There's a lot of buzz about a new
Apple patent, which describes a system that would allow concert planners and
musical artists to prevent concert-goers from taking any pictures or videos at
the venue.
We're not convinced Cupertino
will do much with it. As annoying as it is to have everyone holding up their
smartphones (or worse, tablets) at concerts, it is kind of fun to get a few
snippets of video for a particularly memorable moment.
Apple isn't taking the locked-bag
approach; its proposed solution is a bit more technological—go figure.
"For example, an infrared
emitter can be located in areas where picture or video capture is prohibited,
and the emitter can generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes
commands to disable the recording functions of devices. An electronic device
can then receive the infrared signals, decode the data and temporarily disable
the device's recording function based on the command," the patent reads.
It certainly sounds like an
interesting way to use technology to combat a real issue, but we have a few
hesitations. First, Apple first applied for the patent in 2011, so Apple could
probably create a much more elegant solution today with iBeacon, if not some
other technological trick entirely.
Second, what's to prevent some
industrious person from blocking Apple's ability to keep an iPhone or iPad from
shooting pictures? Wouldn't that be as easy as covering up the device's
infrared port—which iPhone and iPads don't yet have, anyway? It's a much more
elegant solution than having to jailbreak one's device just to take pictures at
concerts, which the truly dedicated would likely do anyway.
And we're a bit worried about the
slippery slope aspect of it all: first concerts, then movie theaters, then what?
Museums? Businesses? Coffee shops? Depending on how easy it is to set up a
little device that forces all smartphones and tablets around it to flip off
their cameras, it's certainly possible that the world might get a lot more
photo-unfriendly if these kinds of solutions really take off.
Worse, we wonder what might
happen when someone finds a way to monetize the process. Sure, you can take a
picture of this waterfall… for $5. The bird on that tree will cost you $10.
Enjoy your vacation.
Source: pcmag.com
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