Apple patents touch gesture to switch between split-screen apps
Apple has been granted a patent for a touch gesture that lets users switch between two apps displayed side-by-side on a screen. By dragging a finger from the edge of one app toward the center, the system can resize the apps or bring a recently used app to the front.
In the filing’s own words
An electronic device displays content on a touch-sensitive display. A movement of a contact is detected. The movement of the contact is in a direction substantially perpendicular to an edge of the touch-sensitive display. A dock overlaying at least a portion of the content is displayed upon determining that movement of the contact satisfies a first movement-based threshold. The dock includes a number of affordances that, when selected, cause the electronic device to open a respective application that is available on the electronic device. While displaying the dock and in accordance with a determination that movement of the contact satisfies a second movement-based threshold greater than the first movement-based threshold, an application-switcher user interface is activated. The application-switcher user interface includes respective selectable representations of at least some applications that were recently used on the electronic device.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and one or more processors: displaying a first application and a second application in a display area that occupies substantially all of the touch-sensitive display; while displaying the first application and the second application in the display area: displaying an affordance near an edge of the second application; detecting movement of a contact over the affordance across the touch-sensitive display; and in response to the movement of the contact across the touch-sensitive display: resizing the first application to occupy substantially all of the display area; and displaying the second application overlaying the resized first application.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Systems and methods for interacting with multiple applications that are simultaneously displayed on an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display
- Patent number
- US12769413B2
- Application number
- 18412363
- Filed
- Jan 12, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 28
Classified under
G06F 3/0412 Physics & computingG06F 3/016 Physics & computingG06F 3/017 Physics & computingG06F 3/0416 Physics & computingG06F 3/04842 Physics & computingG06F 3/0486 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Phones & computers
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.