Apple Patents Groundbreaking New Drop Protection

How many of you have an iPhone with spider-web style cracks all over the screen? It is the bane of any iPhone owner’s existence – you buy a beautiful new phone, forgo a bulky case that sticks in your pocket and destroys the phone’s aesthetic, and then you inevitably drop it. The screen is shattered, but still useable, so you put up with it for months or years. Sound familiar? Apple was just approved a patent that may put an end to this.

Have you ever heard the saying that cats always land on their feet? Well, Apple just recently patented technology that may allow your iPhone or iPad to do the same thing. Theoretically, the phone or tablet will use technology (much of which is already present in the devices) such as the accelerometer, gyroscopic sensor, positioning sensors, vibration motor and more to detect a fall, and subsequently right itself to minimize damage when it lands.

While the patent may also allow for more elaborate safeguarding techniques (extending airfoils and small gas canisters to control the landing have been mentioned), much of the technology for the phone or tablet to right itself mid-air is already present in the iPhone and iPad. Nonetheless, it’s not clear when we can expect to see this technology implemented. For the millions of iPhone users with cracked screens around the world, we certainly hope it’s sooner rather than later.