How Smartphones Organize Apps into Folders
Apple's 2010 patent describing the logic for creating and interacting with app folders on a touchscreen device, specifically distinguishing between 'normal' use and 'editing' modes.
Original patent title: “Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing folders”
Apple's 2010 patent describing the logic for creating and interacting with app folders on a touchscreen device, specifically distinguishing between 'normal' use and 'editing' modes. Granted to Apple Inc in 2013 with 29 claims and 48 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent defines the software logic for how a smartphone manages app icons and folders. It establishes two distinct states: a 'normal' mode where tapping an icon launches the app, and a 'reconfiguration' mode where tapping allows you to move or organize icons without opening them. The patent specifically covers the mechanism for opening a folder to see its contents regardless of which mode the device is in, while ensuring that the folder-opening action does not accidentally trigger app deletion or reconfiguration commands.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the underlying hardware of the touchscreen itself.
- Does not cover folder creation methods that do not involve dragging icons to a specific location.
- Does not cover automatic folder organization based on app categories or metadata.
- Does not cover non-touchscreen interfaces or desktop-based folder management.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the context-aware input handling: the device interprets the same tap gesture differently depending on whether the system is in 'normal' or 'reconfiguration' mode, preventing accidental app launches during reorganization.
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 folder management
iPadOS app organization
Standard smartphone app drawer interfaces
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent was central to the user experience of the iPhone and iPad, defining how users manage their home screens. It helped standardize the 'jiggle mode' interaction where icons become editable, a pattern now ubiquitous across iOS and Android devices.
Filed
September 22, 2010
Granted
April 16, 2013
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Apple remains the primary user of this specific logic within its iOS ecosystem. Major mobile operating system developers, including Google with Android, have implemented similar state-based UI patterns to manage app organization.
Market impact
This patent helped solidify the 'grid of icons' as the standard mobile interface, enabling users to manage hundreds of apps efficiently. It provided a clear framework that reduced user error during home screen customization, influencing the design language of nearly all modern mobile operating systems.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent defines the software logic for how a smartphone manages app icons and folders. It establishes two distinct states: a 'normal' mode where tapping an icon launches the app, and a 'reconfiguration' mode where tapping allows you to move or organize icons without opening them. The patent specifically covers the mechanism for opening a folder to see its contents regardless of which mode the device is in, while ensuring that the folder-opening action does not accidentally trigger app deletion or reconfiguration commands.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the context-aware input handling: the device interprets the same tap gesture differently depending on whether the system is in 'normal' or 'reconfiguration' mode, preventing accidental app launches during reorganization.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the underlying hardware of the touchscreen itself.
- Does not cover folder creation methods that do not involve dragging icons to a specific location.
- Does not cover automatic folder organization based on app categories or metadata.
- Does not cover non-touchscreen interfaces or desktop-based folder management.
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
34/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
19/20
Very broad protection
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
$164K – $524K
Midpoint $328K · 4.3 yr remaining · 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
29 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Chaudhri, I. (2013). How Smartphones Organize Apps into Folders (U.S. Patent No. 8,423,911). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8423911/ios-control-center
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 Smartphones Organize Apps into Folders cover?
Apple's 2010 patent describing the logic for creating and interacting with app folders on a touchscreen device, specifically distinguishing between 'normal' use and 'editing' modes.
Who owns patent US 8423911?
Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2013.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on April 16, 2033, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 8423911 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 48 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent was central to the user experience of the iPhone and iPad, defining how users manage their home screens. It helped standardize the 'jiggle mode' interaction where icons become editable, a pattern now ubiquitous across iOS and Android devices.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the underlying hardware of the touchscreen itself.
Same assignee
More from Apple Inc
Patent monitoring