There's been a lot of buzz over Apple's proposal for a future miniature SIM card. Competitors like Motorola, Research in Motion and Nokia are trying to stop it. The Financial Times stated in their recent report that "one person with knowledge of the committee" said that the "Apple-backed nano-SIM could require a "drawer" to protect it." Today, Apple has been granted their second patent regarding this proposed "drawer" concept and it's because the drawer or ejectable tray could accommodate not only a nano SIM but also an Integrated Circuit Card which is at the heart of Apple's iWallet. A variant of Apple's design could include a tray that accommodates both a Nano SIM card and an Integrated Circuit Card. So now you know a little more of the importance of the Nano SIM card story that Apple is proposing to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

In early March Apple was granted a patent for a never before seen patent regarding Apple's forthcoming iWallet. The patent focused on parental controls for an iWallet and made a connection to a vague iTunes application and/or methodology. Today, another major component of Apple's iWallet was revealed in yet another granted patent. Today we learn about major security measures that the iWallet will employ and see more of the iTunes financial app that is temporarily being dubbed "MobilePay." The app takes on the appearance of a convenient tab found in iTunes, just like it is today for your apps, music or photos. Today's report fills you in on the latest features that Apple is thinking of bringing to the iWallet along with a great number of screenshots of various iWallet functions. If future electronic commerce with Apple's iWallet is a topic of interest to you, then you're going to enjoy this read.  

In May of 2010 we were surprised to see Apple's first iWallet patent officially surface. In that year we witnessed a steady stream of Near Field Communication based patents that kick started the iWallet trend. Ever since that time we've archived these patents under the category of "iWallet-NFC Related." Today, Apple has been granted a major iWallet patent and it's one that has never been reported on before. Apple's patent reviews credit card transaction rules and shows us that the credit card companies will be sending statements directly to your iTunes account. The iWallet project just became a little more real today, and for many, it can't come soon enough. Who knows, perhaps one day Apple's iWallet will rule the world: the financial world that is. And all Macites said, Amen.  

Make no mistake about it. As we move closer to a point in time when the iPhone could double as an iWallet, security will be the killer feature that consumers will demand. Two weeks ago Apple introduced us to one of their future security systems that will handle auto login using advanced facial recognition technology. That'll be great for iDevices not handling important documents and/or financial instruments such as debit and/or credit. For that, Apple has invented a heavy duty second tier of security that is quite ingenious. The key rests in splitting a user's password recovery secret amongst two devices that are never carried together at one time. And you know it's a serious security project at Apple when Bud Tribble, Apple's VP of Software Technology, is the man behind this endeavor. 

On September 15, 2011, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals some of the magic behind their upcoming RFID device circuitry. Steve Jobs has always loved to play up all-things magical whether they pertained to the new magic mouse, magic trackpad or simply talking up the magical experiences of a particular device or iOS feature. When we think of future RFID applications, we simply think of them as magically communicating with other devices somehow. Well in todays patent report we point out some of the technology that will go into future Apple products that will allow us to make banking transactions and opening a door with an electronic key seem magical and more. Apple's invention also touches on new security features associated with their RFID circuitry and points to inductive charging and the possibility of using solar power to charge future RFID devices. Updated at 9:30 PST with two new mini reports.  

 
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 14 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our first report we mainly covered Apple's granted patents that related to a Karaoke system and advanced roaming point-of-sale system. In today's second granted patent report we mainly focus on three patents. The first mainly covers Aperture's plug-in architecture for exporting digital images while the second covers Apple's original iPhone video conferencing interface that set the standard. The third and final granted patent covered today interestingly covers future iMacs and Macbooks that will integrate NFC antennas and related applications.   

 
In late 2009 Patently Apple reported that Apple was working on a new short-range wireless technology that would work with a newly proposed iTunes Kiosk. Apple had also shed some light on using NFC technology in another patent that year in respect to a new application they were working on that they dubbed Grab and Go. As time went on, we've documented numerous Apple patents on this subject in our NFC Archives. In a new Apple patent revealed this morning, we find that Apple has been advancing their peer sharing technology in ways that will dramatically quicken the process of data sharing. The newly proposed system utilizes a unique magnetic compass and encoded supersonic tone methodology. Apple notes that their new methodology will also allow you to share information on your iPhone easily with other devices like your iMac, MacBook or stereo system. Apple, as always, is focused on making new technology work easier for the consumer.  

