Apple has been awarded a patent for technology that would allow mobile users to share personal content like photos, books and status updates with people they place on hold.
Mashable reported yesterday that the technology would allow users to personalise what information they would share with callers they place on hold. The caller would be shown a menu on their phone’s screen while they are on hold from which they could then choose to view the content that was being shared.
When this technology might appear (if ever) is anyone’s guess though. Apple first filed the patent way back in 2011, the software isn’t pegged to appear in the upcoming iOS 7 update, and Apple are well known for owning a plethora of patents they never use.
If this feature ever does see the light of day then users will have to take care what they share. Putting up content that uses a lot of bandwidth could quickly drain your own data allowance as well of that of whoever you’ve chosen to share it with. Apple have confirmed that the feature would allow you to share an impressive range of data, their patent stating that “music, videos, photos, books, periodicals, status updates, calendar information, hold time information, pre-recorded messages and location information” could all be made available.
