Microsoft Applies For Patents on Multi-touch/Multi-screen Gestures – Should Android Worry?
Some patents Microsoft applied for back in February of ’10 have recently gone public thanks to MicrosoftNews. So, why is Microsoft news on an Android site? Well, kids — if granted, these patents could pose a significant threat to our beloved Android OS and her OEM’s. Let’s take a look at Microsoft is trying to claim as “theirs” (brace yourself).
Off-Screen Gestures to Create On-Screen Input
The patent provides for single-touch gestures, multi-finger same-hand gestures, and multi-finger different-hand gestures, all of which can operate along the bezel moving from the inside-out, or the outside-in. And if you take a close look at the pic, you also see mention of bezel gestures that display a drop-down menu ala Android. Immediately when I think of bezel gestures the BlackBerry PlayBook comes to mind. RIM better watch out.
Bezel gestures seems to be big with Microsoft. This one particular deals with multi-finger gestures associated with an exposable drawer. These gestures can also be used on a device with multiple screens.
Multi-screen Pinch and Expand Gestures
This is pretty much your standard multi-touch “pinch-to-zoom function but bundled with multi-screen compatibility.
Multi-screen Hold and Tap Gesture
Last on the list is Microsoft’s “hold and tap” patent. Again, this is for interacting with apps via split-screen. This is a lot like long pressing an icon or widget in Android but in this case you would hold an object on one screen (left) and tapping a second object on the the opposite screen will move the object to the screen where you tapped. Basically, it’s kinda like copying the object your holding onto the opposite screen.
What do you guys think of these exposed patents? Some of this stuff actually sounds pretty neat and I would love to see it incorporated into some dual-screen Android tablets. For instance, Sony’s upcoming S2 tablet could benefit greatly from some of these gestures. Of course, if Microsoft gets their way, Android manufacturers may have their hands tied when it come to interacting with your Android tablet.
[Via TechCrunch]