In February 2017 Patently Apple posted a patent application report titled "Apple Patent Reveals Breakthrough Quantum Tunneling Touch-Sensitive Materials for iPhone, Smart Cases & More." Apple's granted patent reveals a new breakthrough material described as deformable touch-sensitive quantum tunneling material. It could be used in a smart iPhone case allowing for touch zones on the back of the case to control your iPhone. More importantly, it could be used as a material for making the iPhone itself.

The use of this material would virtually eliminate bulky physical buttons forever making the iPhone near waterproof perfect and slick to the touch. The material could extend to a new smart Apple Watch band. Smart Apple Watch Bands have been on Apple's mind for some time now as we've covered a number of interesting patent ideas like smart links, chameleonic bands with 3D touch and cooling and, easy recharging with a MacBook. Yet the use of quantum tunneling material in a band would allow for touch controls without seeing any buttons.

Apple's patent FIG. 3 below illustrates a back surface #300 of an iPhone charging case #302. The case includes a battery and in which quantum tunneling materials are used to form an input region #303. The input region may be formed from silicone doped with conductive materials. (Other touch-sensitive materials may be used instead of or in addition to quantum tunneling materials.)

In our original patent report there's an additional graphic showing multiple touch zones, up to 20 zones, surrounding the backside of the iPhone case.

The charging case also includes a charging indicator as presented below as #306.

Apple's patent FIG. 5 below shows us an example Apple Watch and smart band that includes touch-sensitive materials FIG. 6A shows an exploded isometric view of a portion of an Apple Watch with touch-sensitive materials in the band; FIG 11 is a flow chart/overview of the system.

Apple's granted patent 10,296,047 was originally filed in Q3 2015 and published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office. See our detailed original report on this invention as a patent application here.

For the record, our cover graphic partially represents patent FIG. 2A which illustrates an alternative touch zone configuration for the smart iPhone battery case.