 
While Apple is statistically the leading mobile devices company in the world today, the company has always been known for being a consumer friendly company in terms of selling easy to use hardware and software. In a patent application published yesterday by the USPTO, Apple is once again attempting to make the average consumer's life a little easier by inventing a new user friendly connector system. Some hardware systems have a plethora of ports and trying to mate the right connector to the right port isn't always easy for the non-geek. Apple's new system contemplates using various schemes to simplify that process by including magnetic connectors, haptic actuators that vibrate and other unique approaches to make setting up a new device, friendly. Sometimes simple is cool.  

 
Apple first introduced us to their iTravel App in April of this year which packed quite the punch. In July, Apple followed up with two new iTravel services relating to Airline and hotel services and the travel industry went wild on this news. Today, Apple's next iTravel direction takes us to the cruise line industry. Apple knows that researching and putting together a cruise itinerary could be a daunting experience for consumers. Trying to figure out where to go, what excursions and/or off-shore activities to take or sifting through an endless list of cruise line services, could be intimidating. Planning a cruise with Apple's iTravel for cruise lines will greatly simplify that process from pre-cruise to post-cruise. Apple's future iTravel app will take advantage of NFC and location based technologies to enhance your cruise line experience with such services as social networking, interactive ship maps, the ability to purchase onboard tickets to shows or restaurants and even to act as a universal remote to control in-cabin electronics and climate control. Apple's latest patent even surprises us with a very strong hint of providing a future iPhone with a pico projector so as to possibly enhance your travel experience by being able to show off your excursion iMovies to an audience.  

 
Apple's leading trend in patent based research in 2010 was without a doubt concerning all things related to the use of Near Field Communications or NFC in all of Apple's hardware. The iPhone will no doubt emerge as the most crucial device in Apple's NFC ecosystem because it will serve as your future means of electronic payment. A trend that will allow your future iPhone to act as electronic currency, your credit card, your debit card, your electronic coupon and all the while acting as a means of holding electronic tickets for such things as concerts, air travel, bus or subway. Today, we're one step closer to that reality with the formation of a National Mobile Commerce Network called ISIS, backed by AT&T and Verizon, Apple's current wireless partners. Report Updated.     

 
Patently Apple first noted Apple's NFC patent trend back in late 2009. Then the patent downpour arrived in April and May of 2010 which covered everything from embedding NFC/RFID technology into home appliances and devices right on through to the iWallet. But a European patent filing of Apple's that was published late last week provided us with a little background. It appears that Apple's work on bringing this technology to the iPhone and iPod touch actually began right after the iPhone debuted in 2007. Today's report covers this patent which discusses using a cellphone (iPhone) and Audio/Video Player (iPod touch) as both an RFID tag reader and a tag. At the heart of this patent, Apple states that "the RFID antenna could be placed in the touch sensor panel, such that the touch sensor panel could now additionally function as an RFID transponder." This is the technology that could be at the heart of Apple's future iWallet and iKey.

 
Apple's iTravel application services are already expanding and the app hasn't even launched yet. In our first report this morning, we covered a detailed travel itinerary application that will cover every aspect of your travel while the second report focuses on how your iPhone will be able to tap into a hotel's own servers to access multiple in-room services. For starters, your iPhone will act as your hotel key and from there you'll be able to control room settings such as lighting, bath settings, room temperature and so forth. Your iPhone will be able to be your hotel room's TV and stereo remote. You'll also be able to access other services like booking a visit to the hotel's spa or reserving a conference room all from the convenience of your iPhone or other iOS device. You'll even be allowed to check-out via your iPhone or check your room charges before leaving. When it comes to future travel – Apple is out to cover you every step of the way from travel arrangements right through to in-room services conveniently and in style.

