Computers. Phones. Tablets. Watches. Crap wireless headphones that everyone hates. Apple has cornered just about every bit of kit going.
Now the tech giant has its sights set on the humble bag. That’s right, a bag.
It emerged this week that Apple filed a patent back in March with the US Patent & Trademark Office, for what appears to be a paper shopping bag with handles. Knowing those crafty Silicon Valley types, they’ll cram it with lots of hidden features.
So what can we expect? Siri? Wieless handles? A self-aware GPS and little robot legs, so it can come and find you if you leave it on the bus?
Apparently not. Apple’s genius is more subtle than that – and from the description is sounds typical of the company's simplistic aesthetic.
“The bag may be formed of a container and a handle.”
Hmmm. Not quite as revolutionary as we’d hoped. The patent – which comes with a nice detailed diagram – does include valuable information about the very nature of bags, however.
“Bags are often used for containing items. For example, retail bags may be used to contain items purchased at a retail store.”
Some of it gets quite technical too.
“The phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan.”
Hang on, are we still talking about a paper bag here?
What is clear is that it will "formed of white solid bleached sulphate paper with at least 60 per cent post-consumer content" AKA recycled materials. And while that usually makes paper products weaker, Apple intends to get around this with "reinforcement inserts".
It will also use "knitted paper fibers in a tight-knit pattern with a large diameter" for the handle, so it's not rough to the touch like cheaper paper bags,
In short, it's white, strong, and comfortable to hold.
That’s all we needed to know, guys.
