Skip to main content

Apple patents a smart pen and iPhone with ‘wrap-around’ display

apple_pen
Image credit: RidiculousFish.com Image used with permission by copyright holder

Patents pop up all the time showing off the latest ideas from corporate R&D, often with concepts that are a little wacky, sort of zany, but definitely cool. This time around, Apple is looking to stuff a computer into a pen, and get apple-pen-detailsextra curvy with its iPhones, according to two new patent ideas.

Recommended Videos

The first patent spotted appears to be a concept design for a “smart pen,” which seems to merge the functionality of an iPod with a pen. The device is designed with full digital assistance in mind, capable of displaying notes, emails, and messages from an LCD display, as well as tracking your pen’s movements with an accelerometer. This idea is far from original though. Has Apple not heard of Livescribe? Despite this though, Apple claims its pen is much more functional and versatile in its design, though certainly also much more ugly. Apple lately seems bent on putting computers into everything from display adapters, to watches, and now even pens.

Another interesting patent caught includes a new iPhone concept featuring a “wrap-around” display. While it seems to looks more like a sort of canteen than a cellphone, Apple has published a new concept for a future iPhone, which would utilize a rather strangely curved display, still featuring Apple’s iconic iOS home screen, that goes around the entire device, and changes based on your orientation. We’re not exactly how (and why) Apple thought this one up, but it would basically move the home screen with respect to which side of the phone you’re facing, and adjust itself accordingly. Apparently Apply thinks the new design will allow a more 3D-friendly and realistic digital experience with the help of depth perception, but that also doesn’t change much more fragile this thing looks compared to an iPhone already.

Patents concepts often rarely look like the final product, and are more for shock and awe than to demonstrate upcoming products. Apple’s new patent ideas are certainly shocking, though we’re not so sure about the awe-inspiring part.

Apple patent wrap around display
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Joshua Sherman
Joshua Sherman is a contributor for Digital Trends who writes about all things mobile from Apple to Zynga. Josh pulls his…
Will my iPhone get iOS 26? Here’s every supported model
We've got the full list of iOS 26 supported devices - find out if you're getting the new iPhone update
iOS 26 features on a series of iPhone screens

Apple announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and the new iPhone update comes with a fresh new 'Liquid Glass' look and plenty of features - and there are loads of iOS 26 supported devices, which is great news.

And no, you haven't missed a volley of updates since iOS 18 in 2024. Apple has skipped a bunch of numbers, so instead of giving us iOS 19 in 2025, we got iOS 26 alongside iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26. In short, Apple's brought its operating system numbering into line. Nice.

Read more
iPhone 17 price looks more certain to rise for first time since the iPhone 12
Apple might be preparing its first iPhone price increase in five years
iPhone 16 Pro Max next to the 16 Plus, 16 Pro and regular iPhone 16

For years now, Apple has launched the base model iPhone at $799 - but in 2025, more and more signs are pointing towards prices being increased for the introduction of the iPhone 17.

The likelihood of an iPhone 17 price increase was raised by the Wall Street Journal in May, and now Counterpoint Research notes in its recent 2025 shipment forecast that "cost increases are expected to be passed on to consumers" by not only Apple, but Samsung as well.

Read more
Why you shouldn’t care what number Apple puts on your iPhone’s software
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen.

One number may change to another number at an important industry event on June 9, and despite some of the headlines that have been circulating around the news, this succinct explanation of what may happen allows you to guage its real importance. Apparently, Apple may use the WWDC 2025 keynote presentation to announce a change from the expected iOS 19 software’s name to iOS 26, and here’s why you shouldn’t worry about it. 

Many people won’t even know

Read more