According to a recent patent by Apple, the fruity company could be working on a universal remote control application that involves an iPhone application and the Apple TV.
Patently Apple reports that Apple has been working on such an application since before 2007. Among the most interesting in the patent: Potentially using the iPhone to connect to the Apple TV which actually does the controlling. Since the Apple TV has a network connection and an IR port, this is potentially feasible.
What makes it a universal remote? Well, one of the first drawings shows the iPhone potentially controlling everything from the TV and sound system to the fireplace and lamps. Yes, we're talking home automation.
The other interesting piece of the puzzle is that the patent mentions the Apple TV and potentially running applications like web browsers, etc., however briefly.
You can read the full details of the patent on Patently Apple.
SpaceTrucker
March 09, 2010 at 7:12am
To try and get a patent for something they didn't create. It was someone else whom come up the original iPhone remote app, then Apple created their own, now they want to patent it. I do at least give them credit that it does do more than just control the AppleTV but, it's hardly their idea.
