Apple wants to overcomplicate phone cases with its latest patent

Smartphone cases aren’t really designed to do much other than to allow users to express themselves, and also protect the phone from drops, bumps, and scratches. However, it seems that Apple thinks that phone cases need to do more than that, according to a recently discovered patent.

According to the patent, it describes a smartphone case that comes with a virtual button. This is similar to the Action Button found in the iPhone 15 Pro models, but it could be more advanced. For instance, it could support single, double, or triple taps to perform different actions. Users can even slide their fingers over it to change how it responds.

It might sound unnecessary on the surface, but there is potential that it could be viewed as an accessibility accessory. For instance, the virtual button could be easier to operate than the physical Action Button for some users. This would allow them to enjoy similar functionality as other users.

In addition to the virtual button, the patent also suggests that the case could be used for reverse wireless charging. This is kind of silly since we would rather Apple include the feature in the iPhone itself, instead of making users pay extra for it. Either way, it is only a patent and there’s no telling if Apple will make it a reality.