It was submitted in Aug 2007. The interesting thing is that the patent specifically notes IM protocols used by MS, Y!, AOlL and Google so it may not be to far fetched. Especially that outside the US AIM is not the majority holding of IM users.

The SDK regulations state that 3rd party apps can't 'run' in the background. They can use the microphone, speaker, camera, and WiFi. Though the rules do seem to indicate that Bluetooth is currently off limits.

For instance, there is nothing preventing Mozilla to port their Mobile FF to the iPhone as a 3rd party app. Also, they can even Flash support to the app, but it would all have to be self contained in the app and not a separate plugin that would have to be executed separately as only ONE 3rd party app can run at once and not in the background. (That was an example, I wouldn't hold our breath for Flash of Mobile FF on the iPhone.

HAHA no. That optical sensor adjusted the auto brightness for the display.

oh ya

thanks

The sensor that turns the screen off when you put the phone near your face.

I think that says more about the Patent Office than it does about Apple...

That was my first reaction - they've just patented... Instant Messaging. It's not even a new and revolutionary idea - there have been Java applications for mobiles that will do IM for years.

What's next? "Apple issued a patent for receiving phone calls. On a phone!"

Something tells me you didn't read any of the paptent. They aren't patenting instant messaging but certain very clear aspects of instant messaging as they relate to the iPhone. For example, you will notice in the text a lot of descriptions about how to place the cursor in different locations, make corrections, use of suggestions...

This is an unfortunate reality of things these days; you could call it self-defensive patenting.

If Apple didn't put in a patent like this and tried to do an IM client, and then say it turns out that someone else had a client for Blackberries and goes, 'oh, we patented mobile IM, either pay up or kill your IM app,' they're kinda in a bad place.

There's a depressing number of patents that are filed this way, defensively, so that if someone tries to sue you over some supposed software idea infringing on their patent, you can say "Okay, well, you infringe on THIS one. Wanna settle?" What's really unfortunate is that when smaller companies go under, their patent portfolios can get eaten by patent-holding-companies; at that point, defensive-patents can turn into yet another patent troll situation where you have a company whose business model is entirely owning and licensing patents rather than making anything.

And unfortunately BECAUSE of the patent litigation mindset, this sort of patent that Apple's filed is becoming nearly a necessity for company planning, so that you have something to cover your ass when someone else comes snooping around for possible patent infringements they can sue over.

The whole patent system needs an overhaul. :(

Yeah, software. Like I said.

If that's the case just install it... I have SwirlyMMS running on my iPhone and it works great. Now, if I only had some need for MMS!

It's a pity swirlyMMS is so limited - pictures only, no text, can't send ringtones/receive ringtones, etc.

I carry a second phone that does all that (cheap payT phone) plus bluetooth tethering that I need to keep my GPS traffic whilst travelling. Can't see apple fixing it - the don't 'get' MMS and Bluetooth, and seem to have confused SMS with IM.

Besides more features and non-web-based UI, it also won't disconnect you from the Meebo network whenever you back out of Safari.