Microsoft’s Zune may soon have some competition from Apple. A September 1, 2006 patent filing indicates that Apple might be working on enabling future iPods, and even iPhones, to communicate with each other wirelessly. The tech would allow “for delivery of data to a portable electronic device from another electronic device” – through a local network, much like the Zune. Data transfer would be initiated automatically or manually (or a through a combination of the two).
“In one embodiment, one mobile device discovers another mobile device within its vicinity. The mobile devices can then wirelessly transmit data from one mobile device to the other. Typically, the mobile devices are associated with persons (users). The mobile devices, or their users, can control, request or influence the particular data content being delivered.”
Users would be able to limit the number of devices that can receive data, with an unlimited number of subscribers to the user’s device stream. The stream could consist of songs, albums, playlists, videos, podcasts, photos, games, maps, etc. Essentially, the iPod or iPhone becomes a secondary peer-to-peer network that can be freed from the confines of a desktop computer. We can even imagine an iTunes-based application that allows users to wirelessly download from the subscription service – perhaps allowing other iTunes subscribers to stream the data from another device.
We’re hoping that Apple has already hidden this function in our iPhones – waiting in hiding until a future update enables the feature. But, that’s just whimsical speculation.
[Via: Apple Insider]