Giving the buying public a hint of what's to come for the iPhone 6, Apple has announced that it has patented the curved touchscreen technology for its upcoming phones.

According to GigaOm, the patent details have been made public. "The method can include depositing and patterning a conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form at least one touch sensor pattern, while the flexible substrate is in a flat state. According to certain embodiments, the method can include supporting the flexible substrate in the flat state on at least one curved forming substrate having a predetermined curvature; and performing an anneal process, or an anneal-like high-heat process, on the conductive thin film, wherein the anneal process can cause the flexible substrate to conform to the predetermined curvature of the at least one curved forming substrate. According to an embodiment, the curved forming substrate can include a first forming substrate having a first predetermined curvature and a second forming substrate having a second predetermined curvature complementing the first predetermined curvature," reads the patent.

But according to TechCrunch, this patent may just be a way for Apple to keep up with the competition -- namely Samsung and LG, both of whom have announced that they will be using curved screen technology in their upcoming phones. Apple's patent specifically addresses the manufacturing process, however, not the actual touchscreen itself. In addition, TechCrunch is speculating that there aren't any real benefits to a curved screen on a phone, other than keeping up with a new fad.

Apple has announced that it is working on a curved glass iPhone for release in late 2014, and that it was also building better touch input for future devices. A patent for better touchscreen designs for curved glass devices definitely lines up with those reports.