Using a shape-changing display as an adaptive lens for selectively magnifying information displayed onscreen

A computer program product comprising code which, when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a handheld electronic device, is adapted to display information on a touchscreen display of the handheld electronic device by performing steps of:

• determining a target area to be visually magnified;
• and
• causing a shape-changing zone of the display to physically change shape in the target area to form a lens for visually magnifying information displayed in the target area.

A handheld electronic device comprising:

• a shape-changing touch-sensitive display screen comprising an array of shape-changing zones, each shape-changing zone being individually electrically actuatable to expand into a convex shape defining an adaptive magnifying lens that visually magnifies an area of the display screen beneath the lens;
• and
• a processor operatively coupled to memory for executing an application configured to present information on the touch-sensitive display screen of the device and for controlling actuation of the one or more shape-changing zones of the touch-sensitive display screen.