Chinese Patent Filing by Apple Shows Landscape Dock Connector, Smart Bezel Feature on New iPad
Apple’s original iPad kick started the tablet craze that we’ve come to know today. While it was not the first ever touchscreen touting tablet computer, it was pretty much the first big name slate tablet computer thus making it such a sought after device. Luckily, while the iPad is pretty much the only tablet available on the market right now, that won’t last for long.
Several big name hardware manufacturers have come forth to announce their own iPad competitors. HP, for instance, had the infamous Windows 7 powered Slate which eventually got scrapped and moved up to an enterprise device. Samsung, on the other hand, has their highly publicized Android powered Galaxy Tab. This 7-inch tablet features things like front and rear facing cameras along with a smaller form factor and of course Google’s Android 2.2 mobile operating system.
With these new features, some have argued that the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be a much more capable device than the current generation iPad. While this may be true, Apple engineers are obviously hard at work at a second generation iPad with some highly sought after features of their own.
It’s generally assumed that the next generation iPad will feature at least one camera for video conferencing. However, a recent Chinese patent filing by the Cupertino based company appeared today that gives us some new ideas.
As you can see from the above patent, Apple is evidently toying with the idea of a second 30-pin connector on the side of the device. This connector would make it easier to dock a next generation iPad while in landscape mode. However, while it makes the device arguably more usable, it takes away from the aesthetic appeal of the device – something Apple regards very highly.
An additional patent filing shows a Smart Bezel feature in the bottom left hand corner of the device. What exactly this is we don’t know as it looks to be either a button or an area for gestures. However, the moniker ‘Smart Bezel’ leads us to believe that it has something to do with the iPad’s large black outer bezel – then again, your guess is as good as mine.
Whatever the case may be, Apple is expected to announce their new iPad sometime early next year so we don’t have very long to wait.
Gallery for New iPad to Feature Landscape Dock, Smart Bezel Button
