Future iPhones Could Record Consumer Abuse Events

Apple has filed patents indicating the company is working on "consumer abuse detection" for devices such as the iPhone and iPod. The system described in the patent filing shows circuitry that would record information whenever the hardware is treated in a manner that is not covered under warranty or Apple Care coverage.

iphone patent consumer abuse detection

Shocks and impacts to the iPhone, exceeding the maximum safe operating temperature, and exposure to water are examples of events that could be recorded, along with any resulting damage to the device. During a warranty claim, the data could be retrieved to see if the device has been abused or is still covered.

Google and Apple: Honeymoon Over

Maybe the conflict between two giants was brewing in the background the whole time. The partnership between Apple and Google looks to be on edge ever since Google decided to get into the mobile phone business, launching the open source platform Android.

Apple, as we know from countless reports of application bans, rescinded approvals, and the rejection of Google Voice, keeps strict and inconsistent control of their iPhone OS. In fact, previous Google apps appearing in the App Store have had the privilege of using tools hidden from the average developer.

Netflix Working on iPhone Application

Sure we've seen iPhone apps in the App Store that let us change our Netflix queue on the go. These are useful when someone brings up a movie you'd like to see, or you can't remember the details about that DVD you have sitting next to your TV.

How many times have you wanted to actually watch movies on your instant queue? Although the iPhone suffers from a small screen and non-removable battery, there are situations where you'd want to show a clip to a friend or even watch a whole film.

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