US Patent Office Filing Points To Stylus For Apple iPad Pro: Reports

Known widely as Apple’s biggest tablet ever, the iPad Pro has been the subject of rumors for quite sometime now. Based on recent reports, the iPad Pro will come with a humongous sapphire glass display, along with NFC and Force Touch technology support. But now, a new report from Apple Insider clearly points out what to expect from the advanced stylus, expected to be part of the upcoming tablet.

A new patent for a stylus has reportedly been filed by Apple, titled "Expanded Function Touch Sensor Implement." Looking back at the recent history, tablets from Samsung and Microsoft have always included a stylus as part of their devices. Case in point: Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S and Microsoft’s 2-in-1 Surface Pro 3 offer advanced stylus support. However, Apple has not considered the idea until now. But that scenario is reportedly going to change with iPad Pro, notes Phone Arena.

The patent for the new iPad Pro stylus has reportedly been published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under reference number US20150138128. This particular stylus reportedly comes with a slew of sensors to perfect the art of “natural interaction of the human finger.”

Speaking of traditional styluses, FPO says, the “Input information from such a stylus [traditional] or other implement may be limited to detecting the touch at the exact tip of the stylus or other implement.” Therefore, by including several key sensors with the ability to detect variables like angle and distance, the new stylus will be capable of doing much more than just detecting from the tip of the screen touch. This means a potential 3D input functionality is a possibility, Apple Insider says.

Apart from the advanced stylus inputs, the patent apparently talks about a "grip sensor," which can be used to detect the pressure of the grip on the stylus. In addition, a “pressure sensor” specific to the Force Touch technology, seen in the Apple Watch and MacBook 2015, has also been detailed. Furthermore, there is also an aspect called "strain gauge," which will reportedly be able to detect the amount of strain placed on the stylus. To top it off, Apple Insider says, Apple’s iPad Pro stylus could feature several hardware buttons similar to the well-received Samsung S Pen, seen in the Galaxy Note 4.

In any case, readers should note that, similar to other umpteen patents filed by Apple and others so far, even this one could stay a concept rather than a finished product. However, the Apple iPad Pro rumors have been very strong especially surrounding the stylus and hence, Phone Arena says, there’s a good chance that the new futuristic ideas captured via the patent could very well make it to the iPad Pro.