Apple scores patents for surround-sound MacBook, GarageBand gestures
When it rains, it pours in the world of Apple patents, and today it's pouring. As Patently Apple reports, the company official scored 48 new patents today, a couple of which apply to GarageBand and a feature that may eventually find its way into the MacBook Pro.
For starters, a patent for "Electronic percussion gestures for touchscreens" was awarded, covering gesture-based inputs like the ones used in the app's Live Rock Kit. More than just simple taps, the inputs are more specific commands like a touch-and-drag or two-touch gestures that alter volume and other aspects of the resulting sounds.
Looking to the future, a patent for a notebook-based surround sound system was also awarded. It describes a system that includes an audio transducer located on the bottom of a laptop like the MacBook Pro. Along with a suite of speakers embedded on three different surfaces of the notebook, the system would produce a surround-sound-like effect.
Of course, we've never seen anything like that in an actual Apple notebook, and the chances of any random patent resulting in a purchasable device are typically slim. Still, Apple's love of music would make it a great candidate to introduce a laptop capable of a stunning audio feat.