 
Apple first introduced us to an exciting future iPhone application dubbed iTravel back in April 2010 which certainly shook things up in the travel industry. In today's patent, Apple introduces us to a more detailed view of a "travel itinerary application" which will be available to walk a traveler through everything step of a flight from preflight activities at the virtual service counter to activities at the airport as well as in-flight and post-flight activities. You'll be able to reserve restaurants at your destination, order a video game for in-flight entertainment, order special in-flight meals, order a specific type of movie while on flight or set-up sightseeing tours – just for starters. Apple has been working with partners like Telus and Air Canada on test marketing various aspects of iTravel – and today's patent application reveals that Apple is still expanding the nature and capabilities of iTravel as was first revealed  - with more is on the way! Stay tuned for part two. 

 
In May 2010 we were shown Apple's iPhone roadmap in respect to their forthcoming e-Wallet and Shopping companion Apps. Applications that will require Apple to present the market with new NFC (Near Field Communications) enabled iPhones sometime in 2011 (if we're lucky). In todays patent report we'll explore a new Apple patent that reveals that NFC is going even deeper into the next generation iPhone. Today, Apple introduces "Products +" a generic name for a future "benefit management application." The idea behind the patent is that Apple will work with participating vendors – be they a trendy coffee vendor or electronics or book retailer – so that their packaging will sport an NFC tag. This tag will be able to be read by a user's NFC enabled iPhone which could in return surprise the user with hidden benefits ranging from free merchandise to free music and a lot of options in-between. The benefits angle to an NFC enabled iPhone could tip the scale in a any given sale and I think that this has the potential of being an explosively hot feature to kick off the NFC revolution on the iPhone. Today's report presents you with a ton of benefit-related examples.

 
Let's be honest here. Finding a sales person in a department store these days is getting harder and harder to find, let alone finding one that's well informed or product savvy. So what's the next best thing? Well, according to a new Apple patent, the answer will likely come in the form of a new e-Wallet companion application that will act as your very own private shopping guide. Apple's future e-wallet companion application is simply identified as "Shopping" for now. The app is designed to read RFID tag on products and then on-demand - send you to the manufacturer's web site to get a fuller explanation of what product xyz is all about. It could come in the form of a brochure, presentation or video. Apple introduces us to the concept of creating active shopping lists and will eventually offer us the ability to get in-store maps which is a great idea when you're shopping at mega stores such as IKEA. Yet, it must be said that this application could be mildly controversial in that it taps into the whole privacy debate that is front and center in technology news cycles these days. Although Apple is only one of a few companies that I still trust in the marketplace today, there's still cause to be a little cautious.

 
In the first two chapters of this series describing Apple's forthcoming e-wallet functionality, we covered such matters as Apple's iPhone transaction system, the overview of various transactions, the NFC-iPhone tap operation, credit cards, smart/debit cards, check handling and split-billing. In the third part of our series we present you with an overview of Apple's financial patent which focuses on a future iPhone interacting with Automatic Teller Machines or ATMs. Our report walks you through the basics of Apple's Transaction Application interface while exploring some of the more interesting security features it will be offering, such as advanced gestural and voice signature capabilities and a very unique ever-changing numeric pad interface for PINs. There's no doubt that the e-Wallet revolution is on the horizon and with every Apple patent that we are privileged to explore on this subject, we are actually peering through the peep hole of Apple's engineering lab and seeing but a glimpse of the grandeur of Apple's vision of the e-wallet of tomorrow.

On May 20, 2010, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced targeting advertising system that is likely associated with Apple's forthcoming iAd service. Apple's patent generally relates to providing dynamically priced advertisements to all manner of electronic devices. The new targeting ad system describes relationships between advertisers, an infrastructure owner and a user that may be the target of advertisements from the advertisers. The heart of the patent details the system itself and then provides us with examples of how it will be implemented. Many of the scenarios involved in the patent are based on a future iPhone with built-in NFC capabilities.

 
Last Wednesday the Business Insider reported that a mobile industry insider confirmed to them that Apple was building Facebook features into iPhone OS 4. Perhaps "Apple's new hooks into Facebook," reported Frommer "will make this sync process part of the phone's operating system and not just a feature of the Facebook app." Coincidentally, a recently published Apple patent sheds light on this very subject under the scope of a fuller social networking application concerning various workflows including an "Add Contact" workflow and a "Social Networking" workflow which specifically highlights an exemplary Facebook example. This report covers Apple's "Workflow" patent that is indeed presented as a possible future iPhone OS upgrade consideration.

