Tech Innovators Part 1: Apple

This is the first in a brief series of articles looking at what kind of technology some of the world’s leading tech innovators are developing, and this first part focusses on Apple.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence technology is prevalent in Apple’s recent patent filings, specifically the ability to predict desired outcomes by interpreting a user’s library of personal information stored both on a physical device and in the cloud. For example, the device could predict future destinations, or preferred routes to a destination based on interpreted user data and the time of day or the weather.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is also a recurring topic with Apple filing a patent for a mobile app that acts as a central IoT Hub for all IoT consumer devices. This would provide a single communication and control platform for all connected devices and bring consumers one step closer to the fully integrated, mobile-controlled smart home.

Given Apple’s advancements in machine learning/AI technology, a future IoT Hub could potentially learn to make automatic decisions based on historical user preferences and currently available data, for example automatically optimising the energy efficiency of appliances based on typical use, and automatically ordering replacements of depleted household supplies with no user input.

Given the amount of R&D that goes on in these companies no doubt some of these projects will not proceed to commercialization, but those that do may soon be appearing on our devices.

For any aspect of Intellectual Property advice and overall strategy, please get in touch with the ip21 team.

Richard Jones, Business Relationship Manager for ip21 Ltd.