Apple Patent Filing is About Tracking, ID'ing Users
Apple could someday be tracking your heartbeat.
Last week news did the rounds that Apple had filed a patent for a way of detecting and disabling iPhones that were modified, such as jailbreaking. The law, however, now dictates that jailbreaking and even the unlocking of phones is legal.
What really caught our eye in the Apple patent filing was how a device may be able to identify and verify the user. One obvious method is through a voice signature.
12 . The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising: a microphone operable to record the voice of the current user; and wherein the processor is further operable to: compare the recorded voice with voice prints of authorized user of the electronic device; and determine that the recorded voice does not match the voice print of any authorized user of the electronic device.
Another is through photo.
17 . A system comprising: an electronic device comprising; an input device operable to receive a password provided by a user; a camera operable to take a photograph of the user; a processor operable to: determine that a predetermined number of incorrect passwords have been successively received; direct the camera to take a photograph of the user; and generate an alert notification in response to the processor determining, wherein the alert notification comprises information related to the identity of the user and the photograph of the user; and communications circuitry operable to transmit the alert notification to a remote device.
Photo and voice signatures sound simple enough, but more startling is the idea of using heart beat signatures.
13 . The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising: a heartbeat sensor operable to detect the heartbeat of the current user; and wherein the processor is further operable to: compare the detected heartbeat with heart signatures of each authorized user of the electronic device; and determine that detected the heartbeat does not match the heart signature of any authorized user of the electronic device.
In addition to the GPS functions of the phone, the patent mentions an additional way to track a moving device by identifying the mode of transport.
16 . The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising: an accelerometer operable to record a vibration profile of the electronic device; and a signal processor operable to compare the recorded vibration profile with a library of vibration profiles to determine a current mode of transportation of the electronic device.
Apple's entire patent filing is about the systems and methods for identifying unauthorized users for a device, and then a way to generate a message to alert the proper authority. Sure, it may be a bit big brother-like, but corporations as well as law enforcement would love such a technology.
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Interesting? not, but maybe its cause im broke and don't have a iPhone or anything apple haha!
I'm pretty sure that Apple will gather this information without asking the user if he want or not!
which is exactly what Apple want to fight: they don't want application which can gather information from an iPhone and send this to a provider without authorization...
So does Apple become a virus or a malicious software???
I think I would prefer to see this feature in Handguns first.
hackers have bypassed much more sophisticated security than this.. i dont think this will stop the phone from getting broke into.
Wow, Jobs is really disturbed...
Now, got forbid you go for some jogging (that will alter your heart rate) or have a common laryngitis ( hoarse voice)... you're SOL.
What? Isn't jailbreaking legal now? And isn't this against privacy agreements anyways?
Apple never disappoints! Lovely company.
Another reason to to give Jobs your money.
CUSTOMER: Your going on road trip? I'm going to stay home, so borrow my cellphone... oh, wait. I bought the newest iPhone, and it is locked to my voice patterns and doesn't work in a car because I told them I don't own one when I bought it. Sorry.
MEANWHILE, AT THE BOARD ROOM OF A MAJOR WIRELESS CELLPHONE PROVIDER:
I love this new iPhone - no longer can customers freely share the minutes they bought for their own sole usage to others by giving them their phone. Now everyone needs to buy their own phone - its like our own version of DRM controls or per-user software licensing! Lets just hope they don't unblock the locks for 911 calls, so that everyone on the go who needs to call 911 will have to have their own cell phone...
I guess the Facebook App for the iPhone will have access to this data as well.
How the Facebook wall post (with you iPhone) of the future could look like:
"Just saw this HOPA *automatic location posted* *automatic picture posted* *face/body recognition tag to Facebook account*. Not going to be lonely tonight *heart frequency 130* *home location posted*"
Really easy way to avoid this crap all together...don't buy an iphone (or any apple product for that matter)
The thing that disturbs me the most about this is the frequent use of the phrase "authorized user." Is Apple trying to restrict who I let use my phone that I purchased? Really? I don't mind the picture one so much because that is directly related to a number of failed password entries. However, all of the others are being done while the phone is in use.
Though I'm not a fan of Apple personally, I usually appreciate their presence in the market because they keep the other companies on their toes and it pushes the technology forward and helps lower prices over all. This is good for consumers. I also understand that Apple has the right to run their business however they want as long as they do it within the law. While these are probably not illegal, the fact that they want to restrict how I use my phone and who I let use my phone is just one more reason why I will never own and never recommend an iPhone to anyone.
Note to self: I already didn't want to buy an Apple product. Now, I want to burn them all.
The excerpts don't seem that bad to me... provided that the features are used for the purpose of locking and tracking stolen phones. They start with the user having failed to enter the correct password too many times. If you don't turn on a password on your iPhone, this won't happen. If you lend out your iPhone and tell the person your password, this won't happen. So it doesn't seem to be about restricting use, but rather protecting against unauthorized use.
Look at the flip side: Someone steals your phone, places a bunch of calls to S. America and India, and then AT&T/Verizon/Spring/whoever stick you with a $10k bill. That's the alternative if your phone is stolen and you don't realize that it's missing.
All that said, I don't like Apple products anyway. And now that I see they are trying to prevent anyone else from protecting their phones with antitheft technology, I like Apple even less.
Corporate NAZISM! That's it in a nutshell. 4 April 1984: "It was a bright cold day in April , and the clocks were striking thirteen"
"The law, however, now dictates that jailbreaking and even the unlocking of phones is legal."
The legality of hacking phones has nothing to do with Apple's potential ability to disable hacked phones. One has to do with government enforcement of the law, the other with Apple enforcement of license terms.
Interesting, when every one thought that Microsoft, or even Google was after getting control of this world. Who could ever imagine that Apple was the villain.
No one has ever stolen my phone. Maybe cus it's not an apple. Or maybe cus i don't leave it lying around. Too many of my rights are gone already.
Like the iphone would ever be able to detect a heartbeat and the vibrations from my fixed and modded and half broken down 89 corolla.
And isnt peaking at those things a major violation of privacy and a major security threat to every apple user?
I wonder if an fanboys will leave apple when they hear that apple spies on them whenever theyre phone is on...
Sounds like wiretapping to me, which is also illegal.
Interesting, when every one thought that Microsoft, or even Google was after getting control of this world. Who could ever imagine that Apple was the villain.
They all do it. Since this is a PC site, PC fanboys like to single out Apple.
Oh, Stevie... when will you ever learn?
ahahaaaa now all i need is steve job's iphone ID and i can really have some fun giving him the heart attack to last a life time this halloween! wish they'd make an app. for that.
Interesting concept.. though I could see a broader use of this patent.
And that's exactly why im not buying icrap stuff!!
Quote "13 . The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising: a heartbeat sensor operable to detect the heartbeat of the current user; and wherein the processor is further operable to: compare the detected heartbeat with heart signatures of each authorized user of the electronic device; and determine that detected the heartbeat does not match the heart signature of any authorized user of the electronic device."
better hope you didn't have a double espresso that morning lol.
Steve Jobs wants to track your children so he can abduct them and turn them into apple fanboys(using his penis of course because to become an apple fanboy first you gotta let Jobs and Apple rape you several times and when you come back for more then your a fanboy) he is running out of people to rape out of their money your children will be his next target.
Apple, North Korea in training.
That's a great way to force your customer out the door, Apple.
This has been a long time in the making for Apple. It all started with that "1984" commercial. How ironic.
Good, now Apple wants to control who can use my phone. Only me, me, me and me! What a selfish guy i am.