iPhone News Updated

Haptic Feedback, Fingerprint Identification, and RFID Tag Readers in Future iPhones?

Apple has let loose a number of revealing new patent applications that cover some interesting technologies that could be used in future iPhones.

Haptic Tactile Feedback

Perhaps most interesting amongst the patent applications is the acknowledgement by Apple that despite the many advantages of the iPhone’s multi-touch screen, a lack of tactile feedback remains its biggest disadvantage:

However, one of a touchscreen’s biggest advantages (i.e., the ability to utilize the same physical space for different functions) is also one of a touchscreen’s biggest disadvantages. When the user is unable to view the display (because the user is occupied with other tasks), the user can only feel the smooth hard surface of the touchscreen, regardless of the shape, size and location of the virtual buttons and/or other display elements. This makes it difficult for users to find icons, hyperlinks, textboxes or other user-selectable input elements that are being displayed, if any are even being displayed, without looking at the display.
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Unless touch input components are improved, users that, for example, drive a motor vehicle, may avoid devices that have a touch input component and favor those that have a plurality of physical input components (e.g., buttons, wheels, etc.).

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Skype Version 1.1 Out For The iPhone.

Few things go together better than Skype and smartphones. That’s why the Skype application for the iPhone has been so successful. It was released at the end of March and, as of this May, it’s been downloaded over 4 million times. That means that roughly one out of every ten of the 40 million iPhone users out there has Skype on their phone.

For a lot of people it’s much cheaper and easier to use Skype on their phone to place calls. Long distance calls especially are often cheaper with Skype credit than through a carrier. I’m not sure how happy AT&T is with Skype right now, but it’s existence has meant very good business for Apple.

Now the first ever Skype iPhone update is out. Version 1.1 includes a bunch of useful new features, like the ability to send SMS messages using Skype credit, voicemail support, and improved dialing. It also contains support for a whole bunch of languages, including Chinese.

You can find more details about the Skype update here. Sadly, push notifications have not yet made it to Skype. It’s taking some app developers a long time to get with the program on that one.

[Thanks: http://www.i4u.com/]