Interchangeable faceplates are obviously not good enough for Samsung. They want to go one step further in the whole phone customization “thing” and are hence patenting some sort of dynamic faceplate technology that uses a film layer covering the display unit and the exterior case. Here’s the official description from the USPTO filing:
A mobile terminal and method for supporting an image display are provided. The mobile terminal includes a display unit for outputting images according to an operation of the mobile terminal, an exterior case for enclosing the display unit, a film layer arranged so as to cover the display unit and the exterior case, and including an image printed in an area thereof excluding a region corresponding to the display unit, a storage unit for pre-storing screen images that are associated with the image printed on the film layer and are to be output to the display unit according to the operation of the mobile terminal, and a control unit for controlling an operation to output the screen images stored in the storage unit to the display unit.
Sounds interesting especially for lower-end phones which users (youth) are known to customize the shit out of their devices, loading a ton of wallpapers, screensavers and ringtones just to differentiate itself from the rest of the pack. Not sure I like it, though…
[Via: Engadget]