in November last year, but has not yet been published, as new applications are kept in private mode by the registration authorities for several months.

The patent mentions the use of a layer of glass «locally thin» on the roller part and also on the screen configured to «compressive stress on the outward-facing glass surface can help prevent screen damage during bending«. And of course, combining the ability to roll with the durability of the screen seems to be a big challenge for the internal engineers. And even more if we talk about devices like a smartphone, of the type of device specifically mentioned in the patent.

we’ve heard about it before some similar projects in the past, both from the now-defunct LG mobile division and from OPPO, although in both cases we didn’t live to see its arrival on the consumer market. And in case Apple reaches this milestone, it’s clear that it won’t be in the short term, so it’s best to wait and sit.