How the iPhone Switches and Adds Mobile Web Browser Tabs

Apple's 2007 patent on using swipes, edge taps, and dedicated buttons to create and flip through multiple full-screen windows in a mobile web browser.

What it covers

The patent describes how a mobile device manages multiple open screens, like web browser tabs, on a small display. First, a user taps a button to enter a window-management mode. Tapping a plus icon creates a brand-new window while hiding the previous one completely. To navigate between these open windows, the user can either tap the right side of the screen to slide the current window off and bring a third one on, or perform a right-to-left swipe gesture to slide a fourth window into view. This allows a user to cycle through multiple active web pages without needing a desktop-style tab bar.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover desktop-style tab bars where multiple tab headers remain visible at the top of the screen simultaneously.
• —Does not cover switching windows using physical buttons instead of touchscreen gestures.
• —Does not cover voice-activated window switching or creation.
• —Does not cover closing windows, as the claims focus specifically on creating and navigating between active windows.

The clever bit

Instead of shrinking desktop tabs to fit a tiny screen, the system hides inactive windows completely and uses simple edge-taps or swipe gestures to slide them back into view like a deck of cards.

Why it matters

Filed on the eve of the original iPhone launch, this patent solved the problem of multi-window browsing on screens smaller than three by five inches. It defined the user experience of mobile Safari, allowing users to keep multiple web pages open without cluttering the limited screen space. This interface design became a standard pattern for early mobile web browsers.

Real-world examples

• 1.The tab-switching interface in early versions of Apple Safari on iOS
• 2.The page-flipping navigation in mobile web browsers