KEY POINTS:
Apple has filed a number of new patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, hinting at possible products in the pipeline.
A particularly interesting example appears to involve a method of allowing an iPod or iPhone to interface with other devices over a wireless network, according to Macsimum News.
Older Apple patent filings have dropped similar hints, but it seems that the idea of sharing playlists, iTunes-style between WiFi capable iPods is gaining momentum.
The much-vaunted iPhone does already carry Bluetooth and WiFi technologies, but thus far no way of sharing songs or other media between phones has come to light.
Another filing is a new input technology to allow designers to manipulate three-dimensional images with a two-dimensional device, possibly a mouse.
One patent that will appeal to novice web designers will allow easy construction of webpages with tools usually reserved for professionals.
Patent applications, especially from prolific filers like Apple's lawyers, quite often don't translate into product, but rumours of WiFi iPods have been circulating for some time.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
