Mikey Campbell, Apple Insider:

Display damage due to drops, impacts and other sudden shocks is the bane of many a smartphone user. Apple is working on technology to help users determine when a device is cracked and perhaps prevent such events from occurring in the first place.

Described in Apple’s filing for “Coverglass fracture detection,” the proposed system utilizes a comprehensive network of sensors and software to detect the formation of cracks, or potential cracks, in a protective display cover.

What I find most fascinating is the idea of crowdsourcing crack detection. When a crack is detected, the theory goes, Apple could contact the user to verify. The user would verify the crack (perhaps tracing it on the screen) and Apple could follow up to learn what type of impact caused the crack. Pretty cool idea.