Many of us juggle between multiple devices daily - smartphones, tablets, computers, and the like. But, imagine this scenario; you want to access a certain file on your mobile, but you're sharing the screen with your computer for a collaborative purpose. The issue here is, irrespective of where the file is opened, whether on the phone or computer, the file shows on just one device - the computer in this situation. This requires the user to exit the shared screen mode to access the file on their mobile. While this sounds relatively simple, it can be a tedious process, especially if one finds themselves juggling between devices frequently.
This issue has sparked a solution from Huawei. In a recent patent titled "File Opening Method and Device" (Patent No: US20230273902A1), the company seeks to redefine the process for multi-device users.
To explain, using this invention, if a user is sharing the screen between a phone and tablet, and they click on a file from their phone, the file will open on the phone. However, if they click the same file from the tablet, the device itself will then open the file!
This new method could help the digital world significantly by reducing the steps of switching between devices. In the same circumstance, a student using a Huawei MatePad Pro might be surfacing the internet for research on the device but finds a crucial article on their phone. The new file-opening method would allow the article to display on whichever device it was opened from. This would make things considerably less complicated and more efficient for the user.
In addition, the method potentially reduces power consumption by reducing the number of processes a device must undertake, making it a more environmentally friendly alternative.
However, it's important to remember that patents sometimes remain just that, patents. They may not always reach the stage of mass-market implementation. It's yet to be seen whether this particular patent from Huawei will become a reality and if so, the real-life benefits it will bring to multi-device users. But one thing is sure - it could revolutionize the process of file-opening and multi-device collaboration.
P.S. - While a patent is a notable achievement and speaks of the innovation sparked by the problem, it does not guarantee the technology's market implementation. We're in eager anticipation to witness if this patent matures beyond paper.