Apple’s highly anticipated tablet could feature a 3D interface, according to The Baltimore Sun.
The paper dug up a patent submitted by Apple which covers a “touchscreen device, method and graphical user interface for manipulating three-dimensional virtual objects.”
Essentially the interface would allow users to manipulate icons in a 3D environment using multitouch gestures. According to the patent this would greatly simplify navigation.
“As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device,” according the patent application.
Of course, there’s nothing linking the patent to the tablet, however, it does appear Apple was keen to keep it from prying eyes. The application was submitted under the names of three French citizens: Fabrice Robinet, Thomas Goossens, and Alexandre Moha.
Further investigation by the paper revealed that Moha is a product and engineering manager at Apple, Robinet a software engineer and Goossens an Apple software engineer. The three subsequently handed over rights to the Cupertino company.
Apple is expected to announce the tablet later this month.
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