According to the list published by the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO) on June 4, Apple has been granted a patent for AirPods earbuds, which will have an integrated touchscreen in the form of a charging case and the following features:
- control audio playback;
- Activate and interact with Siri;
- 接收和回复iMessage；
- Check the weather forecast;
- Listen to audiobooks
In fact, the patent was submitted in September 2022, and this time it was approved again because Apple has updated and iterated on the basis of the original patent, and it also proves that Apple is really optimistic about this direction.
On the road to the ultimate user experience, Apple has once again demonstrated its ability to innovate. For AirPods, whose design has remained unchanged for thousands of years, exploring more design forms is a good attempt and will obviously attract the interest of users.
However, this kind of "with screen" charging case is not unusual.
"By configuring the charging case with an interactive user interface to enable user control of the wireless earbuds, the usability of the charging case can be enhanced and the user's control of the wireless earbuds can be improved," Apple wrote in a 2021 patent filing. ”
This patent has not yet been marketed as a consumer product, but the patented idea has been successfully "borrowed".
As a new "traffic password" in the electronic market, JBL, a veteran audio manufacturer, has launched a Bluetooth headset with a screenTOUR PR0 2; In just 1 year, Huaqiangbei launched the AirPods with screen version before Apple.
But compared with Apple's patent, Huaqiangbei's AirPods with screen only supports music functions, which is very different from the functions mentioned in Apple's patent.
Therefore, Apple's patents can be said to be only unthinkable, and they can't apply for them without them. It's just that for Apple, does the AirPods charging case really need to integrate so many functions? Will users buy it? How to solve the battery life of the charging case? How do you balance the cost with the selling price?
In short, Apple's patent strategy has been very successful in design and execution, and Apple has patented all kinds of potential development, or potential infringement of their intellectual property rights.
As an indicator to measure a company's investment in innovation, it is also a yardstick for judging the scientific research achievements of an enterprise, Apple's advantage is in creativity, and its core patents mainly revolve around its creativity, so Apple's patent strategy is also summarized as: very commercial, suitable for its own situation, fully flexible adjustment for different opponents, aggressive, sophisticated, and rich cooperation from all dimensions and levels.
Although, at this stage, this new product form is still in the patent stage for the time being.
But by all indications, Apple may indeed be discussing similar product designs internally, and hopefully meet with us officially someday in the future.
Smart devices with screens seem to be an inevitable trend of development,
Just add an extra screen to achieve more functions.
你会期待带屏幕的AirPods 吗？[惊喜]