Apple iPhone Video Recording & Video Conferencing Applications [Apple Patent Hints at Future iPhone Capabilities]

Whilst the Apple iPhone is undoubtedly still one of the best and most
desirable smartphones currently available (notwithstanding offerings
from the likes of HTC - for whom we have a particular respect) there are
a number of issues that all too evidently serve to hold the iPhone back
in terms of true, unmitigated greatness as far as many are concerned
(quite apart from its MMS and copy/paste weaknesses) and the
iPhone’s lack of video recording and video conferencing (unless,
of course, you run a jailbroken iPhone - in which case you have the
likes of Cycorder) is certainly right up there amongst them.

However, thanks to Information Week taking an in-depth look at
Apple’s iPhone patent, it would appear that Apple may already have
these weaknesses in hand with view to (eventually) addressing them as IW
have unearthed some interesting text hidden deep within Apple’s
patent that serves as more than a hint that capabilities such as video
recording and video conferencing may indeed materialise for the iPhone
in the fullness of time.

Of particular note, these two particular paragraphs make especially
interesting reading:

‘The device supports a variety of applications, such as one or
more of the following: a telephone application, a video conferencing
application, an e-mail application, an instant messaging application, a
blogging application, a photo management application, a digital camera
application, a digital video camera application, a Web browsing
application, a digital music player application, and/or a digital video
player application.’

‘In some embodiments, the functions may include telephoning, video
conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, blogging, digital
photographing, digital videoing, Web browsing, digital music playing,
and/or digital video playing. Instructions for performing these
functions may be included in a computer-readable storage medium or other
computer program product configured for execution by one or more
processors.’

(Emphasis in both paragraphs our own).

Of course, it’s not wholly unlike Apple not to cover just about
every base they possibly can in patent applications (indeed, to do so
makes complete business sense apart from merely being common sense) but
both the above paragraphs could certainly serve as hints regarding what
may be to come - especially in light of broad criticism concerning the
lack of such features on the iPhone.

And, whilst whatever conclusion we take from the above texts is, by
default, pure speculation on our part, it’s nice to know that at
(the very) least Apple has such avenues covered; and, indeed, have had
them covered from the outset. Of course, this also begs the question as
to why such features aren’t in evidence already, but its not as if
Apple always seem to make the ‘expected’ calls or those that
would otherwise strike us mere mortals as being basic common/business
sense (we refer, by way of example, to the following: Apple Mac Netbook
Rumours Seemingly Unfounded).

[Additional Hat Tip: BoyGeniusReport]