The iPad’s smart cover might be about to get even smarter

The smart cover is a must have accessory for every iPad owner, and according to a new patent discovered by Apple Insider it could get even more useful than ever before.

Called ‘Device Input Modes With Corresponding User Interfaces’, the patent describes a number of new features that the smart cover could bring to the iPad. Features that could let users customise their tablet experience without needing physical buttons to do so.

The features include that would allow the iPad to recognise gestures, and providing different menus depending on how many smart cover panels are covering the screen. One example is a menu that lets users access certain menus and settings without having to unlock the device. A little bit like the secondary display on the Galaxy Note Edge, but without the need for a second screen.

Other features include swiping up and down the screen to adjust volume and brightness (similar to the VLC Android app), and having the screen reduce in size as each of the cover’s segments close.

It’s not clear what else would be needed to implement these features, but presumably both the tablet and the cover will need some sort of hardware upgrade. There’s no way of knowing if and when this will be released, but considering all the possibilities it could bring it is possible that we could see it in the very near future.