Apple is the recognized leader in the tablet PC market. But the competition in this sector of the computer industry is very tough, so the company is forced to fight for users, regularly offering new products.
One of the company's novelties is the Smart Case cover for the second and third generation iPad. Like its predecessor, the Smart Cover, it is magnetically attached and comes in a variety of colors. Its main difference from the previous version is that the new cover protects not only the screen, but also the back of the computer. It is made of polyurethane, it can put the tablet into sleep mode when you close it and take it out of it when you open it. The new cover is already on sale in stores for about $ 50.
Much more interesting is the cover, only recently patented by Apple. Its main feature is the built-in flexible thin-film screen. It is assumed that such a cover will play the role of an on-screen keyboard and input device - it will be possible to write on it with a stylus, while the written will be immediately displayed on the screen. It can also be used as a remote control for multimedia playback.
The ability to embed the screen in a flexible cover came after the development of a new technology for the production of thin-film screens - such a screen can be bent without the risk of breaking it. The option of connecting the cover to the tablet remains not entirely clear. We are considering a wireless option and using a miniature connector.
Despite the obvious originality of the idea, it is still impossible to say how successful it will be and whether it will be in demand by users. One of Apple's main competitors, Microsoft, has released its own version of a tablet computer with a keyboard built into the cover. Such a solution seems to be much more convenient, since a really tangible keyboard is much more practical than an on-screen keyboard, which does not have feedback with the user's fingers. Therefore, the question of whether Apple will release the cover under the patented scheme is still open.
