11/01/2007, 5:45pm, EDT
Thursday, November 1st
Apple patents location-sensitive media
Apple has filed a new patent that describes a method for delivering different digital media content depending on where the user is located. The system would use GPS technology to determine a physical location, but could also understand a virtual or assigned location. So, for instance, a user in the United States could be shown an album listing in English, while a user in Mexico could see the same album listing in Spanish, based on automatic GPS sensing. Per the patent description, data can include media content data that effectively specifies, describes, identifies, includes, or references particular media content (e.g., a song, a list of songs, a directory) to be presented at a particular physical location, region, area, space, etc.
The technology described in the patent has another especially interesting ramification. It could be used, for instance, with an iPod, to determine the distance between a downhill slope and and uphill slope, then play different music depending on whether the user is running up or downhill. Volume could also be adjusted based on the same location sensing.
Location types could also be assigned. For instance, if the user walks into a study hall, the volume of the device could be turned down and an audiobook played. When the user walks back out into the outdoors, volume is automatically turned back up and music resumes playing.
he technology described in the patent has another especially interesting ramification. It could be used, for instance, with an iPod, to determine the distance between a downhill slope and and uphill slope, then play different music depending on whether the user is running up or downhill. Volume could also be adjusted based on the same location sensing.
Location types could also be assigned. For instance, if the user walks into a study hall, the volume of the device could be turned down and an audiobook played. When the user walks back out into the outdoors, volume is automatically turned back up and music resumes playing.
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Such developments are widespread in web development - where pages may be polulated with local news or relevant selections based on the user's IP address (which can usually be relied upon to at least indicate which country they are in) - rather than a cookie that the user has set.
You've also got road traffic services that update based on a car's location.