tequila bomb

Quiz : Purpose of a 3x3cm Apple Touch Screen?

Tw.apple.pro posts a few images of an Apple-branded touch screen that only measures 3×3 centimeters. The site has been a source of early parts for Apple products in the past, including white iPhone 4 parts and MacBook Pro enclosures. Based on the machine translation they aren’t quite sure what the part is for. Though, they speculate about an iPod Touch nano, iPod Touch shuffle and even a touch-screen wrist-watch.

We’re not sure what to make of it. The screen isn’t the right proportion to be used in the current iPod nano, though Apple could change the design. We’re also taking their word on it that it’s even a touch screen.

What’s it for?

Answers on a Post Card please.

Top guesses so far are an iRemote for the new Apple TV, and a new iPod Touch Shuffle.

If the new AppleTV is $99 I don’t see Apple throwing a touch screen remote control into the box for free.

It is worth remembering that Apple have been working on technology to build “invisible”, self configuring controls and indicators into the cases of future MacBooks, and MacBook Pros.

An electronic device with an invisible input, comprising:a frame having a top face;invisible holes formed in the top face;a capacitive reference on an inner surface of the top face in the area of the invisible holes;an interior wall formed within the frame and separated from the top face;an interior space formed between the top face and the interior wall;a dielectric medium disposed in the interior space;a capacitor plate disposed on a surface of the interior wall opposite to the capacitive reference;a light source disposed in the interior space configured to shine through the invisible holes when lit; anda capacitive sensor electrically connected to the capacitive reference and to the capacitor plate;wherein deformation of the frame caused by pressure from an object placed thereon in the area of the invisible holes causes a change in capacitance between the capacitive reference and the capacitor plate that is detected by the capacitive sensor and converted to an electrical signal.

Clear as mud, right! And how far advanced those developments are I don’t know.