How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work
This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted.
Original patent title: “Portable electronic device with interface reconfiguration mode”
This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted. Granted to Apple Inc in 2009 with 19 claims and 148 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent defines a method for a touch-sensitive device to enter a reconfiguration mode. When a user performs a specific action, such as holding a finger on an icon, the device triggers an animation where multiple icons oscillate around a fixed center point. This 'jiggling' effect visually signals that the user can now rearrange or delete the icons. The patent also covers the logic for dragging an icon to a new location and automatically shifting other icons to make room for it.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover icon movement that does not include an oscillation or 'jiggling' animation.
- Does not cover non-touch interfaces, such as using a mouse or keyboard to move icons.
- Does not cover reordering icons that do not utilize a touch-sensitive display.
- Does not cover icon arrangements that do not allow for user-defined repositioning.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using a specific, physics-based animation (the oscillation) as a visual affordance to communicate a change in the device's state, turning a functional task into an intuitive, tactile experience.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
iOS home screen app rearrangement (jiggle mode)
iPadOS home screen icon management
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This feature became a fundamental part of the iOS user experience, establishing the standard for how users interact with and organize mobile applications. It was a key component of the interface design that helped differentiate the original iPhone from its competitors, which often relied on complex menus or stylus-based navigation.
Filed
July 24, 2006
Granted
March 24, 2009
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Apple remains the primary user of this specific implementation within its iOS ecosystem. Other mobile operating system developers, such as Google for Android, have implemented similar icon-rearrangement patterns, often navigating around the scope of these specific claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →.
Market impact
This patent helped solidify Apple's design language for touch-based mobile devices. It became a focal point in the broader 'smartphone wars' of the late 2000s and early 2010s, as companies sought to define the boundaries of intuitive touch-screen interaction.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent defines a method for a touch-sensitive device to enter a reconfiguration mode. When a user performs a specific action, such as holding a finger on an icon, the device triggers an animation where multiple icons oscillate around a fixed center point. This 'jiggling' effect visually signals that the user can now rearrange or delete the icons. The patent also covers the logic for dragging an icon to a new location and automatically shifting other icons to make room for it.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using a specific, physics-based animation (the oscillation) as a visual affordance to communicate a change in the device's state, turning a functional task into an intuitive, tactile experience.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover icon movement that does not include an oscillation or 'jiggling' animation.
- Does not cover non-touch interfaces, such as using a mouse or keyboard to move icons.
- Does not cover reordering icons that do not utilize a touch-sensitive display.
- Does not cover icon arrangements that do not allow for user-defined repositioning.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$94K – $300K
Midpoint $187K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Anzures, F. A., Forstall, S., Ording, B., Chaudhri, I., Os, M. V., Christie, G., & Lemay, S. O. (2009). How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work (U.S. Patent No. 7,509,588). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7509588/os-x-spotlight-search
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the iPhone's Jiggling App Icons Work cover?
This patent describes the 'jiggle mode' on iPhones, where app icons shake to show they can be moved or deleted.
Who owns patent US 7509588?
Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2009.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on March 24, 2029, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 7509588 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 148 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This feature became a fundamental part of the iOS user experience, establishing the standard for how users interact with and organize mobile applications. It was a key component of the interface design that helped differentiate the original iPhone from its competitors, which often relied on complex menus or stylus-based navigation.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover icon movement that does not include an oscillation or 'jiggling' animation.
Same assignee
More from Apple Inc
Patent monitoring