Apple granted – device, method, and GUI for managing folders patent – Apple’s invention seeks to help users to easily manage their apps by just selecting the app and dragging it into the desired folder.
The USPTO has granted Apple a patent titled – Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing folders. The Folder feature was introduced in iOS 4 in 2010. It allows users to group apps into folders, which in turn allow users to have quicker access to more apps compared to iOS 3.
According to the patent abstract:
A multifunction device displays a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display. In response to detecting the first input, the device moves a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects. In response to detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, the device creates a folder that contains the first object and the second object.
Apple’s invention seeks to help users to easily manage their apps by just selecting the app and dragging it into the desired folder.
According to the patent summary, the invention will include:
Creating a folder, displaying a folder view associated with a folder, adding selectable user interface objects (e.g., application icons, document icons, folder icons, etc.) to a folder, removing selectable user interface objects from a folder, repositioning selectable user interface objects within a folder view of a folder, repositioning a folder icon within an arrangement of selectable user interface objects and deleting a folder. Exemplary selectable user interface objects include icons representing applications, digital images, video, text, icons, and other documents, as well as applications icons that are associated with computing applications (e.g., mobile device applications and/or personal computer applications, etc.).
Source: USPTO