A newly surfaced patent filing from Microsoft provides a glimpse of where our smartphones might be headed — even if it’s not the most original idea in the world.
The concept, as detailed by PatentBolt.com, is a smartphone with a low-powered backside display, possibly wrapping around the corners of the device, that could show content such as the time or customizable wallpapers, possibly using e-ink and potentially using a secondary processor.
The idea would be to focus on content that doesn’t change as much, a little bit like the screensavers on Amazon’s Kindle devices.
In spirit, at least, it also reminds me a bit of the Windows SideShow technology for supporting secondary displays in notebook lids.
As noted by Boy Genius Report, the concept is similar in some ways to a “smart skin” technology described by Samsung in one of its patent filings. Microsoft partner Nokia also has played around with the concept, as shown in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdeWK6G3p5U
