There has been a lot of news lately about smartphones having problems with reception and their antennas, most notably the iPhone 4 and its external antenna, but a newly-revealed patent shows that Apple may be trying to change that. In an application filed during June 2009, Apple details its plans for a "logo antenna," which is pretty much exactly like it sounds. The patent shows that Apple could end up planting antennas behind their logos in devices like the iPhone as well as telephonic MacBooks. The hope is that using a housing made from a block of metal, like aluminum, will help the device get a stronger signal. There was also a similar Dell patent from 2003 that was dug up, although in their patent, the logo actually is the antenna, while Apple's logo is merely a window for it.
We've already seen Apple use this logo patent idea in a couple of their products, like the iPad, although it appears that we could see it implemented in future iPhones, as well. Considering how much drama the whole Antennagate saga caused for Apple, we're all kind of expecting an iPhone redesign next year. Perhaps we'll see a logo antenna similar to the one found on the iPad?
Via Engadget, SlashGear, Patently Apple
