[Simsims]

Apple is working on a stylus with an extendable nib with multiple tips and a built in light sensor. The information comes from patent images secured by AppleInsider.
The nib on the stylus is flexible and can either work almost entirely from within the chassis of the stylus for drawing thin lines or be extended so as to deliver multiple touch zones like a paintbrush.


With the exposed nib protruding more from the stylus' body, the tablet's GUI could produce different output color, opacity, etc.


There will be an actuator on te stylus which will either extend the nib or the multiple tip strands, which will act like a paintbrush tip. Both the nib and the miltuple strands tip will extend out of a single hole so the stylus may include some kind of collar system built in.


The stylus' strands could feature light-transmissive tips through which data could pass. Taking in light information through those tips the stylus could be able to inform the tablet to change a line's color, choose certain patterns or change the brush type.


The light sensing capabilities may instead be used to read and apply real life colors.
This advanced stylus patent was first filed in 2012 and was granted today.

Q: How do you close applications when multitasking?
A: (Scott Forstall) You don't have to. The user just uses things and doesn't ever have to worry about it.
A: (Steve Jobs) It's like we said on the iPad, if you see a stylus, they blew it. In multitasking, if you see a task manager... they blew it. Users shouldn't ever have to think about it

So let's not use a stylus. We're going to use the best pointing device in the world. We're going to use a pointing device that we're all born with - born with ten of them. We're going to use our fingers. We're going to touch this with our fingers. And we have invented a new technology called multi-touch, which is phenomenal. It works like magic.

Steve Jobs

[BMW F22]

Fail.the picture says 2012.

[Simsims]

Originally Posted by BMW E90

Fail.the picture says 2012.

i think you didn't get it.

[Devious21]

Keep in mind, Apple has all kinds of crazy patents for stuff we haven't seen yet and may never see. It could also be a way to prevent products that are more dependent on a stylus from using something like this.

Basically, if you think of an idea, patent it. Collect money when someone else thinks its a good idea.

[CirrusSR22]

Is there some implication that Apple is copying Samsung here? Apple's first product with a stylus was the Newton in 1993. And as Devious mentioned, just because a company has a patent doesn't mean they will do anything with it. Google owns 50,000+ patents, Apple has 15,000+.

[Mr Tonka]

people sure do talk a lot about product they don't like. If you don't like it don't talk about it. You are just continuing to create more brand recognition for them.

[Templar]

inb4 fanbois start arguing.

oh wait, i'm too late.

[Mr Tonka]

Originally Posted by Templar

inb4 fanbois start arguing.

oh wait, i'm too late.

I can't even tell who he's a fan of..... or not a fan of.

[Vic311]

Great. I might as well just start carrying my laptop in my pocket.

[Simsims]

Originally Posted by CirrusSR22

Is there some implication that Apple is copying Samsung here? Apple's first product with a stylus was the Newton in 1993. And as Devious mentioned, just because a company has a patent doesn't mean they will do anything with it. Google owns 50,000+ patents, Apple has 15,000+.

actually, no

they're more likely to get sued by Wacom, who's been in the stylus business since 1983.

[Whostheboss]

Originally Posted by Vic311

Great. I might as well just start carrying my laptop in my pocket.

exactly, some phones i've seen today have 8" screens... WTF?