Patent for Social Workflow, Something to Look Forward to in iPhone OS 4
Apple’s plans for the iPhone OS 4 just keeps getting better. Now, they are out to make sharing data across different devices even simpler with their patent for the “device to device workflows”. What this does is to automatically negotiate the transfer of different file types coming from, say, different sites in order to streamline the process. This definitely minimizes the stress associated to syncing commonly used data types (like schedules from a calendar):
“Due to the increasing portability of electronic devices, consumers frequently share data stored on electronic devices… For example, consumers may exchange shopping lists or contact information stored on electronic devices over the Internet, through flash-drives, or over serial connections.”
Now, users do not have to determine how to transfer the data themselves and are able to simply click one button to share it. The technology will let the Apple device have the syncing as a part of its OS, instead of relying on third party apps for the compatibility.
In order to accommodate sharing between different OS and platforms, an “initiator device” relays information to a “target device” in order to give workflow-related instructions. Say a mom’s mobile phone is the initiator device and her teenage daughter’s phone is the target device, they will be able to automatically sync their calendars whenever they are within a certain distance by setting up their preferences for the regular synchronization.
The official press article is still a no show as of now but that can change in the developers conference which is scheduled to take place on June 7. The actual patent was filed way back in 2008 and is likely to see the light of day when the iPhone OS 4 gets released. We will just have to wait and see.
Check out Patently Apple to see the rest of the patent.
