Apple’s iPad could be set for a design overhaul at some point in the near future. That's because a newly-discovered patent reveals Apple has penned designs for an iPad with an all-glass exterior. Not only does that mean the iPad could swap its metal back for glass, it may not get an iPhone-style metal frame either.
The patent was granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday under the name “Glass Device Housings.” The idea behind this design is to fuse multiple glass pieces together to create the casing, with additional glass added to the edge of each flat surface for additional thickness — and presumably extra strength and durability.
According to the patent, the production process would begin by building a five-sided glass casing. Once complete the iPad’s electronics components can be assembled inside, followed by a final glass sheet — presumably the display.
The description also mentions using opaque masking material and colored glass for hiding the internal components, which may be disappointing to anyone hoping for a Nothing Phone-style transparent iPad.
Patents don’t always become real products, and in the case of the glass iPad there may be more drawbacks than benefits.
All-glass iPad: Is it a good idea?
An all-glass iPad (or even iPhone) would look nice, but you also have to consider the relative strengths and weaknesses compared to metal. Glass is more fragile for starters, and even the strongest varieties of glass are more likely to break or shatter compared to a metal counterpart.
Reinforcing glass edges with even more glass is only going to add unnecessary weight to the device. The stainless steel is already in use in iPads and is heavier than glass, but its higher strength means you need a lot less of it to ensure adequate protection.
Likewise glass isn’t going to perform well with screws, meaning an all-glass iPad is going to need to be glued shut. That’s going to cause problems should any repairs be necessary, whether you do it yourself or take your busted iPad to the Apple Store.
Engineering advances could happen that make an all-glass iPad, or an all-glass iPhone, a lot more practical. But right now it feels more like a nice idea rather than a practical product. But who knows, maybe Apple might prove me wrong; we’ll just have to wait and see.
