Patently Apple

Apple Attempts to Patent Virtual Knobs & New Instrument for GarageBand

On September 6, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals new virtual controls that are in the works along with a new virtual instrument for a future version of GarageBand.

Apple Advances Work on Virtual Keyboards for iMac & MacBook

On September 6, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals their continuing work on virtual keyboards for both the iMac and MacBook. For the MacBook, such work could lead to a future hybrid notebook/eBook iDevice. 

New Apple 3D App in the Final Stages of Development – See a Screenshot of it on an iPad!

Earlier today we introduced Apple's 3D Avatar App which covered a basic overview of the new application in the works. Now a second patent application has surfaced and it actually shows that the app is already running on an iPad! We have the screenshot to prove it. The new patent application focuses on how the app will work with color palettes and more. The big news however is that the new 3D Avatar App is in its final stages of development and that's very cool. Evidently phase-one of the application is geared for the younger crowd, but other editions could be in the works as discussed in our first report today. One of the 3D characters in this Avatar App that we illustrate in our report has an Apple T-Shirt on. It makes you wonder if Apple is planning to debut this 3D Avatar app alongside a cool new Apple based game of sorts to kick this off just right. At the end of the day, Apple is in the final stages of a great new app for the iPad.  

Apple Invents a 3D Creation App for Games & Futuristic Displays

Apple certainly has a fascination for avatar creation apps of late. In the last year or so they've invented several interesting avatar related apps including one for a very sophisticated Personal Shopping app for the desktop and another covering Advanced Avatar Editing for the iPhone. In today's latest patent application, Apple reveals a new application in the making that will primarily be used for avatar creation, though Apple does clarify that they may use the underlying technology in other professional applications. On one hand it's like Photo Booth on steroids and on the other hand it's definitely being aimed at the 3D video game market. In either case it'll be a blast to play with on an iPad. In fact, Apple notes that this app could eventually apply to next generation displays that include "movable," heads-up and three-dimensional (e.g., holographic) systems. Now that caught my attention.

New Virtual Controls from Apple Point to a Future iMac Touch

On February 2, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that describes new virtual controls for a desktop with a touchscreen. This once again illustrates that Apple may be working on an iMac Touch desktop computer. Considering that a company by the name of Perceptive Pixel will be introducing a 27" slanted Touch Display through various vendors later this year, Apple should step up this project from patent concept to reality sooner rather than later. In today's report, we'll show you a very cool video that'll make you lust for one of these new systems, I'm sure.  Note: An important update has added to this report at 1PM MST.  

Apple Cleverly Reinventing Emoticons & Dreaming of 3D Avatars

Yesterday the US Patent & Trademark Office published a pair of patent applications from Apple that revealed their intent to reinvent the whole notion of what emoticons should be in the future and how we should use them in our texting and emails. Apple describes a customizing process utilizing a Photo Booth-like engine that not only will create advanced cartoony characters but also very detailed 3D avatar variants of a user that are staggeringly realistic. Apple now has eight avatar related patents to their credit, with most of them having been published in the last eighteen months. We now recognize this as an official Apple trend and have created a new archive titled "Avatars + Virtual" to make it easier for you to research in the future. After reading our report, I think that you'll understand why one technology leader thinks that 3D Avatars could play a role in changing the way that we'll all communicate in the future – and I think he's right.  

Apple Details Advanced Avatar Editing App with Funny Animations

On October 13, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published two patent applications from Apple that reveal a very detailed overview of an advanced avatar editing app. Using and creating Avatars has been a new trend emanating from Apple's engineering labs. The year began with Apple introducing us to "the Personalized Shopping Avatar" concept and have since followed through with an avatar creation tool for tablets in July and even mentioned Avatars being used in a mobile clubbing app just last week. In the bigger picture, Apple envisions the day when Avatars and related environments will be so rich that we'll be able to shop online in an Avatar centric Apple Store environment. When you think of the power of Apple's new Siri, an online Apple Rep with Siri's brain would seem very natural indeed. But for today, it's all about advanced creation and editing tools for Avatars. In the future, Apple envisions Avatars working with a wide variety of apps including but not limited to address books, chat sessions, video conferencing, email, games or any other application that could support an animated avatar. Apple is even working on a few humorous animated Avatars as well that will quickly replace antiquated emoticons. Apple obviously see's Avatars playing an expanding role in our online experiences, even when most of us just don't see it yet.  

Apple Thinks of Enhancing the Mobile Clubbing Scene with iTunes

Yesterday we mourned with the rest of the world as we learned of Steve Jobs passing on Wednesday evening. Today we move forward with a heavy heart - but remain focused on what we do best: Report on the insanely great inventions inspired by Steve Jobs and his team. During Apple's special event held earlier this week in Cupertino, Tim Cook spent a lot of time talking about how Apple still loved music and the iPod that started the mobile revolution. In a patent published by the USPTO on Thursday, we learned that Apple is working on a fresh new music sharing app that is uniquely designed for those who love the mobile clubbing scene. The app is described as tying in with the iOS notification system as well as with Twitter and Facebook social networking sites. And finally, our report covers the newly released iOS 5 split keyboard patent and more.    

Apple's Wild New 3D Gesturing is Aimed at CAD, Avatar Creation & More

 
On July 7, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind newly advanced 3D gesturing that will apply to CAD applications for product and gaming developers as well as for consumers. According to Apple, next generation iPad and/or other iOS device displays will allow consumers to create avatars for 3D environments or assist homeowners in designing new landscapes and more by using simple 3D gesturing. The new 3D gesturing will control color and textures while allowing users to uniquely rotate objects to gain different perspectives of their designs. This is wild stuff that is bound to give Apple's competitors another huge headache. 

Apple introduces us to the Personalized Shopping Avatar

 
Apple has long been researching the field of avatars in context with next generation shopping experiences. Their initial research popped up in 2008 in context to a future avatar-centric Apple Store. A year later, Apple introduced us to the head-tracking system in relation to future avatar movements matching our real-world movements and we also learned about the future of 3D internet experiences. While the first generation of avatar creation was rather hokey, like avatars associated with Microsoft's Xbox, next generation avatars show promising realism. It's that realism that will give life to Apple's new personalized shopping avatar application. It will allow users to visualize what clothing, jewelry or accessories will look like on them before purchasing the items from a virtual retailer. The technology will also eventually apply to assisting user's redesign their living room with new furniture that they're thinking of buying or assisting doctors in their communication with patient's over the net.   

Next Generation Interfaces Give New Meaning to Mind Control

 
In December 2009 we explored MIT's Pranav Mistry's SixthSense wearable device that merged an iPod-like device with air-gesturing capabilities as part of a future interface concept. In June 2010 we delved into John Underkoffler's interface vision involving what he calls "g-speak - a Spatial Operating Environment." In today's report, we'll provide you with a brief 3D Internet update and wander into the workings of a futuristic interface that gives new meaning to the term Mind Control.  

Apple Continues to Push Ahead on Next Generation Virtual Store

 
A newly published Apple continuation patent today relates to a next generation Apple virtual store. The patent titled "Enhancing Online Shopping Atmosphere" illustrates that the virtual store will involve some 3D dynamic whereby "Apple Reps" will greet online visitors to assist them with their purchases and/or answer questions about specific products. Apple was granted a related patent titled "Method, system, and medium for representing visitor activity in an online store" in February of this year. Apple's continual push on this front, at minimum, shows us that they're keeping this interesting project alive.