Apple Granted Page-Turn, Smart Case Patent

Apple was just granted a patent for its page-turn animation, which is present in the iBooks application. This animation replicates the page-turn of an actual book. For instance, if you pull a “page” down vertically, you’ll be able to see the top portion of the page. Apple filed for this patent in December of 2011 and was just recently granted it by the USPTO, or the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

While Apple may be happy that they were granted this patent, some on the Internet are not. Commenters on AppleInsider have noted that older iOS eBook readers have been using a similar page-turn animation for years. For instance, the ‘Classics’ app went live in the App Store back in 2009 and had a similar page-turn animation. Unfortunately, this application was removed from the App Store for an unrelated issue.

The Smart Case Patent

Apple was also granted the patent for its latest iPad case: the Smart Case. If you’re unaware, the Smart Case is like the classic Smart Cover, but it covers the back of your iPad 2, new iPad or fourth-generation iPad, protecting it from scratches, dents and scuffs. The Smart Case also has magnets to put your iPad to sleep when the front cover is closed. The Smart Case retails for $49 USD via the Apple Store.

In terms of patents, this week has been pretty good for Apple. According to AppleInsider, the page-turn patent is only one of 38 patents that have been granted to Apple this week alone. Yay, more lawsuit possibilities for us to write about…

Andrew is a geek, Apple enthusiast, blogger and coffee lover from Chicago.