The smartphone is at the centre of our digital lives because of its countless interactive possibilities, but more than half of its surface is dead. Take a look at the back of one, and you are unlikely to find much beyond a logo and a camera lens. If you touch, prod or swipe it, it will do nothing. This, however, could be about to change.
After more than a decade of patents, academic papers and tentative technological explorations, the rear side of the smartphone may be about to do something useful.
The good news is that the index finger on the back is at least as efficient for pointing and swiping as the thumb on the front
The hint came at Apple’s annual conference for developers, which took place last week in an online-only format. Most of the noise was about new operating systems ushering in features such as instant language translation, digital car keys and much else besides. But there was an upcoming iPhone feature that was not mentioned during the keynote, called Back Tap.
Hidden away in the accessibility settings, it will convert taps on the back of the phone into actions. You could take a screenshot, lock the phone, answer a call or even remotely control home devices. Those who have had a preview say it works through a case, too.
This could be a game changer, not only for people who can operate their phone with only one hand, but also for anyone who prefers to do so. This method of interaction has been hampered in recent years by the ever-increasing size of smartphone screens. Posture and ergonomics experts advise against it, but sometimes we have little choice.
“One-handed use is very valuable in certain situations,” says Jacob Wobbrock, professor of human-computer interaction at the University of Washington. “We’re accustomed to using the thumb on the front of the device, but the good news is that the index finger on the back is at least as efficient for pointing and swiping as the thumb on the front.”
Researchers discovered this more than a decade ago. On the earliest touchscreens, which were small by today’s standards, touching specific points was not easy. It was known as the “fat finger” problem, where the finger obscures the thing it is meant to be clicking on.
While touchscreens meant the end of physical buttons, the irony was that on-screen buttons had to be larger than the ones they were replacing.
Studies established that “rear touch” could be the answer. Moving a finger across the back of the device, controlling an on-screen cursor, could then eliminate the problem in its entirety.
Researchers at Microsoft also noted how a touchable back panel could allow you to control some of your phone’s features without even looking at it – say, when it’s in your pocket, or bag.
In 2009, a proof-of-concept phone called the Synaptics Fuse demonstrated how this new concept of rear touch might work. “This could be how phones will look next year,” said one review. But it did not happen.
Patents were filed by Google and Apple, and rumours swirled that the iPhone 8 and Google Pixel would come complete with sensors on the rear, but they never did. Since 2010, fewer than half a dozen smartphones have ever incorporated the feature, and it has never caught on.
The reason, according to Seongkook Heo from the Computer Science Department at the University of Virginia, is simply our unwillingness to learn new ways of interacting with devices. “Many users just buy their new phone, turn it on and start using it by touching what is on the screen,” he says. “Not many people look for new features and spend time learning them.”
A number of new gestures have seen early retirement over the years for this reason, such as the iPhone’s “3D Touch” and “Air View” for the Samsung Galaxy, where a hovering finger can initiate an action.
“The best testing cannot always anticipate how end users will ultimately want to use a thing,” says Wobbrock. But technology is now developing to a point where all kinds of surfaces can be touch-enabled, and the temptation to introduce them to new phones is strong within the industry.
Leaked images show that Huawei’s forthcoming Mate 40 Pro phone may have a circular touch-enabled area surrounding the camera lens, which could be used as a volume wheel or a camera zoom. Sentons, a US company specialising in touch technology, envisages every surface of a device becoming interactive; phones could be squeezed and imaginary side wheels could be used to scroll pages.
For Heo, this is tremendously exciting. “If smartphones are used for more complex tasks, there will be more calls for efficient interaction techniques,” he says. “I hope Back Tap will be successful, and add more input vocabulary to our smartphones.”
Apple is being so coy about the new feature that most people will not even notice that it exists. But for those that do, it offers an intriguing glimpse into the way our devices may function in the future.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Racecard
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Playing records of the top 10 in 2017
How many games the top 10 have undertaken in the 2017 ATP season
1. Rafael Nadal 58 (49-9)
2. Andy Murray 35 (25-10)
3. Roger Federer 38 (35-3)
4. Stan Wawrinka 37 (26-11)
5. Novak Djokovic 40 (32-8)
6. Alexander Zverev 60 (46-14)
7. Marin Cilic 43 (29-14)
8. Dominic Thiem 60 (41-19)
9. Grigor Dimitrov 48 (34-14)
10. Kei Nishikori 43 (30-13)
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Mohamed Usman (vice captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Imran Haider, Tahir Mughal, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed, Fahad Nawaz, Abdul Shakoor, Sultan Ahmed, CP Rizwan
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
