Google files patent for backside touch controls
Google has filed a patent for “simple backside device touch controls,” a concept that could change the way we interact with smartphones in the future. The concept is simple: introduce touch controls to the rear casing of a device. The control could be smartly reconfigured (by remembering the last performed action) to allow for quick recall of common functions simply by tapping the rear the the phone.
Google’s patent details how variations in touch strength could be used to either trigger a function or allow for a preview, eloquently providing users with one more way to interact with their phones. Of course, a patent filing does not necessarily equate to a technology we will see any time soon.
Such is the case with Apple. The company filed a similar patent for tablets back in 2006. I can see the lawsuit now, and it gives me a headache.
[via PatentBolt]