The world of tech-rumors is a “wobbly” one indeed (you see what we did there?). The juicier and longer the lead-time of a rumor, the more skepticism and doubt enshroud said rumor. But enough with the flowery rhetoric – the “leaked” iPhone v1.1.3 firmware from Gear Live has been the topic of hot debate as to whether or not the video is legit. We’re all hoping that the firmware-video is the real deal and not some fancy video editing, but we have to leave open the door for the possibility that the firmware “leak” is a hoax.
So, here’s a bit of patent-application-goodness to help legitimize the v1.1.3 firmware video.
It looks like Apple filed for a patent back in August of last year that details the now famous “wobbly” iPhone homescreen icon effect. The patent outlines a method by which a mobile device’s homescreen icons would vibrate/wiggle/wobble, whatever you want to call it, to indicate that the icons’ positions can be altered. The animated GIF below (put together from the patent application diagrams - props to Hrmpf!) matches up perfectly with what Gear Live showed us recently.
However, the patent application also mentions a feature that Gear Live’s video did not demonstrate – the ability for the homescreen icons to be “thrown” across the screen. In moving the icons, the speed and direction of the icon-movement could be interpreted to move the icon to a position different from the point of release. The faster, or “harder,” the icon is thrown, the further it moves.
Upon breaking contact with the touch-sensitive display, the respective icon may resume varying its position. In some embodiments, the respective icon can be “thrown,” so that the final position of the respective icon is different from the point at which the icon is released. In this embodiment, the final position can depend on a variety of factors, such as the speed of the “throw,” the parameters used in a simulated equation of motion for the “throw” (e.g., coefficient of friction), and/or the presence of a lay out grid with simulated attractive forces.
Now, just because Gear Live didn’t’ demonstrate the “throwable” icon feature doesn’t invalidate their “leak.” Technologies mentioned in patent applications are by no means guaranteed to make it into production. Furthermore, it can be argued that since the patent application was published prior to Gear Live’s video, the legitimacy of the video should be held in question.
Whatever the case, we’ll likely know more in a couple weeks. For the meantime, we’re looking forward to “wobbly” homescreen icons and “My Location” features on our iPhone.
[Via: MacRumors]
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