Apple Inc Waterproofing Its Phones, Finally!
BANGALORE: What is the feature you want the most in a phone today? A talking virtual assistant? A super fast microprocessor? A 25 megapixel camera?
Phone companies have catered to those demands using the latest technology available, but there is one problem that corporations have basically ‘jugaaded’ around forever: waterproofing phones Apple has recently filed a patent for their homegrown method.
Most companies waterproof their phones by sealing the gap between internal components and exposed button caps with impermeable liquid. Apple has opted for a more mechanical approach, a multi-flange button cap system.
In Apple's phone, the control button might be located above and joined to the phone body with a retainer held up by two mechanically independent flanges that will keep water out even if one of them stops working.
According to the patent,“If the flange of the button cap extends inwardly, the complementary flange of the button retainer may extend outwardly. The complementary flange may interlock with the flange of the button cap, permitting vertical translation within a defined range.”
The final section of the patent describes how the two flanges will interlock to support the home button and prevent water from seeping inside. It is too early to tell if Apple will be granted the patent; but it is plain to see that Apple is following other phone makers and is making their products waterproof. The guessing game is on for which version of the iPhone will first get the waterproof conditioning.
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