AppleInsider writes today that it has discovered a patent filing from Apple that shows that the company has been thinking about the possibility of putting mechanical fans in iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad, with a view to cooling down the heat from the ever more powerful processors inside the devices. The fan that Apple has devised, according to the patent, is titled “Cooling system for mobile electronic devices,” and reveals a motor being used to power a fan and an alert device. The diagrams show, among other things, how the motor is used to drive a fan to dispel the heat inside the device by “exchanging air between an inner cavity of the mobile computing device and an outer environment.” The alert device inside the phone or iPad is in turn driven by a clutch and drum mechanic, which enables the same motor to drive the device. No clue as to whether or not Apple intends to actually manufacture this, but for now it makes interesting reading.


Source: Future Apple iPhones, iPads may have internal fans

Interesting. That means that the iPad would have its first moving part so to speak. Not sure how that would work though. Couldn't it get noisy after a while? Will you feel the vibrations? What kind of weight would that add? Very curious how this turns out!

I'd be interested in the life of the fan motor. Once the motor failed, the device would overheat.

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Interesting. That means that the iPad would have its first moving part so to speak. Not sure how that would work though. Couldn't it get noisy after a while? Will you feel the vibrations? What kind of weight would that add? Very curious how this turns out!

The iPhone, though, already contains a moving part, the vibrator.

Originally Posted by scifan57

The iPhone, though, already contains a moving part, the vibrator.

That's true, I hadn't thought about that. I kinda wish they could have vibration though, would be nice for when my iPad is on silent

I like to remain rigged for silent running. Just say no to cavitation.

AA

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Originally Posted by scifan57

The iPhone, though, already contains a moving part, the vibrator.

Man the wheels in my head are spinning big time

Apple has many hundreds of patents that they have never used in any devices.

Don't count on seeing any fans soon. The heat buildup in current models isn't remotely interesting.

Originally Posted by thewitt

Apple has many hundreds of patents that they have never used in any devices.

Don't count on seeing any fans soon. The heat buildup in current models isn't remotely interesting.

You are probably right...but...i bet the reason they are looking at this is because down the road this might become necessary....given the passive cooling with retina devices with powerful processors running graphic intensive games and people wanting to use high screen brightness...it makes sense to have a plan if the technology can't be improved quickly enough to render it unnecessary.

Apple has many fans already. I was in an Apple store this weekend and it was packed with fans paying money for Apple products.

Just sayin.

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