 
On April 16, 2010 a savvy investor posted a great report on The Motley Fool investor site in which he stated that "Mobile purchases [and] p2p payments using phones - is a utopia that many telcos, banks, and scheme operations have been looking at for years." On May fourth, the news broke that Visa and DeviceFidelity have been working with Apple on turning your iPhone into a credit card that could be used in restaurants and other retail establishments. Market trials actually begin this summer. At the heart of all this news, of course, is Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. Patently Apple has reported on several new NFC related Apple patents targeting concert tickets, travel and others in recent weeks and today we're finally beginning to roll out a new series of Apple patents relating to financial transactions. In fact, that's the generic branding associated with a new Apple Application shown on iPhone patent figures: Transaction. Today, Patently Apple presents you with two reports covering "Transaction" beginning with Transaction 101. Yeeees – Welcome to Transaction: The financial utopia of tomorrow.

 
In part one of this series we provided you with a basic overview of Apple's forthcoming financial application code named Transaction. In part two you'll see a multitude of screenshots related to financial instruments like credit and debit/smart cards, check handling and even group invoicing or split-billing – a common social interaction of splitting a restaurant bill with friends. Patently Apple's report is simply an overview of the iPhone Transaction application patent. For those of you who are bankers, accountants and/or retailers wanting to know a little more about Apple's new financial centric application, we provide you with direction as to where you could find more in-depth patent detailing on each and every topic covered here today.

On April 21, 2010 Patently Apple presented a report on an a high profile Apple patent relating to the travel industry which covered an iPhone application called iTravel. It's been the buzz of the travel industry ever since. The timing of the report couldn't have been any better, considering that the Travel Distribution Summit is set to begin on June 17, 2010 in London. One of the noted keynote topics at this year's Summit covers "How to build the perfect travel app." Well, with Apple working diligently on iTravel - the perfect travel app may already be in waiting. In fact, it appears that Apple is currently in the process of test marketing some aspects of iTravel with Air Canada in Montreal. The limited test market is covering five travel destinations: Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Paris and yes, London – where the travel summit is set to take place. In a coordinated ad put forth by Air Canada, Apple and Telus in Montreal's English daily newspaper called the Gazette on April 29, 2010 – we're able to see Apple's iPhone with various iApps coordinated for the busy traveler. The service is initially using a 2D Matrix barcode system which was covered in Apple's patent – as was the concept of the "unmanned baggage kiosk." That's kind of buzz, really, to see Apple's April patent in action so quickly, even if it's only in-part: But Shhhh, it's a secret.

 
Christina Warrens of Mashable covered our iTunes Concert Ticket + report last week and added that "Delta Airlines, which is headquartered in my hometown, supports digital boarding passes at some of its bigger airports. I love this because it is one less thing to print out and one fewer line to stand in for a boarding pass." Well, Apple appears to agree with that thinking because they're working on a new travel check-in application that they're simply calling "iTravel." Apple is obviously working with the Airlines to ensure that the iPhone will be up to standard when new ticketless systems roll out in the coming years. Apple's iTravel focuses on such matters as airline check-in and baggage identification, advanced electronic ID, car rentals, hotel and airline reservations and so forth. Apple's iTravel is yet another Near Field Communications based application within a host of recent revelations. It would appear, at least on the surface – that Apple may be working on a new suite of NFC related applications for a future iPhone. Perhaps such a suite could be ready by the time they roll out their iPhone 4G next year.

 
There's no missing the point that Apple wants to enter the electronic concert and event ticket business via a new application and system simply called "Concert Ticket +." The system that is laid out in this extraordinarily detailed patent, points to a new iTunes based web service for tickets that will naturally enhance the iTunes music empire. Apple definitely envisions a way to revolutionize the entire current concert ticket process so as to eliminate paper while enhancing the concert or event experience. Today's patent reviews the basics of this new system as well as review the benefits of such a system which could include the concert goer receiving such things as a live recording of the concert they just attended or access to exclusive artist interviews or refreshments. Surprisingly, the patent goes far beyond concerts as well - so as to cover sporting events, amusement park admissions and rides (think Disney), a wedding invitation system and a lot more. In fact, one of the events that the report covers includes Apple's World Wide Developer Conference 2010.

