Apple is attempting to prevent costly display damage, which is why the company recently patented a retractable motorized iPhone screen. It's quite unusual in the way it works, but we cannot say as of yet if it will ever see the light of day.
Should an iPhone fall to the ground, the protector will extend retractable tabs above the screen of the phone, which creates a buffer zone between the glass and the screen. The display protector has sensors built-in to detect when an iPhone is in a motion that mimics a falling device.
For a past number of years, we have seen several companies attempt to end the disastrous damage of smartphone displays. Corning tried this with its Gorilla Glass line of products, and while they work to protect smartphone screens from minor scratches and cracks, the technology is still unable to prevent a display from shattering.
This is one of the reasons why Apple has come up with this new way of doing things called "Active screen protection for electronic device." As stated above, the screen protector automatically protects the display, and it can even curve over the screen, collapse or absorb impact forces which would generally cause severe damages to an iPhone screen.
The tabs would be placed around the screen for better protection. Furthermore, Apple stated that there are different materials for this thing, such as ones that are flexible, unbending plastics, polymers, thin metals or other composites that are appropriate.
Now, powering the tab movements require motors, which makes us wonder if it works via the iPhone's battery because motors do not spin themselves, especially ones like this.
While we do like the idea of this technology, we do have to wonder how feasible it is right now. If Apple can get it up and running in a design that is pleasing to the eyes, and also cost-effective, then we see no reason for it not be successful.
