On the 4th of May 2006 Apples December 2004 patent application covering a wireless mobile device was made public by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Specifically the patent covers an "audio user interface for computing devices" which are defined to be either "an MP3 player, a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant."
Analysis of the patent initially shows a way of controlling your iPod using voice commands but the patent covers more than just the iPod. The filing details how the product might work and it appears to suggest the iPod might be able to answer your voice commands with a response related to your initial question. For instance “Play Oasis album” might generate the response “Playing Oasis album now”.
Since there is no real precedent for this kind of interaction with the iPod it is a logical step forward to assume that this is intended for a mobile phone which we are all accustomed to verbally interacting with. Indeed the intuitive and easy to operate iPod hardly needs voice activated controls.
The Apple iPhone is likely to be able to download songs very easily to allow Apple to push the iTunes service. Expect to see Wi-Fi as well as the fastest possible internet applications in this phone. The patent also details a queuing system so you can queue your tracks for downloading once you reach a wireless hotspot rather than paying data charges to your network provider.
A phone like this would take the initiative away from the networks and also the phone manufacturers. It’s unlikely that Apple would compromise the iPod name by bringing out an iPod Nokia for example. Mobile phone networks make a lot of money from downloads and selling content as well as calls. Any phone that makes use of Wi-Fi for free downloads and offers its own channel for content (the iTunes software) will hit the networks hard.