 
In yesterday's NFC focused report we covered a unique Point of Purchase application that Apple appears to be preparing in conjunction with a number of highlighted iPhone hardware upgrades. In today's report we're going to open the flood gates to examine how Apple's engineers see the iPhone eventually controlling every single electronics device in your home including the water sprinkler and home security system for starters. As you could clearly see from our opening graphic above, the iPhone will apparently work with Microsoft's Xbox 360, an HDTV and the Apple TV remote. But that doesn't even scratch the surface of what they envision NFC being used for. One wild 3D CAD application shown in this report will definitely open your eyes to some of the interesting twists that Apple is exploring in conjunction with NFC.

 
Later this morning Apple will be providing us with a "sneak peek of the next generation of iPhone OS software." While I have no idea whether Apple will reveal their intention to add NFC (Near Field Communications) technology or not to OS 4 today – I'm fairly certain that it's on Apple's future roadmap. How do I know that? I know that because Apple has delivered a barrage of NFC related patents in the last month that could warp anyone's brains trying to get their head around the enormity of Apple's efforts. There have been over a thousand illustrations to review and today you're going to see one of these massive filings in detail. Today's patent relates to an unbelievable Point of Purchase (POP) application that will eventually be adding very sophisticated new functionality to an iPhone: Functionality that will go far beyond just using it for a single POP application. Apple introduces us to an NFC-iPhone that will include a built-in scanner, biometric sensor, added camera functionality and a secondary fingerprint scanner for verifying a user's identity to retailers. This report even provides you with two videos illustrating how it will technically work with a future MacBook and/or Apple-TV as well.

In November 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that revealed various concepts behind a newly advanced application in development code named Grab & Go. Apple's patent introduced us to simplified data transfer technologies such as Near Field Communication (NFC) Interface and Sony's new TransferJet - which is now closer to being commercial viable. The new application discussed in the November patent would allow users who live in the fast lane to transfer data quickly between devices like their desktop and iPod by simply tapping their iPod against an iMac, for example. In today's patent we see that Apple is seriously detailing how they intend to update the iPhone and other Apple devices with NFC. The focused devices in this patent are no doubt the iPhone and MacBook. Apple provides us with some rather simple examples of how this will work but in concert with their Grab and Go app, we could see that this is a trend that will no doubt work itself to market over the next 24 months or so. The one interesting twist that Apple reveals is how the iPhone with NFC could be used as a work pass-key to enter your office, building or department – and eventually how this concept could expand to open your home or apartment door, car door and in theory, a hotel room door and so forth. Get ready, Near Field Communications is coming to the iPhone.

A new wireless technology called Millimeter-Wave is currently being developed by several industry groups including WiGig and TGad.  One of the primary goals of this developing standard is to deliver wireless communications that are ten times faster than today's solutions based on 802.11n. Apple has always delivered products with the very latest wireless technologies available and two recent 2009 patents have surfaced to show us once again that Apple is preparing yet a new round of next generation products that will capitalize on the coming wireless standards.  According to a recent report published by Nikkei Electronics Asia, the way to bring costs down for this technology is to build it right into mobile phones. This is an advantage that Apple has with their iPhone. More interestingly however, is that this same report states that the coming millimeter-wave communications revolution won't happen until there's a so-called "killer" application for this technology to make it popular. According to one of Nikkei Electronic Asia's sources within a firm manufacturing millimeter-wave communication components, the killer app is going to be Kiosk Downloading.  

 
On November 5, 2009, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced application in development code named Grab & Go. Apple's patent introduces us to simplified data transfer technologies such as Near Field Communication Interface and Sony's new TransferJet. The new application will allow users who live in the fast lane to transfer data quickly between devices like their desktop and iPod by simply tapping their iPod against an iMac, for example. The new application will also allow users to transfer data quickly from Apple TV to an iPod, from a gaming console to an iPod and so on and so forth. The patent also discusses sending complicated or simple files to MobileMe with yet another app dubbed Revisit. The new app will allow users to review their downloaded information using Cover Flow which is a very cool idea. This is the most in-depth patent of 2009 and the extent of detail would suggest that this is going to be a major new iPhone app hopefully for 2010. The extent of the detail also shows the passion that Apple has for this project. This hot new iApp from Apple has tremendous potential for the iPhone – and for giving their competition a headache!