Companies file for patents all the time and more often than not, technologies described in these patents never materialize in the real-world products.
Apple is no exception but we still like to see what Cupertino boy and girls are Cook-ing behind the closed doors, at least to get the hints of how their devices will be different from the rest of the pack.
A new patent, titled “Generating Notifications Based On User Behavior” describes how the iPhone (or iPad) would collect data on user’s behavior to identify patterns of usage. This in turn would allow the device to know when it has been stolen, or that someone else is using it.
The system would collect data based on usage all the time, including not only your favorite apps and contacts, but also the way you “treat” your phone, relying on the built-in gyroscope for readings. After some time, the iPhone will get to distinct between multiple users, knowing who’s the boss around. Presuming the pattern is interrupted, the iPhone could lock itself down, preventing further usage before the password is entered; and that password could be a 4-digit code or, guess, your fingerprint.
Sounds cool, especially for major companies which shareholders would love this sort of capability in the phones top executives use on a daily basis. Alas, we’re still unsure when or even whether Apple will move this technology beyond the patent filing.
[Via: AppleInsider]