Apple has been granted a patent for a way to stop iPhones from taking photos against a user’s will.
The US Patent & Trademark Office today awarded Apple a patent that could render iPhones unable to take photographs or record video footage. The idea is that if you’re at a sensitive location – a concert, cinema, or even a classified facility – then the iPhone would be blocked from recording.
The patent describes a technology whereby an infrared emitter is placed in areas where photography is prohibited. This emitter then generates infrared signals that have encoded data with camera-blocking commands. The iPhone then receives this signal, decodes the data, and thus blocks the camera.
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The patent reads:
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It continues:
“[The device] may be unable to display or store images if the device has received a command to disable recording. If a user selects a record function while that function is temporarily disabled, [the display] may provide a black screen with [a notification] to notify the user that recording has been disabled.”
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This might sound a little terrifying, but it’s not all bad. Apple also describes how the infrared signals could also provide information. If, for instance, you’re at a museum, being near a specific object could push information about that object – a rare vase, for instance – to your phone, as an educational aid.
Don’t forget that this is just a patent, which means Apple is in no way obliged to actually utilise the technology described. There’s every chance we may never see Apple roll out its camera-blocking tech, so don’t panic about a camera-blocking iPhone 7 just yet.
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What do you think of Apple’s camera-blocking technology? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
