Apple patents don’t always find their way into actual products, but two recent applications seem like logical additions to the next iPhone or iPods.
AppleInsider points to the latest iPod Nano as evidence of how existing headphone jacks can dictate the size of a device. As iFixit noted in its teardown of the new Nano, the device’s front glass panel is raised up 0.3 mm from the base of the device, probably because of the audio jack. Apple could’ve made the device thicker to accommodate the jack while keeping the glass flush, but instead likely chose to raise up the glass panel instead.
Light could be redirected automatically, using an evaluator to detect where a scene needs the most lighting, or manually, with the user touching the screen to focus flash, in the same way that auto-focus is implemented now. Currently, only the iPhone would be able to use this feature, because its the only Apple device with camera flash, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the iPod Touch get flash in future generations.
If Apple actually uses these patents, we’re basically looking at thinner devices from Apple, with cameras that become more competitive with dedicated digicams. Game-changing? No, but certainly welcome.