It was revealed in a patent filing on Thursday that Apple is exploring the use of mechanical fans in portable devices, like the iPhone and iPad, to dissipate the heat made by increasingly powerful CPUs.
The invention discovered by AppleInsider is called “Cooling system for mobile electronic devices,” and basically outlines a platform that uses a motor to drive two parts, a fan and an alert device.
It is unclear if Apple plans to use the invention in an upcoming iDevice, but it seems doubtful that such additional components can reasonably fit within the iPhone, which becomes increasingly thin with each design evolution.
The iPad would be better suited for such a system, as consumers have complained of high temperatures generated when operating the device for extended periods of time, or running CPU-intensive apps. With the new fourth-generation iPad’s switch to the Lightning connector, there is extra space within the aluminum chassis for the platform, however Apple has previously boasted that the tablet’s design does not need noisy cooling fans.
Source : Apple Insider