FB pixel

Apple seeks patent for a way to turn iPhone screens into cameras

Apple seeks patent for a way to turn iPhone screens into cameras
 

Apple has applied for a U.S. patent covering a method to turn an iPhone’s screen into a display and a camera, suggesting a possible future way to keep Face ID biometrics without a cutout area of the screen to house the camera hardware.

The application suggests that the front-facing camera and other sensors of an iPhone may be moved under the display.

Spotted by Patently Apple, application 20220293682 describes organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays with integrated organic photodetectors for in-cell optical sensing (perception using optical photodetectors, or OPDs).

In-cell optical sensing may be used for biometrically sensing a face, fingerprint and retina, alongside OLED sensing of illumination, touch, ambient light or health.

Further, OPDs have the potential to be configured to sense infrared light and other electromagnetic radiation wavelengths.

The invention could have uses beyond smartphone screens, such as in mixed reality headsets, smart glasses, health monitoring devices, Apple’s Watch, vehicle and robot navigation systems and iPads.

The under-display tech patent application comes months after Apple was granted two patents hinting at wrist biometrics in MacBooks and additional under-display sensors for iPhones.

More recently, Apple was granted a U.S. patent that shows a system capable of identifying AirPods wearers via inner-ear biometrics.

Article Topics

 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 

Latest Biometrics News

 

Biometrics and injection detection for deepfake defense a rising priority

Biometrics integrations with injection attack detection to defend the latest front in the global battle against fraud, deepfakes, is the…

 

Biometric Update Podcast looks at the road to a global standard for age assurance

Episode 2 of the Biometric Update Podcast is a dispatch from the 2025 Global Age Assurance Standards Summit, held from…

 

WEF launches new DPI initiative focused on emerging tech, including biometrics

Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives are lagging behind emerging technologies such as AI, which could lead to inefficiencies, bottlenecks…

 

Odds are good for biometrics firms in the global gambling sector

Gambling has always been a vice associated with certain kinds of criminal activity, but the development of the online gambling…

 

New Zealand issues tender for digital ID services accreditation infrastructure

New Zealand’s accredited digital identity services regulator, the Trust Framework Authority (TFA), has published a request for information (RFI) for…

 

Pindrop surpasses $100M in annual recurring revenue, kicks off BU podcast

A release from Atlanta-based voice biometrics firm Pindrop celebrates a milestone: the firm has surpassed US$100 million in Annual Recurring…

Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Market Analysis

Most Viewed This Week

Featured Company

Biometrics Insight, Opinion

Digital ID In-Depth

Biometrics White Papers

Biometrics Events