A new Apple patent application suggests the company is working on ways to make the iPhone OS interface more usable during activities. Titled “Variable Device Graphical User Interface,” the patent describes a method of sensing when the device is in motion, such as during a workout or other physical activity, and adjusting the graphical interface accordingly.
Interface adjustments could potentially include enlarging user interface elements, such as items in a contact list, or icons on the home screen. Interestingly, illustrations included with the patent also depict what appears to be a forward-facing camera module at the top near the ear speaker—labeled 180—with the iPhone’s ambient light sensor moved to the bottom of its face to make room for the camera.
Nothing in the patent text directly references a forward-facing camera, only one that could be “located on the back surface of the mobile device.” A forward-facing camera would potentially allow future iPhone models to offer video chat functionality, possibly through an iPhone-specific version of Apple’s iChat AV software. As with all Apple patents, this filing does not necessarily represent any future product release from Apple, but offers evidence of the company’s research in this area.
