Next Tuesday, Motorola will introduce the first phone with a “shatterproof screen,” the Motorola DROID Turbo 2. And that means that other manufacturers will have to play catch up. Apple might have already have a response ready. A filing with the USPTO called “Active Screen Protection for Electronic Devices,” reveals a method that will protect a glass screen from shattering. We must note that this is a much more complex form of protection than whatever Motorola is adding to its screen to prevent it from shattering.

This method uses a phone’s accelerometer and sensors to trigger four screen protectors, each positioned on a corner of the handset. When the phone is determined to be falling, the screen protectors pop up and absorb the shock of the impact. Once the sensors determine that the fall is over, the protectors drop back into position using motors

Other variations of the technology include one where the device’s camera is used to determine if the phone is falling. Apple originally filled the application on Apr. 18, 2014. While the company toughened up the iPhone’s body this year by employing Series 7000 aluminum, the glass still remains vulnerable.

According to the patent application, Apple might use this system to protect the glass on the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, iPod and on MacBooks.

source: USPTO via IBT