Apple might make its own S Pen stylusSamsung is arguably Apple's biggest rival - at the very least, its biggest provocateur - and the companies regularly trade blows via patents. Since Samsung is one of the few phone makers sporting a stylus with the S-Pen, it makes sense Apple would add its own accessory. A set of patents filed recently show that Apple is considering a stylus and of course, doing very Apple-like things with it. A recently won patent describes stylus orientation detection, while a handful of patents award Apple with stylus-controlled in-air gestures, audio recording, camera features, and laser camera and projection capabilities, among others. With all that stuff packed in, its no wonder that it looks like one thick pen.
Your iPhone might know when you're in dangerSome features are about flash but others, like a recent patent from Apple, are more about substance. The Cupertino-based company has patented a way to recognize medical emergencies and physical traumas using the onboard sensors of the iPhone. The innovation would activate emergency services if it detected danger for the user. Quick, someone patent and invent a morality detector so we know if Apple has good intentions with this.
These Apple earbuds could track heart rate and perspirationWearable tech is all the rage, especially in the fitness industry. There are already more than enough brightly colored fitness tracker wristbands to put those Livestrong bracelets to shame, but if a recent patent filed by Apple is anything to go by, it wants to try a different approach. You likely already use headphones during your workout, so Apple has patented a way to put the fitness tracking features right into your earpiece. Your earbuds could track your running, perspiration, heart rate, temperature, and more. Since we don't totally trust Apple to make a decent pair of headphones in the first place, we won't hold our breath for these things to be comfortable and functional.
You may never need to answer a call againLet's be honest: Voicemail is a good way for us to ignore someone and see if what they want is important. That's why the simplest of patents makes us the most excited. Apple has come up with a way to allow us to listen to voicemails as they are being left and pick up mid-message. Funny enough, this is something you've been able to do for a long time with landlines and answering machines. Basically, you'll never have to pick up another phone call again.Â
The solar-powered iPhoneApple has gone all in on solar power - or solar power patents, at least - lately, securing the innovation for its series of laptops. Not surprisingly, the company would like to include solar power into its line of iOS devices as well. A recently filed patent may be proof of those intentions. The technology described in the patent would add solar cell capabilities within the touch sensor of devices like "a media player or phone." At CES this year, a company named SunPartner demoed a solar-charging screen, which could increase battery life and enable data transfer by light. It's not hard to imagine what Apple could mean with that language, and we're all for extra battery life without wires. We'll just have to do our best to not leave the iPhone out in the sun too long.
An iPad you don't even have to touchGesture controls on touch screens are great, and the way Apple devices set up these controls is intuitive. But how about hand gestures that control your phone without actually touching it? We're a little wary of this patent that Apple filed for 3D gestures. Get ready to look like you're directing a symphony orchestra when you're just trying to send a text.
Smarter magnets and connectorsMagnets are already a useful and simple tool, but Apple may make them even better for iOS devices. A patent for smart magnet attachments could open the door for a boatload of new iPhone and iPad accessories. The patent describes tons of peripherals, from keyboards and cases to cameras and game controllers. The technology would be similar to that found in Apple's Smart Cover cases, but adds the flexibility for other accessories. Attach too much, though, and that mobile device becomes far less portable.
If you’re interested in seeing where a company is headed, check its patents. They’re the most public record we have, save for hyperbole-filled press releases, of what ideas a tech maker is working on. But they also show us the crazy, half-baked ideas that will never work, too. (We’re looking at you, air-expelling keyboard and banana phone case). Apple’s a company that likes to keep its projects under wraps best it can, but it’s obsession with patenting ideas gives us a portal into future plans. We have no idea if any of these will end up in real products, but here are some of our favorite Apple patents.
